Economy 7 socket to socket circuit?

[ban-all-sheds]

There's room in the shower CU for a 2nd MCB.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

The electrician can't come for a couple of days but just so I can understand what's required, is it one of these:
http://www.toolstation.com/shop/Electrical/d190/Wylex+Consumer+Units/sd2615

That unit would do, if your friend would want to consider removing the existing shower unit and replacing with the linked unit. You could still have shower unit on a 40A breaker and then protect the new sockets via 16a or 20a breaker

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

There's room in the shower CU for a 2nd MCB.

BAS, there is and would ideally be an RCBO.

 

[SJRSJR]

Thanks for the responses, I like to understand even if I'm not doing it myself.
I think I follow this but:
PBOD - did you mean the second link, not the first, this one? http://www.screwfix.com/p/wylex-2-way-metal-garage-consumer-unit-40a-30ma-rcd/3401h

BAS - how is there room in the shower CU? Could that double sized changeover switch be replaced by a single one and a 16A RCBO for the new circuit? Providing there is enough length in the storage heater cable to reach the shower CU, or will he leave the E7 fuse box in place and run the tail to the it?

 

[ban-all-sheds]

BAS, there is and would ideally be an RCBO.

There's already an RCD.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

how is there room in the shower CU?

It's a 4-module unit - those ON-OFF stickers are on ½-width blanking strips. With those removed and the existing stuff shuffled along there'd be room for 2 MCBs and the RCD.

 

[SJRSJR]

So it doesn't sound like a massively fiddly i.e. expensive job. What about the cable though, there's not much give. Will he use the existing E7 fuseboard as a junction box and just run the tail to Shower Unit?

 

[phatboy]

Can it not just be added to the existing socket circuit at the fuse board? Of course it ideally should be RCD protected, but does combining 2 circuits count as work requiring addition of an RCD?

(I suspect the answer is yes, but thought I'd ask anyway)

 

[ban-all-sheds]

does combining 2 circuits count as work requiring addition of an RCD?

What do you think requires an RCD to be installed where there wasn't one before?

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

Can it not just be added to the existing socket circuit at the fuse board? Of course it ideally should be RCD protected, but does combining 2 circuits count as work requiring addition of an RCD?

(I suspect the answer is yes, but thought I'd ask anyway)

As the FCUs are being changed to socket outlets, you would suspect the answer to be that an RCD is required to cover those circuits, you could probably turn a blind eye to the any existing buried cable as it is not new.
That being true you could possibly consider using rcd socket outlets plates,but the FCUs are SGs and an RCD/Socket would be DGs. So I would think that would be a more laborious job than fitting an RCD protective device at the board.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

There's already an RCD.

Is there? I have I missed something?

 

[securespark]

Yeah, I cannae see it Jimmy either.

 

[SJRSJR]

Can't the switch just be replaced by a combined RCD/switch then the MCB added to the E7 circuit?

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

Can't the switch just be replaced by a combined RCD/switch then the MCB added to the E7 circuit?

The isolator switch of the shower unit can, or alternatively (including the other alternatives previously mentioned) The shower unit could be RCD protected upstream of it. So that the shower unit is RCD protected only.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Yeah, I cannae see it Jimmy either.

There was one.

The dog ate it. Or a big boy left it on the bus, or something.