Ring/radial question - ideas please

[notb665]

I have a ring main in my house which I extended to accommodate a new room (adjoining workshop – so the cables are exposed). I would like the option of cutting off this room so I can switch everything off in there without having to go round every plug socket at night.

So the ring comes in/goes out on two cables. I could put a double pole switch on both cables and switch them off at night but then obviously I’d be left with two switches to switch and two radials. Is there such a switch/diagram that would switch off part of the ring (one room) but join up the two radials back to a ring? Does it matter that there would be two radials left? Am I just being lazy? Is this a good thing to do anyway?

 

[Spark123]

Ring circuits are not meant to be switched in this way, you'd end up breaking the ring and with a whole manner of other problems. It can be done using a radial circuit, though this may need to come directly from the consumer unit.
What sort of power are you lookin at?, I suppose it could be done using a switched fcu from the ring although you would be limited to 13A for all sockets.

 

[Lectrician]

You cant put two switches in - period.

Depends how much you want to spend, and what your loading is.

Your easiest way would be to reroute or extend the ring ends from the house to a switched fused connection unit. Then feed a 13amp radial from here around the workshop. This limits you to 13amp.

Ideally run a new supply from the house CU to a new CU in the workshop. join the ring cables from house together to remove the workshop completely, and put the workshop onto the new CU.

You could control this CU via a contactor if you wished, so you could switch it via a standard 6amp switch - or a key switch.

 

[bernardgreen]

I could put a double pole switch on both cables and switch them off at night but then obviously I’d be left with two switches to switch and two radials. Is there such a switch/diagram that would switch off part of the ring (one room) but join up the two radials back to a ring?

Not a good idea

Am I just being lazy? Is this a good thing to do anyway?

Yes lazy.... Going round turning everything off means you can also do a full safety check on the equipment at the same time.

Remotely switching power to a work bench ( when you re-configure the ring ) may energise something that was left in or has becomes a non safe state. Soldering iron that a piece of paper fell on during the night.

No it is not good thing

 

[notb665]

Thanks for your replies, all very helpful.

It is not a workshop as such, but a music studio (amp, computer, fx box, printer, spurred 5A lighting, 2 decking lightings via transformers, heater) so only normal household stuff, so 13A would be OK?

I did consider a single feed from the house to a CU but it was too late by then.

I will consider Lectrician's spur:

Your easiest way would be to reroute or extend the ring ends from the house to a switched fused connection unit. Then feed a 13amp radial from here around the workshop. This limits you to 13amp.

Just to check: the two ends of the ring into the supply terminals and the spur in the load?

Thank you all.

 

[securespark]

Yup.