Change an Economy 7 socket to a plug socket and add radial circuits

[Joey1]

Hi,

I have economy 7 consumer unit in my house. I want to convert the switches to power sockets and add another 2 radial circuits for lighting and sockets in the cellar. I will be doing the work my self and get it certified by an electrican.

The current setup is such that there is 2 sets of tails feeding 2 separate CUs with fused switches in between (the neutral meter tail is split by a black connector block whilst 2 lives tails are coming from the meter). I guess these will need to be attached to a block too when I get the meter changed?

The economy CU has no RCB but presume I can swap the red power switch for a 30ma RCD or will the ME 80A fused switch be suffice?

It has the 4 heater bays each having a 16A mcb and 2 spare bays which I want to use for the cellar socket. As I can't add cellar lights to same RCD as the sockets, I have spare bays on main CU (split load) next to house lighting that i could possibly use, would that be ok?

I will be using 2.5mm twin and earth cables with 20A mcb for the sockets and 1.5mm twin and earth with 6A mcb for the lighting.

 

[AndyPRK]

Expect a lot of grief !

I would just say, is it worth having a seperate MCB for a light or two in the cellar? Why not just connect into another 6A MCB.
1) It's not notifiable
2) You don't need to find an old style MCB.

Similar for the cellar socket. Connect to one of the other 16A MCB's. What are you going to plug into them ?

 

[PBC_1966]

Similar for the cellar socket.

Ditto for the sockets planned for where the storage heaters used to be. If they're just going to be used for general purposes and not intended for some specific, high-power appliances, then it would probably be easier to just re-route the cables into the existing 32A ring MCB's to make them spurs, assuming that the storage heaters were wired in 2.5 sq. mm.

 

[flameport]

The new circuits and sockets will need RCD protection.
The E7 consumer unit doesn't have one, it might be possible to get one to fit in it, and it may be possible to obtain additional MCBs, but that is a lot of expense for half a dozen sockets and a light.
The spare ways in the main CU don't have RCD protection so can't be used either.

 

[deadshort]

Hi, you could install a 32a rcbo in the spare slot on the non protected side of your main CU use that to supply you're 4way CU and add a 6a mcb for your light( use 6mm twin and earth to supply your "sub board"ciruit. )There is a 32A rcbo for your board on ebay £14.99

Regards,

DS

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I will be doing the work my self and get it certified by an electrican.

What do you mean by that?

Are you intending to apply for Building Regulations approval?

 

[winston1]

I will be using 1.5mm twin and earth with 6A mcb for the lighting.

WHY. 1.0mm is adequate for lighting, it is cheaper, easier to use, and take less of the planets valuable supplies of copper.

 

[JohnW2]

Hi, you could install a 32a rcbo in the spare slot on the non protected side of your main CU use that to supply you're 4way CU and add a 6a mcb for your light....

He could - but that sounds very notifiable to me.

Kind Regards, John

 

[ban-all-sheds]

But notifiable/not-notifiable is an appalling design criteria.

 

[DetlefSchmitz]

But notifiable/not-notifiable is an appalling design criteria.

...criterion...

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Or, if there's more than one set of choices, 'are appalling design criteria.'

Either way I'll get my coat.

 

[Joey1]

The sockets (using 2.5mm cables) wont be used for anything high powered, and wiring them to main circuit using spurs is a no go if it means plaster and floorboards being taken up.


Right now I want to get the cellar soughted, having the other sockets are more of a convient thing. Would like everything to be above board but like to keep it to a small budget. Not having to notify the authority would be ideal. Forgot to mention I have a spur from the kitchen currently lighting the cellar

So will any of these options work and which will be economical (non notifiable) and less hassle:


1. Guess what AndyPRK is eluding to. Connect them to original mcb's, so lighting to upstairs or downstairs lighting mcb and socket to heater in the hallway. (have a socket opposite so not really needed).

Guess I will still need a rcbo which as mentioned I either add on main CU spare bay or use one of the spare bays on economy 7 meter. There shouldn't be any overload problems.

2. Has above but add the sockets as a bridged ring to the downstairs sockets mcb. Possibly won't be neat. Avoiding having rcd protection?

3. Have separate mcb's for the lighting and sockets on the economy 7 meter protected by a 32a rcbo and 6mm cable from the main CU.

4. Extend the main socket ring from the CU using crimps/chock blocks.

 

[JohnW2]

But notifiable/not-notifiable is an appalling design criteria.

Grammar aside, that's true as stated. However, if there are multiple design options, all 'acceptable', some of which result in the work being notifiable and some not, then notifiability becomes a reasonable criterion by which to choose between them (unless one has so much money that one doesn't care!).

Kind Regards, John

 

[sparkwright]

Hi, you could install a 32a rcbo in the spare slot on the non protected side of your main CU use that to supply you're 4way CU and add a 6a mcb for your light( use 6mm twin and earth to supply your "sub board"ciruit. )There is a 32A rcbo for your board on ebay £14.99

Regards,

DS

This sounds the simplest solution, assuming someone can safely remove the existing tails that feed the off peak board.

You could fit a 6 amp RCBO at the 24 hr board, to do the cellar lighting just so it's not sharing the same RCD as the cellar sockets.

 

[JohnW2]

You could fit a 6 amp RCBO at the 24 hr board, to do the cellar lighting just so it's not sharing the same RCD as the cellar sockets.

True - but, if there are other reasonable options (so that notifiability does not become an "appalling design criterion") that again sounds notifiable, which may be a factor of importance to the OP.

Kind Regards, John