Radial or Ring
- Thread starter Fluffster
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I'd change it to 4mm² & 32A breaker, depending on the load.
If you have run 2.5mm² cable then assuming it is connected to a 20A MCB you are OK. Running a long return leg to create a ring circuit isn't a good alternative as one leg will be carrying the majority of the current as it was designed and installed to be a radial.
If you don't require the capacity of a 32A circuit then just leave it as it is.
Davy
If you don't require the capacity of a 32A circuit then just leave it as it is.
Davy
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A ring should be balanced so the current is roughly shared between the legs, if you wire it as a radial and then at the last minute add a return leg there is a chance it won't be balanced and one leg will be carrying more than the other.
Not a new theory, its fact. Although I should have written:
Not a new theory, its fact. Although I should have written:
jj4091 said:
True, but you need to make the balancing of load on each leg possible by ensuring that as close to the same number of sockets are on each leg rather than having all the sockets on one leg and then a long return leg from the furthest socket.
It is hard to gain an exact idea of loading but you have to make some assumptions.
Long live 4mm² radials!
You can't accurately balance a ring circuit but you can share the outlets between the legs so as to reduce the chance of one leg being overloaded, this obviously hasn't been done as it was intended to be a radial.
It all comes down to the fact that we can't see the layout so fitting a return leg and increasing the CPD isn't a good idea until you can be sure it will be effective and not cause any problems.
It all comes down to the fact that we can't see the layout so fitting a return leg and increasing the CPD isn't a good idea until you can be sure it will be effective and not cause any problems.
davy 
Grrr!
JohnD said:
Is that 'cos they remind you of the "O" at the end of RCBO ?
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