conservatory heater rcd or not

[andy21275]

Hi all, I am currently doing the wiring for my conservatory. I am running the 4 sockets in the conservatroy off the upstairs ring main which is not rcd protected due to being on the 16th edition regs. I am extending the upstairs ring to my conservatory so i have 13amps at each socket in conservatory which will only power a computer, lcd tele and lamp, but i also want to put a 2/3 kw elecric heater in there aswell. I will be spuring off into a 13amp fcu which will power the heater. Do i need to spur off into a rcd fused connection unit first then into a 13amp fcu to power the heater or will it be ok without the rcd.
cheers
andy

 

[Spark123]

How is the wiring to be installed? Is there going to be any unprotected concealed twin and earth cables buried in the wall less than 50mm from the surface?

 

[nozspark]

You'll probably have to change your plans...

Typically in a house any burried cables @<50mm will require RCD protection.. there are exemptions if you are using earth metalic protection or cables incorporating an earthed metalic sheath (flexishield)... but I gues you are using T&E in at most PVC conduit so those don't really count.

Also all sockets in a domestic setting will require RCD protection unless they are for a specific purpose and identified as such.. (eg fridge/freezer)

So which ever way you look at it all your new wiring in your conservatory is more than likely going to require RCD protection. This is best done at your consumer unit

 

[wingcoax]

your house may be 16th ed but your conservatory is 17th as new installation, so it does need RCD protection. When your buolder notified the local building control he should have said what he was doing to make the electrics comply.

 

[Lectrician]

Your heater does not need RCD protection, but the sockets do! Regardless of how deep the cable is or how they are installed.

If the heater is spurred from the ring final circuit it will then be RCD protected anyway.

 

[andy21275]

thanks for your replys

there is wiring directly to brick work protected only by pvc conduct then dot and dabbed plaster board over the top. Can i spur off the upstairs ring main to a fused 13amp rcd protected unit and run all the wiring off this, obviously i would not be able to have a 3kw heater then as this would take all my 13amps leaving nothing for tele, computer etc..... I have already ran a ring around my conservatory to all sockets, can this ring go directly into fused rcd protected unit or does it have to be a radial.
cheers again

Built conservatory myself within 3m depth so did not require building regs, planning etc... due to permitted development rights

 

[wingcoax]

Built conservatory myself within 3m depth so did not require building regs, planning etc... due to permitted development rights

Unfortunately the wiring comes under"PART P" of building regs and is mandatory in most circumstances.

 

[Lectrician]

Just get the ring final RCD protected at the CU - job done.

Spur the one heater from the ring.

Any more than one heater would need further consideration.

 

[LoveRocket]

Those sockets really should be RCD'd anyway - the 16th edition called for any sockets likely to feed outdoor equipment to be on an RCD.

Socket in a conservatory are pretty likely to be used for the lawnmower aren't they?

 

[Spark123]

There's always more than one way to provide RCD protection, have just installed a load of SRCDs using galv conduit

 

[Lectrician]

These are new sockets and are installed to the 17th and so require RCD protection regardless of weather they can be expected to be used outdoors or not.

RCD protect the circuit at the consumer unit - for an extension to a ring cct it would be the easiest way IMO.

 

[andy21275]

hi all, thanks for your comments.

Just checked my cu and there is a 32amp rcd switched circuit breaker (mcb i think there called) spare in my consumer unit. Can i just swap the cables from the 32amp non rcd mcb that runs the upstairs ring into this and job done.
cheers again.

Also is 1mm t&e enough to run a ceiling fan or do i need to buy 1.5mm t&e. Just asking as i have loads of 1mm and none 1.5mm but if needed i will go buy 2m from local electrical store

 

[ban-all-sheds]

• //www.diynot.com/wiki/electrics
  
  
• //www.diynot.com/wiki/electrics:books
  
  
• http://web.archive.org/web/20080213151445/http://www.kevinboone.com/electricity.html
  
  
• http://web.archive.org/web/20080213151445/http://www.kevinboone.com/domesticinstallations.html
  
  
• //www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=7553
  
  
• //www.diynot.com/wiki/electrics:mcbtocable
  
  
• http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Book/4.3.1.htm
  
  
• http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Book/5.3.1.htm
  
  
• http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Book/4.3.11.htm
  
  
• http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Book/6.1.1.htm
  
  
• http://web.archive.org/web/20080213151445/http://www.kevinboone.com/cableselection_web.pdf
  
  
• http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Technical/Charts/VoltageDrop.html
  
  
• http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Book/8.1.1.htm
  

PS - yes, you do need to.

 

[andy21275]

hi, thanks for your reply, but that is alot of books to read to just find out if this is possible, im sure it is, i mite just have to crimp a 2inch extension on the live wire in the consumer unit to get across to the 32amp rcd mcb.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Hi all, I am currently doing the wiring for my conservatory.

You need to know about circuit design, installation methods, testing...

That list of info and books etc will help you to acquire the competence you must have if you want to design and install electrical circuits.