Lightswitch Wiring Help - 3 gang to 2 gang

[breezer]

if you have lots of money that will be fine. (rcd sockets costing a lot of money)

your garage should have its own supply fuse which should be rcd protected, or have SIMILAR to

it was first one i found

 

[ban-all-sheds]

For fridge-freezer:

Non-RCD radial -> FCU -> round-pin socket, or even hard-wired to the FCU if you don't mind inconvenience re moving the appliance or having to temporarily fit a plug if a service technician is required.

I submit that a non-BS 1363 socket would not be "reasonably" expected to supply equipment outdoors...

I'd certainly argue that with anybody doing an inspection.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

In ascending order of cost:

1) RCD only board
2) Split load board
3) Non-RCD board with RCBOs
4) Non-RCD board with individual RCD sockets.

 

[D J Fryer]

The guy seemed to think that everything done in the kitchen recently was fine (albeit that the CU end of all that he recommended be put onto one split load CU). I don't intend of changing anything in the kitchen that does not require it as I have effectively already paid for this recently.

The garage does have its own supply fuse but I don't think that it is RCD protected because it is on the old Wylex CU. Having said all that the only socket in the garage (there is only one) has a plug in RCD adaptor.

And excuse my ignorance but surely if your kitchen appliances are not 'plugged in' using a coventional plug but are hard wired using fused switches then how could they be construed as possibly being used for supply to 'outdoor appliances'.......?

 

[plugwash]

hard wired in is definately fine on non rcd

i would personally say that sockets behind appliances (fed from a fused spur or DP switch above are fine on non rcd

but the "feasiblly supply equipment outside the equipotential zone" reg is *very* open to interpretation

 

[ban-all-sheds]

And excuse my ignorance but surely if your kitchen appliances are not 'plugged in' using a coventional plug but are hard wired using fused switches then how could they be construed as possibly being used for supply to 'outdoor appliances'.......?

They absolutely can't, and there would be no question of non-compliance with such a circuit. The RCD requirement applies to socket circuits only, and then, as plugwash says, there is the issue of what does "could reasonably be expected" mean?

Personally I would be quite confident that I could argue my case if I used a non-standard socket (either round pins, or one of those with an odd-shaped earth pin), as it would not be reasonably expected that someone would have something that they could plug in.

 

[D J Fryer]

UPDATE - first quote received - £2000 excl. vat - ouch! Time to go and get another couple!

 

[securespark]

2K for rewire? Sounds about right....

 

[dingbat]

If you think that's steep, try getting quotes for central heating!!

Bear in mind, as well, that a rewire will last you another twenty-five years at least. (Most rewires I do are replacing installations last carried out in the sixties!!)

 

[D J Fryer]

dingbat - Oh, I know - just had that replaced aswell over the course of the last year (managed to lose the VAT on some of it though). Problem I now have is that everyone on the NICEIC database that say they do 'Domestic Installations' in my area seem to prefer commercial and don't want to quote!

MESSAGE TO ELECTRICIANS - if you are going to become NICEIC accredited don't tick every flaming box in the 'questionnaire' if you don't want to do the work!

securespark - I'll concede that it could have been worse, I suppose I was just hoping for less than 2K incl the vat.

 

[D J Fryer]

Well second quote received and is in the same ball park and includes some phone extension re-wiring that the first didn't so looks like I may go with the second guy.

Cheers for your help guys!