After checking the CU both upstairs and downstairs power sockets are protected by one 32mcb. Checking on sockets I find most have two sets of wiring into back with some spurs on double sockets. I want to add a power socket. If possible by extending the ring question is how do I determine if circuit is ring or radial. (house built late sixties early seventies)
Ring or Radial
- Thread starter Dai
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Assuming no major wiring misconnections.
Look in CU for number of wires coming from the MCB. If one then radial. If two then ring or radials upstairs and downstairs. If two then turn off all power and disconnect the two wires (probably red ones) from the MCB. Unplug all appliances. Check for continuity of the circuit between the two disconnected wires. Multimeter best, but torch lamp and battery will do. If no circuit then you have two radials; if bulb lights the it's a ring.
HTH
Look in CU for number of wires coming from the MCB. If one then radial. If two then ring or radials upstairs and downstairs. If two then turn off all power and disconnect the two wires (probably red ones) from the MCB. Unplug all appliances. Check for continuity of the circuit between the two disconnected wires. Multimeter best, but torch lamp and battery will do. If no circuit then you have two radials; if bulb lights the it's a ring.
HTH
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rings are mainly a historical artifact of a time just after world war 2
the main design criteria for the 30A ring/13A fused plug system we know and love was to run 2 3KW electric fires placed in any two of the rooms while leaving some room for small applicances and using as little copper as possible (there was a copper shortage at the time).
from the point of view of someone installing now the nice thing about rings is that they let you have a 32A (big enough to rarely trip in domestic use) circuit without having to use expensive 4mm cable.
the main design criteria for the 30A ring/13A fused plug system we know and love was to run 2 3KW electric fires placed in any two of the rooms while leaving some room for small applicances and using as little copper as possible (there was a copper shortage at the time).
from the point of view of someone installing now the nice thing about rings is that they let you have a 32A (big enough to rarely trip in domestic use) circuit without having to use expensive 4mm cable.
rob884 said:
Yes, it is also easier to install than a 4mm radial.
Rings are wonderful 
Especially because they are used in combination with our wonderful "13Amp" plug, which enables a high current to be available throughout the house, but closely fused down to suit the local appliance and flex at the point of use. Although large numbers of sockets may be provided, most of them will supply appliances of trivial and intermittent load.
In a domestic installation they allow you to wander the cable all round all the walls, putting in as many outlets as you want, and it is easy to add more. Because the cable goes all round the house, there is little extra required to return back to the point of origin, thus enabling the use of a thinner cable which is both cheaper and easier to work with than a thick one. There is less drop in voltage than at the end of a long radial. Testing is different. In non-domestic environments there may be good reasons for choosing a different type of circuit as loading and usage patterns may be different.
Especially because they are used in combination with our wonderful "13Amp" plug, which enables a high current to be available throughout the house, but closely fused down to suit the local appliance and flex at the point of use. Although large numbers of sockets may be provided, most of them will supply appliances of trivial and intermittent load.
In a domestic installation they allow you to wander the cable all round all the walls, putting in as many outlets as you want, and it is easy to add more. Because the cable goes all round the house, there is little extra required to return back to the point of origin, thus enabling the use of a thinner cable which is both cheaper and easier to work with than a thick one. There is less drop in voltage than at the end of a long radial. Testing is different. In non-domestic environments there may be good reasons for choosing a different type of circuit as loading and usage patterns may be different.
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Install ring final circuits. They're great!
Published by the Ring Final Circuit Promotion Council.
[Patron JohnD]
Published by the Ring Final Circuit Promotion Council.
[Patron JohnD]
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You must admit, they can be a PIA to fault-find on, and they can be abused ( )
)
So if they'd never been invented, how many people would try to introduce them now?
And if they are so wonderful, why are they not more widespread throughout the world?
And if they are so wonderful, why are they not more widespread throughout the world?
ban-all-sheds said:
I can only pity the poor benighted foreigners who lack the benefits of this wonderful invention.
(BAS)
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(JohnD)
I actually think the concept of the fused plug on the higher-rated circuit is the best bit.
Don't need rings to have that, you yanker.
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