Extending Ring Circuit

[kalahari]

I am about to put in a new kitchen, and want to extend the ring circuit (there is currently only the one covering all sockets in the house) to include another 3 double sockets and 3 FCU's for appliances. Is this potentially going to over load the existing ring? The concern I have is that one of the 3 fcu's is going to be for the oven (runs at 2.8kw so can be connected to the main ring, so if I have the oven on and the dishwasher and the washing machine etc, etc - is there going to be a problem?

 

[plugwash]

while there are no regs forbidding what you propose it is inadvisable

imo putting an oven a dishwasher and a washing machine on the same ring is pushing it anyway never mind that the ring is covering the rest of the house as well

i would say that such a kitchen should at the very least have it's own 32A ring and that one of the 3 high draw appliances mentioned should probablly have a dedicated 16A radial as well

 

[Scoby_Beasley]

Put the oven on its own 6mm circuit and as plugwash said stick a 2.5mm ring in dedicated to your kitchen. Whoever moves in next may have leccy oven and hob.

 

[Big_Spark]

Kalahari, what Plug has said is right.

If you want to read something for a bit of background information, try this
example

Please remember when reading it is only an example of one solution to the problem of kitchen power. Your cooker does not need a large cable circuit, so long as the total cable run does not exceed more than 20 meters, 4mm Twin and Earth will be sufficient for a radial circuit for the cooker. The breaker can be either a 16A or a 20A, 16A being the best choice.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

If you want to read something for a bit of background information, try this
example

I must admit to a bit of puzzlement:

Lets deal with the bathroom first as it is the easiest. Under no circumstances should any socket-outlet be installed in a room containing a fixed bath or shower, unless you live in a house with a truly massive bathroom where you can place a socket more that 2 meters from a source of water.

I thought that the regs were quite explicit in banning socket outlets anywhere in a bathroom, even outside the zones?

 

[Big_Spark]

I thought that the regs were quite explicit in banning socket outlets anywhere in a bathroom, even outside the zones?

Regulation 601-08-01, and Regulation 601-08-02: page 135 of BS7671 do permit this in certain circumstances. These are not likely in a domestic premises.

I have yet to find a bathroom that would allow the installtion of anything more than 2m from any water sources.

However, the fact that that point may cause some confusion means I shall reword it to prevent such confusion infuture.

EDIT
That last comment has been removed to avoid any chance of possible confusion

Thanks for pointing it out.

 

[kalahari]

Thanks all,

What if I:

- keep the hob to the existing 45a radial and then run a 13a fcu from that for the oven (it is a 2.8kw)

- Put the extra 3 double sockets onto the existing mains ring and

- Run a new 32a radial on 2.5mm for the appliances and hood?

 

[plugwash]

useing the existing cooker radial is fine but you should change the breaker on to 16A at the cu

you cannot use 2.5mm on a 32A radial with a 32A breaker you have 2 choices 4mm radial or 2.5mm ring

i would advise removeing all sockets in the kitchen from the existing ring (join the cable with junction boxes or put in fresh runs) and putting them all on the new ring

put the cooker on the existing cooker cuircuit but use a fcu or socket and downrate the breaker at the CU as advised above

and put all sockets in the kitching incluing those for the dishwasher and washing machine (but not the one for the cooker) on a new 32A cuircuit (2.5mm ring or 4mm radial)

haveing sockets on a min ring in a room which has it's own cuircuit is very bad practice imo because people are likely to assume all sockets in the kitchen are safe when they flip of the kitchen breaker

 

[dingbat]

I have yet to find a bathroom that would allow the installtion of anything more than 2m from any water sources.

I've got one.

(But not for much longer. Once the separate shower goes in I'll be just like everybody else.)

 

[kalahari]

Thanks Plug.

In terms of running the oven from the hod 45a radial, I meant to say that I would use a 13a fsc - not a fcu. This should be ok?

Get your point on the 32a radial. There is an existing radial which is used for the emersion heater, and this not in use and plans are to remove it, so I was going to use that as the radial for the appliances in the kitchen, but it is 2.5mm on a 15a breaker. Can I keep it at 15a and use the existing 2.5mm - or should I replace the 2.5 with 4 and upgrade the breaker to 32a?

Cheers

 

[plugwash]

15A isn't really enough for 2 major items of kitchen equipment

that 15A radial would make a nice dedicated supply for the freezer though

haveing the freezer on it's own cuircuit is good if you have or plan to upgrade to a split load cu as it means you won't lose the freezer contents if something trips your rcd while you are on holiday