ANOTHER socket in the loft?

[simondyntDBeK]

Hi folks,

In my loft I have a plug socket running from a thick grey cable into the airing cupboard (fitted by a professional).

I now want to put another plug socket in another part of the loft. Can I just run a cable from the existing socket to a new one? ie - where the single cable comes into the existing socket and goes off to the three holes (n, e and l) - can I just put another cable in there so there are two in each hole? Did I explain that well? Probably not!

Hope someone can help.

Simon

 

[securespark]

How thick is the cable?

Are the cores solid or multistrand?

Where is it connected to - which circuit?

 

[simondyntDBeK]

Hi securespark,

The cable is 2.5mm twin and earth I believe and the core is solid.

As for where it goes - sorry, not sure. In the airing cupboard is like a fuse switch (which I notice the alarm man has took a line off for the new burglar alarm).

Does this help?

Cheers

Simon

 

[securespark]

Have you got an immersion heater?

Is it connected up to your tank?

 

[simondyntDBeK]

Yep - but this is a different socket above the switch to turn on/off the immersion heater.

Simon

 

[securespark]

There really shouldn't be anything else attached to an immersion circuit.

Can you extend the first floor ring final up into the loft, through the airing cupboard?

While you're at it, re-feed the things that are fed off the immersion.

 

[simondyntDBeK]

Hi,

I know what I want to do probably isn't the best way to do it, but, technically would it be ok?

Simon

 

[davy_owen_88]

It would work, but as secure has already said, you shouldn't do it - immersion heater circuits are run close to full load so it isn't a good idea to feed 2 sockets and an alarm from this.

Follow his instructions and do it right, not what is the easiest.

Davy

 

[simondyntDBeK]

I'm not entirely sure it is run off the immersion heater - how could I check?

It was put in by a professional electrician AFAIK.

 

[davy_owen_88]

Post some pics of where the feed to the loft comes from and then some pics of the immersion heater switch and surrounding cables.

Davy

 

[simondyntDBeK]

done!

Hope you can help.

Simon

 

[davy_owen_88]

In the loft socket, is there only one cable?

The bottom switch does seem to be feeding the immersion heater but I'd be interested to know whether it is a suitable switch as it looks like a standard 10A switch but I can't be sure.

What size fuse is in the fused spur? Is the cable to the alarm/socket connected to the fused spur or does it just pass through the back-box?

Where does the main feed cable come from? I can't see it in the pictures.

 

[simondyntDBeK]

oooh - there's a lot of tough questions!

There is only that one cable going up into the loft directly into the plug socket.

I'll have a nose and see what I can find.

Realistically, what's the worse that will happen (bearing in mind I only want the extra socket for a rarely used loft light)?

 

[Pensdown]

Realistically, what's the worse that will happen (bearing in mind I only want the extra socket for a rarely used loft light)?

 

[davy_owen_88]

Well why didn't you say that in the first place Just take a feed from the lighting circuit and wire the light directly into that. Do NOT wire a socket into the lighting circuit though...

To answer your question, the worst that can happen (if the cable and MCB are correctly sized) is the MCB might trip. If the cable is too small/MCB too large then overheating/fires etc..

Davy