(Socket) not working (Ed.)

[Jurassicspark]

I could understand it for an outdoor, or similar socket, but in a conservatory there would be no special reason?

Well it can be for convenience. If there is a fault in the conservatory the rest of the sockets won't get affected. Or when tracing a fault it can be isolated.

Not trying to contradict myself, but why not also a dining room, front room, bedroom or whatever?

 

[pete01]

Well it can be for convenience. If there is a fault in the conservatory the rest of the sockets won't get affected. Or when tracing a fault it can be isolated.

Not trying to contradict myself, but why not also a dining room, front room, bedroom or whatever?

Or the in laws might be sitting in there and you can switch the room off and get rid

 

[Jurassicspark]

Or the in laws might be sitting in there and you can switch the room off and get rid

Oh Pete, never knew you were that cheeky.

Maybe you'll get treated the same in a few years time.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Or the in laws might be sitting in there and you can switch the room off and get rid

Only if Daniel can find the FCU

 

[securespark]

I have seen dozens of conservatories over the decades fed via FCUs.

There's usually more than one socket and a light or two as well.

Is that a twin outlet or double outlet

Neither. It's a 2 gang outlet!

 

[JohnW2]

I know that. ... I was talking in general.

Fair enough - but the reason I commented was because I couldn't see in what sense it can be 'easier' to install an FCU than it is to not install an FCU

 

[JohnW2]

Not trying to contradict myself, but why not also a dining room, front room, bedroom or whatever?

Well, you might not have been 'trying to', but you really have contradicted yourself since, as you say, the same argument could be used for having an isolator for the supply to each and every room, or even different parts of one room - things that we generally don't do

 

[JohnW2]

I have seen dozens of conservatories over the decades fed via FCUs.

Fair enough, but ...

There's usually more than one socket and a light or two as well..

... is presumably the reason for the FCU, since an unfused spur from a ring final can only supply one socket, and nothing else.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

... is presumably the reason for the FCU, since an unfused spur from a ring final can only supply one socket, and nothing else.

and this was just to supply one double/two gang outlet. It makes no sense to include the FCU.

 

[JohnW2]

and this was just to supply one double/two gang outlet. It makes no sense to include the FCU.

I think (hope) that we're all agreed about that in relation to the OP's situation.

However, my comment was in response to secure's mention of a situation which involved "more than one socket and a light or two as well"! - in which case a spur from a ring final would obviously have to be a 'fused' one (i.e. with an FCU), unless it were a 4mm² spur (but a good few people don't seem to understand and/or agree with that!)

 

[securespark]

Fair enough, but ...

... is presumably the reason for the FCU, since an unfused spur from a ring final can only supply one socket, and nothing else.

Well...

Believ it or not, I've seen a goodly number with FCUs which just feed a socket.

 

[JohnW2]

Well... Believ it or not, I've seen a goodly number with FCUs which just feed a socket.

I think we all have, but that doesn't make it any more necessary (or 'sensible').

Indeed, I've seen a good few cases of FCUs feeding one single socket, which would appear to be particularly stupid

 

[Daniel3103]

I hadn't realised, it was so long ago. In that case, all you can do is try to trace where the cable goes, back to its source.

I have just gone back to check that. This cable goes through the wall behind the double socket, then it goes up along the other side of the wall behind the panel that I mentioned before, where the space is tight and where there is plenty of equipment fitted to the front of that panel. I can then see the cable emerge at the top of the panel and, from there, it goes straight into the board where all the trip switches are. I don’t think this cable goes through an FCU or any other fitting along the way - the only place where such a fitting could be is behind the panel, where I wouldn’t see it, but I don’t think there is one there.
Can any of this information potentially help me to diagnose the problem?

 

[Daniel3103]

I have seen dozens of conservatories over the decades fed via FCUs.

There's usually more than one socket and a light or two as well.

Yes, there is some other electrical equipment in my conservatory, but it was already there when I bought the bungalow. The double socket is the only item that was added afterwards.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Can any of this information potentially help me to diagnose the problem?

How about some photos, of this panel, extra equipment, and the 'board where the trip switches' are?

Do you have access to a 'none contact voltage tester pen'/ volt stick?