Hello,
Sorry this is quite along post.
I purchased and moved into a 3 bed bungalow last year, the electrics are original from the late 80's except the kitchen has had sockets changed to doubles at some point, a shower has been added about 5 years ago and the consumer unit has been updated about 12 years ago (has one RCCB covering all MCBs except all the lighting circuits)
The main issue is there are a lack of sockets throughout the whole bungalow (about 120sqm) and there is just one ring final circuit covering the whole bungalow, at the moment we have to be careful using the Kitchen equipment (washer/dish washer/dryer/fridge/toaster/kettle/microwave) as it will trip the MCB if too many are running. I do have a UPS in a couple of the rooms as I have extensive computers/servers/tech that stay on most of the time but still a pain when it trips.
I'm at the point now where I want to change the consumer unit, reconfigure the circuits and add some extra sockets along the way. I have only the basic understandings so my electrician will be carrying out the works and I will be doing all the chasing and getting the floorboards up and removing redundant cables where required.
We're just settling now on the design and I want to check if I'm going in the correct direction (after speaking to a few electricians they all seem to have different preferences)
Here's is the current discussed plan/details:
Lighting:
Currently 1.5mm2 cables feeding 3 separate circuits, 2 split the internal ceiling lights and the 3rd is outside lights.
Happy with the lights and these will be left as is for now and just put on individual RCBO's, the alarm will be cabled to a new separate RCBO instead.
Central heating:
Currently on it's own MCB, will keep the same just changing to a RCBO.
Shower:
Currently 6mm2 cable for 8.5kW shower on 40A MCB.
Will just be moving it to a RCBO.
Bedroom 1 and 2:
Currently the first sockets (2 in each room) off one leg (A) of the ring final circuit (2.5mm2)
Plan is to break the ring at the end of bedroom 2 before Bedroom 3 and put these 2 rooms on their own radial 20A RCBO, then add a few sockets in the radial where required.
Living room/Dining room:
Currently the first sockets (2 in each room) off one leg (B) of the ring final circuit (2.5mm2)
Plan is to break the ring at the end of Dining room before the kitchen and put these 2 rooms on their own radial 20A RCBO, then add a few sockets in the radial where required.
Bedroom 3 (Office/data room):
Currently in the ring final circuit 2.5mm2 after the other 2 bedrooms before the kitchen.
This will be broken once the other bedrooms are put on their own radial, plan is to remove the cable from bedroom 2 and to run a new 2.5mm2 cable from the consumer unit to the first socket, remove it's cable linking it to the kitchen and putting this room on it's own 20A RCBO and adding a few sockets in the radial where needed.
I want this room separate as has lots of equipment I want to keep on whenever possible (not really high load equipment maybe 3000W total)
Kitchen:
Currently 5 sockets in the middle of the ring final circuit 2.5mm2
This will be broken when the other radial circuits are created, plan is to remove the cable from bedroom 3 and Dining room and to run 2 new 2.5mm2 cables each side of the kitchen to make this back to a ring final circuit on it's own 32A RCBO.
Optional thoughts for the kitchen.
1. Currently have a gas cooker plugged into one of the kitchen ring sockets (just for the ignitor/display). I was thinking while chasing maybe having a new 10mm2 cable put in from the consumer unit on a new RCBO for a proper cooker socket for potential future use (incase we have a high power electric oven in the future)
2. I mentioned earlier my kitchen equipment, when I've added the amps up it seems potentially could be pushing it, so I was thinking about having a 4mm2 cable put in and creating a separate radial on a 32A RCBO with 2 sockets just dedicated for the washer and dryer. I don't know if this just overkill/unnecessary?
Any advice/input is appreciated, the above is all the basic overall design I'm looking to go with but happy for suggestions or anything that's been overlooked.
Sorry this is quite along post.
I purchased and moved into a 3 bed bungalow last year, the electrics are original from the late 80's except the kitchen has had sockets changed to doubles at some point, a shower has been added about 5 years ago and the consumer unit has been updated about 12 years ago (has one RCCB covering all MCBs except all the lighting circuits)
The main issue is there are a lack of sockets throughout the whole bungalow (about 120sqm) and there is just one ring final circuit covering the whole bungalow, at the moment we have to be careful using the Kitchen equipment (washer/dish washer/dryer/fridge/toaster/kettle/microwave) as it will trip the MCB if too many are running. I do have a UPS in a couple of the rooms as I have extensive computers/servers/tech that stay on most of the time but still a pain when it trips.
I'm at the point now where I want to change the consumer unit, reconfigure the circuits and add some extra sockets along the way. I have only the basic understandings so my electrician will be carrying out the works and I will be doing all the chasing and getting the floorboards up and removing redundant cables where required.
We're just settling now on the design and I want to check if I'm going in the correct direction (after speaking to a few electricians they all seem to have different preferences)
Here's is the current discussed plan/details:
Lighting:
Currently 1.5mm2 cables feeding 3 separate circuits, 2 split the internal ceiling lights and the 3rd is outside lights.
Happy with the lights and these will be left as is for now and just put on individual RCBO's, the alarm will be cabled to a new separate RCBO instead.
Central heating:
Currently on it's own MCB, will keep the same just changing to a RCBO.
Shower:
Currently 6mm2 cable for 8.5kW shower on 40A MCB.
Will just be moving it to a RCBO.
Bedroom 1 and 2:
Currently the first sockets (2 in each room) off one leg (A) of the ring final circuit (2.5mm2)
Plan is to break the ring at the end of bedroom 2 before Bedroom 3 and put these 2 rooms on their own radial 20A RCBO, then add a few sockets in the radial where required.
Living room/Dining room:
Currently the first sockets (2 in each room) off one leg (B) of the ring final circuit (2.5mm2)
Plan is to break the ring at the end of Dining room before the kitchen and put these 2 rooms on their own radial 20A RCBO, then add a few sockets in the radial where required.
Bedroom 3 (Office/data room):
Currently in the ring final circuit 2.5mm2 after the other 2 bedrooms before the kitchen.
This will be broken once the other bedrooms are put on their own radial, plan is to remove the cable from bedroom 2 and to run a new 2.5mm2 cable from the consumer unit to the first socket, remove it's cable linking it to the kitchen and putting this room on it's own 20A RCBO and adding a few sockets in the radial where needed.
I want this room separate as has lots of equipment I want to keep on whenever possible (not really high load equipment maybe 3000W total)
Kitchen:
Currently 5 sockets in the middle of the ring final circuit 2.5mm2
This will be broken when the other radial circuits are created, plan is to remove the cable from bedroom 3 and Dining room and to run 2 new 2.5mm2 cables each side of the kitchen to make this back to a ring final circuit on it's own 32A RCBO.
Optional thoughts for the kitchen.
1. Currently have a gas cooker plugged into one of the kitchen ring sockets (just for the ignitor/display). I was thinking while chasing maybe having a new 10mm2 cable put in from the consumer unit on a new RCBO for a proper cooker socket for potential future use (incase we have a high power electric oven in the future)
2. I mentioned earlier my kitchen equipment, when I've added the amps up it seems potentially could be pushing it, so I was thinking about having a 4mm2 cable put in and creating a separate radial on a 32A RCBO with 2 sockets just dedicated for the washer and dryer. I don't know if this just overkill/unnecessary?
Any advice/input is appreciated, the above is all the basic overall design I'm looking to go with but happy for suggestions or anything that's been overlooked.