Taking a connection from the main fuse board

[pappyon]

I had an electrician install a socket in the cupboard under the stairs right next to the consumer unit.

I asked him if he could do it without lifting floorboards or disturbing newly-decorated walls in the living room where the nearest socket was, and that I wasn't caring about the cable being on the skirting board or him using a surface-mounted socket

Curious as to how he had done it I took the cover off the consumer unit and note that he took a connection from the 15 amp MCB which feeds the downstairs sockets, which means now there are three wires going into this, the two original being I would imagine the feed and return for the ring main sockets and the new one.

I would imagine he did this becauses there were no spare fuseways.

Is this permissable and is it perfectly safe?

 

[GaryMo]

Yes, nothing wrong with taking a spur from a consumer unit though I guess your sockets may already consist of two radials and not a ring due to them being fed from a 15A MCB.

Is the installed socket RCD protected? What's it for, general use or a specific piece of equipment?

 

[pappyon]

I thank you for your quick reply.

Yes the circuit is RCD protected and the socket will only be used for a condensor tumble dryer and nothing else.

 

[Taylortwocities]

So, you are OK. Just remember that the tumble dryer will draw quite a bit of current (up to 13amps) so that won't leave much for the other sockets connected to that 15 amp fuse.

PS, I am curious. Are sure the 15amp mcb to be RCD protected?
15A is the old style breaker values. Most of the old boards didn't have RCD protection.
These days breakers are 16, 20, 32A...
Post a pic of your consumer unit if u get a minute.

 

[pappyon]

I am sorry but I wouldn't know how to post a photo.

This is a house I have just bought and I have reason to believe it was completely rewired not so long ago.

If you give me a minute I will check back through a post I made on here about the RCD on the consumer unit and post again.

As this circuit supplies the downstair sockets, the things drawing the most current will be an 850W microwave oven, an old fashioned television and an electric kettle. I am not sure if a five foot freezer uses a lot of current. The only other things that will be used will be lamps.

 

[pappyon]

The post I refer to concerns the mcb for the shower unit in the consumer unit and not the 15 amp circuit at all. You actually contributed to this thread yourself!

I have not moved into this house and cannot check what you are asking about just now, but when I am there again I will, and write everything down.

I am almost positive the MCBs are 15 amp, and there is an rcd at the left hand side of the consumer unit with a test switch. It states on the cover that everything is protected by this rcd except the upstairs and downstairs lights, which are on 2 0f 5amp MCBs.

There are I believe 3 of 15amp mcbs. One for the downstairs and upstairs sockets, and one for the Gas Central Heating boiler. The cooker has its own MCB as has the connection for the shower unit.

I thank you for your continued interest and support. It is much appreciated

 

[JohnD]

//www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=129539

 

[pappyon]

Thank you

I will take the camera round if I can find it. A lot of stuff has been packed up in anticipation of the move

 

[pappyon]

I am sorry for supplying the wrong information.

I said the MCB in question was 15amps. This is not the case. It is 30 amps.

It says on the MCBs supplying the upstairs and downstairs sockets:-

NB30. 30amp Type 2 - 240V.
240V ac 50Hz. BS5486 Pt 13.

Underneath every MCB except the 5amp MCBs feeding the upstairs and downstairs lights there is a line of print which states" These circuits protected by RCCB."

 

[ColJack]

as long as it's only 1 single or double socket from on that cable, then you're golden..

as already said it's not a problem to take an unfused spur from a ring to feed 1 single or double socket and taking it from the breaker is no different to taking it from a socket or a JB on the ring..

 

[pappyon]

I thank you very much for setting my mind at rest and to everybody who contributed to this thread.

I was under the impression You were only allowed to take a connection from an UNUSED FUSEWAY on the consumer unit

 

[sjwkmje]

I thank you very much for setting my mind at rest and to everybody who contributed to this thread.

I was under the impression You were only allowed to take a connection from an UNUSED FUSEWAY on the consumer unit

Ring Main

• ericmark
• 1 Jun 2009
• 6

IET Wiring regulation update

That is from the IEE wiring regulations, ericmark posted it to a few other threads. It shows how ring mains are wired and how spurs can be added. The method your spark used is an accepted method of adding a spur for a double socket.