Spur Socket Kitchen

[LennieB]

Been trying to decipher the legalities of whether I can do some minor electrical work in my kitchen and from what I understand, it seems that I can't.

I am wanting another double socket, something that I wouldn't think twice about doing myself anywhere else in the house (aside from the bathroom, obviously), is my only way to do this legally to pay a Part P certified Electrician?

If that is the case it is really quite annoying, as while the socket is in the kitchen it is a large room and nowhere near any possible water source and I would literally be going from a socket 20cm away, so such an easy job that it seems stupid to have to call out someone.

I will also only be using the new socket for very little power draw, so seems about as safe as it gets.

 

[ericmark]

Where do you live if makes a huge difference to the law. England and Wales are different.

 

[LennieB]

I'm in England.

 

[Taylortwocities]

In that case, you can do it yourself. Providing it is done safely.

 

[LennieB]

In that case, you can do it yourself. Providing it is done safely.

As simple as that?

 

[riveralt]

In that case, you can do it yourself. Providing it is done safely.

As simple as that?

It is....
Providing you are able to check that your kitchen socket circuit is a radial - in which case yes carry on.
If however, it is a ring final circuit then you just need to ensure that the socket you are taking the spur from is not
itself already a spur - if it is then no you cannot carry out you plan as you propose.

 

[LennieB]

In that case, you can do it yourself. Providing it is done safely.

As simple as that?

It is....
Providing you are able to check that your kitchen socket circuit is a radial - in which case yes carry on.
If however, it is a ring final circuit then you just need to ensure that the socket you are taking the spur from is not
itself already a spur - if it is then no you cannot carry out you plan as you propose.

OK great, there are only two sets of wires behind the socket I am looking to spur from and I have tested for continuity, so I should be ready to go I guess?

 

[riveralt]

OK great, there are only two sets of wires behind the socket I am looking to spur from and I have tested for continuity, so I should be ready to go I guess?

It is often difficult to determine whether you have a radial circuit = GO or a ring final circuit = GO?
You see both radial and ring final circuits could present two sets of cables.
Generally ring circuits have 32A MCB protection - radial circuits have 20A protection but their are variations to that norm particularly with different size cables.
So check the size of the MCB protecting the kitchen circuit - first.
If it is a 32A then see if you can follow the cable from the target socket back from/to the previous/next socket and see if there are two cables
in them - if there is then it is highly likely not already a spur and you are good to go.
If there three cables in either of them then further investigation might be needed.

 

[OwainDIYer]

OK great, there are only two sets of wires behind the socket I am looking to spur from and I have tested for continuity, so I should be ready to go I guess?

Not necessarily; it used to be permitted to run 2 x single sockets on a spur; the first single socket on the spur would therefore have 2 cables (from the ring, and to the second spur socket).

In any case you cannot assume that the existing wiring has been done properly; you need to check whether it's a ring circuit and if it is, that the socket is actually on the ring.

 

[JohnW2]

... OK great, there are only two sets of wires behind the socket I am looking to spur from and I have tested for continuity ...

What do you mean by "tested for continuity"?

Kind Regards, John

 

[AndyPRK]

OK great, there are only two sets of wires behind the socket I am looking to spur from and I have tested for continuity, so I should be ready to go I guess?

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Yes, Andy, he did.

Your point was?

 

[JohnW2]

Yes, Andy, he did. Your point was?

I suspect that Andy may have been intending to ask the same question which I asked in the preceding post.

Kind Regards, John

 

[LennieB]

... OK great, there are only two sets of wires behind the socket I am looking to spur from and I have tested for continuity ...

What do you mean by "tested for continuity"?

Kind Regards, John

By that I mean I used a multi-meter to check the cables feeding the socket are continuous (neutral to neutral etc, of the two T&E cables), which they are.

 

[JohnW2]

What do you mean by "tested for continuity"?

By that I mean I used a multi-meter to check the cables feeding the socket are continuous (neutral to neutral etc, of the two T&E cables), which they are.

Fair enough. That presumably must mean that you have located 'the other ends' of both cables - do I take it that they both go to other sockets?

Kind Regards, John