Turn old emersion heater socket into plug socket.

[uncletone]

Hi,
When I moved into our house (its a late 70's house) we had the old heating system ripped out and put a combi in.
This left some wiring which, for me at least, has always had a blank plate and the wires were "dead".
Since starting the kitchen remodel i've found the switch that controls that wiring.
It looks like the (fused) switch in the kitchen switch is a spur from what I can work out.
I can't follow all the wiring to be 100% sure but it only has a feed in and then the wires going to the blank plate.

I want to change the switch in the kitchen to a socket but can I wire in another socket where the blank plate is upstairs? Or am I better off working out which of the wires is which at the kitchen end and removing the wire to the blank plate?

Cheers.

 

[oldbutnotdead]

First thing to do is check that the supply to the kitchen 'switch' (FCU) is fed via an RCD or RCBO.
If it is, check the rating on the fuse or MCB supplying the switch.
Check the size of the cables- should be at least 2.5mm, might be greater.
If it is 2.5mm then ideally you'd have a 20A fuse or MCB supplying it and yes you can have a socket where the 'switch' is and another one in the airing cupboard. It it's 4mm or above you can run with a 32A fuse/MCB.
Limiting factor may be the lack of an rcd- any new sockets must be protected by an RCD, existing (in a domestic non-renter scenario) are fine. Those RCD sockets do not comply (the RCD doesn't protect the supply to the socket) so do not go that road

EDIT Very likely the switch in the kitchen goes back to its own fuse/breaker in the CU.
If it is a spur from an existing ring final circuit then you can EITHER have a socket in the kitchen & blank/disconnect airing cupboard OR leave the fcu in place and have a socket in the airing cupboard only OR add as many sockets as you like (electrically) after the kitchen fcu.

 

[blup]

Immersion heaters are generally on their own circuit, so work that out, then decide whether to de activate it and extend the kitchen ring, or utilise the immersion circuit. Get an electrician in if in doubt about the safety issues especially if no work has been done since the 70's.

Blup

 

[uncletone]

Thanks for the replies.
We had the electrics checked on moving in (2019). He replaced the consumer unit, added a few sockets and tested the existing wiring then.

I'm going to check its definitely not on its own circuit this afternoon, when I can flick the mcb's one as a time.
There are two mcb's not stickered up on in the CU, I just assumed they were in there as i'd paid for them and allow expansion later but maybe one feeds the immersion. The other 4 have got stickers to indicate Sockets, Cooker, Lights up and Lights down.

I think i'm just going to put a socket on the Kitchen switch and remove the wire to the airing cupboard upstairs.

I'm getting a spark to come and add a new ring in for the utility anyway. The other half wants more white goods (dishwasher, tumble etc) and as the sockets are running off the one ring, i'm sure its not going to be happy in the long run if it stays the same. So i'm sure he can sort that out while he's here.

UT

 

[oldbutnotdead]

Thanks for the replies.
We had the electrics checked on moving in (2019). He replaced the consumer unit, added a few sockets and tested the existing wiring then.

I'm going to check its definitely not on its own circuit this afternoon, when I can flick the mcb's one as a time.
There are two mcb's not stickered up on in the CU, I just assumed they were in there as i'd paid for them and allow expansion later but maybe one feeds the immersion. The other 4 have got stickers to indicate Sockets, Cooker, Lights up and Lights down.

I think i'm just going to put a socket on the Kitchen switch and remove the wire to the airing cupboard upstairs.

I'm getting a spark to come and add a new ring in for the utility anyway. The other half wants more white goods (dishwasher, tumble etc) and as the sockets are running off the one ring, i'm sure its not going to be happy in the long run if it stays the same. So i'm sure he can sort that out while he's here.

UT

Total of 6 circuits? Ho hum. Is there an RCD supplying any/all?

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

My immersion circuit, as originally wired in 2.5mm on a 16amp MCB - had a switch in the kitchen, and a flex outlet /isolator in the airing cupboard. We don't use the immersion heater normally, it's only there in case the boiler fails, so I replaced the switch in the kitchen with a more useful 13amp socket and likewise the flex outlet with a socket. Should it be necessary, I could quickly revert it back to use for the immersion heater.

 

[uncletone]

I'm assuming they all are all covered by an RCD, it says that on the box. Maybe i'm using the wrong terms (MCB/RCD etc).
Pic attached.
It is definitely off the sockets circuit (i've just tested) but i've also managed to force the socket off the wall. It turns out there is a third set of wires coming horizontally (Yellow on the pic) from the double sockets on the far right right of the kitchen. So its part of the ring and not a spur as first thought. With just two sets of wires in the ceiling void I assumed it'd got to be a spur.
So I'm assuming I can switch it out for a socket and treat the airing cupboard as its own spur or remove it?

 

[EFLImpudence]

Please let us have a better picture of the Fused Connector wiring terminals so that we may be sure which cable is which.

 

[ericmark]

Old house the immersion was on a supply which went vie the kitchen, so I drilled a hole into living room, and fitted three double sockets, one in kitchen, one in living room, and one in the room that originally had the water tank. All from a B16 MCB and RCD protected.

Same house (next door but one) father-in-law kept the cylinder and had solar panels fitted, they removed the immersion heating and used the supply for the pumps of the solar panels, but did not label what they had done, since dad did not have an immersion heater he turned off the isolator in the kitchen, then complained no hot water.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Old house the immersion was on a supply which went vie the kitchen, so I drilled a hole into living room, and fitted three double sockets, one in kitchen, one in living room, and one in the room that originally had the water tank. All from a B16 MCB and RCD protected.

Thanks, that has given me an idea, to add extra socket where I need them - at the back of the living room TV

 

[uncletone]

Please let us have a better picture of the Fused Connector wiring terminals so that we may be sure which cable is which.

Here you go.
In doing so, i've pretty much confirmed it is a spur from the ring.
its not the best picture due to limited wire but I can clearly see the top two wires are in the "Load L" and "Load N"
Then the T+E from the other sockets and from ceiling void are together and marked "AC ONLY L" and "AC ONLY N". All three earths are twisted together.
Probably should have investigated further from the socket instead of looking at the wires going to it.
thanks for the help all.

UT

 

[SUNRAY]

If you are able to PROVE it is the ring at that point and the cables are 2.5mm² then all that's required is to fit a socket at both locations unless I'm missing something.