Spurs of ring

[Shift]

I'm planning on changing a small ring ( 3 sockets) into 4 sockets with 2 spurs. I know the regs say you can spur of a ring but how many times. Also it would be a lot easier to spur of the 1 st spur but I'm sure I've read that this is not good practice can someone explain why!!

 

[JohnD]

You are allowed as many spurs as you have sockets. This is generally assumed to mean not more than one spur per socket.

You mustn't have more than one socket off an unfused spur as it would be possible for someone to plug in multiple heavy loads, and the cable is not desined to carry it.

However, it is also possible to enlarge a ring. For example if you have
(consumer unit)---(socket 1)--- (socket 2)--(socket 3)---(socket 4)---(back to consumer unit)

you can change it to
(consumer unit)---(socket 1)--(new socket A)--(new socket B)--(new socket C)--(socket 2)--(socket 3)---(socket 4)---(back to consumer unit)

It is essential to remove the old connection between (socket 1) and (socket 2) or you would have a parallel path.

 

[Shift]

Thats was my original plan and to join one of the sockets into the ring would be quite easy but getting the extra wire to the to the other spurs would be very difficult without messing up the decor.

 

[WSDLTD]

u can have as many spurs as you like from a ring as long as there is a fused spur before them that limits the sockets that you add to 13 amps max but dont add more sockets on the radial than there is on the ring

 

[securespark]

If you are extending the ring, why spur at all?

 

[Shift]

What I thought was a small ring circuit turns out to be a radial with branches off. I got confused because their is 2x2.5mm t&e going to the small fuse box and it's one of these wires thats feeding a single socket which wasn't visible that caused the confusion until I removed part of the cellar ceiling plus I've read on this forum that radial circuits should be 4mm. It's too difficult to get a return from the final socket to create a ring as it would involve ripping up laminate flooring. It may be possible join up the sockets to make a radial but as I said should it be wired in 4mm, the sockets in the circuit would be 3 singles and 2 doubles serving tv equipment,stereo,2 lamps and 2 phones.whats the best option!!.

 

[plugwash]

its fine to have a radial in 2.5mm provided its protected by a 20A fuse/breaker and the expected loading is low enough to allow this (which it is in your case).

 

[Shift]

Thanks plugwash This job is proving more difficult than previously thought, it would be far easier to branch off to 1 double serving stereo/lamp and 1 single serving a phone. What rules apply with branches off a radial ie: is 2 allowed off a circuit with 3 sockets. This circuit will be on the rcd side of the split load consumer unit.

 

[plugwash]

radials can branch as much as you like