What to do with an unused cooker radial

[thesandman]

My second post...

So, I have this old house (was 2 semis, then 1, then 2, now 1 again...)

It has 2 x 30 AMP cooker radials (on 6mm T&E) in the kitchen - and only 1 ring main for the house.

I only need 1 cooker radial (can you see whre I'm going yet?)

Can I turn the unused cooker radial into a circuit for the kitchen - add in 5 double sockets on 6mm T&E for a new kitchen (laundry/dishwasher/fridge freezer/microwave/toaster/kettle etc etc?)

Sussing out whether the idea has merit - or whether to run a new ring circuit, or add to the exisitng circuit (which previously had 5 double kitchen sockets on it).

SO do I:

a) Convert cooker radial to kitchen radial and run 6mm to all sockets
b) Get rid of radial and replace with brand new ring main final
c) patch onto existing ring main final

Thanks for your help.

 

[Taylortwocities]

In order to your Q's

a) Convert cooker radial to kitchen radial and run 6mm to all sockets
That would be nice, but it ill mean that you will need to get two 6mm cables into the back of the sockets (not easy and not possible with most maker's sockets) , not to mention all that meaty wiring in the back boxes.

b) Get rid of radial and replace with brand new ring main final
This is the one to go for, but you'll need to notify the work, and update/change your consumer unit

c) patch onto existing ring main final
No, a single ring for the whole house will not be enough for today's current hungry appliances.

 

[ColJack]

as it's already a 30A radial then continuing it with 6mm² cable is certainly an option
4mm² will probably suffice for the new cabling

as said though you'll need 35mm deep backboxes to accomodate the extra bulk of the cable, but if you're happy with doing the chasing then it's not a problem..

as already said, adding sockets in a kitchen is notifiable to the LABC under Part P of the building regulations.