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Hi All,
1) I was repositioning a surface mounted twin socket used for washing machine in the utility room (a separate but adjacent room from the kitchen) to a more convenient position on the opposite wall. It has an older type (white) 2.5mm T&E cable. I am chasing the wall to bury the cable under a plastic conduit and intend to fit a new double flush mounted 13a socket. I switched off the downstairs ring main socket supply (32amp CB) at the CU. Just for safety I checked that the power was off with a multimeter but noticed it was still live (reading 243volts). I traced the cable into the loft (its a chalet bungalow, first floor added circa 1977) and found it was spurred from a cable using a junction box (no FCU in the line) presumably from upstairs ringmain, as once this was switched off (also 32amp CB) at the CU the circuit was dead. So the supply for this spur is from upstairs. My question is: a) I know this is not the best scenario, but can I leave this connection as it is or do I have to remove the cable? The work looks 'professionally' done and neat. The socket is intended to supply power to a new fridge/freezer and a washing machine. I intend to label the CU/new socket to state the source of power supply. b) Is this legal?
2) Secondly, in the utility room there was a wall flush mounted old type of broken single 3-pin brown socket (1950s?) which was blanked off (not in use) coming off the downstairs ring main. I am hoping to re-activate this socket by changing it to a modern double socket. But the cable appears to be 1.5mm (older grey cable) which I suspect is the original cable used in this 1950s built house. The cable comes from what looks like an original older junction box and there is also another similar cable coming out supplying a single socket in the study. The incoming supply from the ring main into this junction box is a thicker type of 2.5mm size cable. I feel I need to change the cable from the junction box to the new socket in the utility room for 2.5mm T&E. This is for use on a tumble drier or washing machine. Is this acceptable? Can I have 1 new cable and 1 older cable coming out of the junction box? Altogether I need a total of 3 sockets (including item 1 above) in the utility room to supply a washing machine, new tumble drier and new fridge/freezer. There will not be any new circuits added in this exercise - just updating existing ones.
For info, Consumer Unit has separate circuits for Kitchen hob/oven 32a each, Upstairs sockets, Downstairs sockets 32a each, lighting upstairs, downstairs 6a each, garage 16a, immersion 16a and shower 40amp. Consumer Unit fitted circa 1998.
Any advice offered for the above questions will be much appreciated. Thanks.
1) I was repositioning a surface mounted twin socket used for washing machine in the utility room (a separate but adjacent room from the kitchen) to a more convenient position on the opposite wall. It has an older type (white) 2.5mm T&E cable. I am chasing the wall to bury the cable under a plastic conduit and intend to fit a new double flush mounted 13a socket. I switched off the downstairs ring main socket supply (32amp CB) at the CU. Just for safety I checked that the power was off with a multimeter but noticed it was still live (reading 243volts). I traced the cable into the loft (its a chalet bungalow, first floor added circa 1977) and found it was spurred from a cable using a junction box (no FCU in the line) presumably from upstairs ringmain, as once this was switched off (also 32amp CB) at the CU the circuit was dead. So the supply for this spur is from upstairs. My question is: a) I know this is not the best scenario, but can I leave this connection as it is or do I have to remove the cable? The work looks 'professionally' done and neat. The socket is intended to supply power to a new fridge/freezer and a washing machine. I intend to label the CU/new socket to state the source of power supply. b) Is this legal?
2) Secondly, in the utility room there was a wall flush mounted old type of broken single 3-pin brown socket (1950s?) which was blanked off (not in use) coming off the downstairs ring main. I am hoping to re-activate this socket by changing it to a modern double socket. But the cable appears to be 1.5mm (older grey cable) which I suspect is the original cable used in this 1950s built house. The cable comes from what looks like an original older junction box and there is also another similar cable coming out supplying a single socket in the study. The incoming supply from the ring main into this junction box is a thicker type of 2.5mm size cable. I feel I need to change the cable from the junction box to the new socket in the utility room for 2.5mm T&E. This is for use on a tumble drier or washing machine. Is this acceptable? Can I have 1 new cable and 1 older cable coming out of the junction box? Altogether I need a total of 3 sockets (including item 1 above) in the utility room to supply a washing machine, new tumble drier and new fridge/freezer. There will not be any new circuits added in this exercise - just updating existing ones.
For info, Consumer Unit has separate circuits for Kitchen hob/oven 32a each, Upstairs sockets, Downstairs sockets 32a each, lighting upstairs, downstairs 6a each, garage 16a, immersion 16a and shower 40amp. Consumer Unit fitted circa 1998.
Any advice offered for the above questions will be much appreciated. Thanks.