Hello all..
I have recently added a spur for a customer and it got me thinking again about how many spurs could I actually take from the same socket!
The only socket I could use to take the spur from was on the ring and was already feeding a spur. Now I could have extended the ring but after a small amount of investigation I found that the existing spur was to a single socket hidden behind kitchen cupboards and never used so I disconnected and then fitted my spur.
It did make me think what was wrong with adding 2 spurs to the same socket though. The new socket was a crabtree and could easily accomadate 4 2.5mm conductors.
A double socket that is feeding a double socket spur has the (unlikely) potential to take 26A from the spur plus another 26A from whatever is plugged into it (therfore a maximum of 32A could flow through that one socket). By adding another spur to the socket the maximum it could take is not changed (still 32A).
I think the answer is that although possible its not a good idea to push the limit of a socket and by adding another spur I am pushing it closer to the limit of 32A more frequently which would be bad practice and unecessary as you can just extend the ring, but I'm thinking about it and need answers from the experienced chaps as otherwise I shall become frustrated!!!!
I have recently added a spur for a customer and it got me thinking again about how many spurs could I actually take from the same socket!
The only socket I could use to take the spur from was on the ring and was already feeding a spur. Now I could have extended the ring but after a small amount of investigation I found that the existing spur was to a single socket hidden behind kitchen cupboards and never used so I disconnected and then fitted my spur.
It did make me think what was wrong with adding 2 spurs to the same socket though. The new socket was a crabtree and could easily accomadate 4 2.5mm conductors.
A double socket that is feeding a double socket spur has the (unlikely) potential to take 26A from the spur plus another 26A from whatever is plugged into it (therfore a maximum of 32A could flow through that one socket). By adding another spur to the socket the maximum it could take is not changed (still 32A).
I think the answer is that although possible its not a good idea to push the limit of a socket and by adding another spur I am pushing it closer to the limit of 32A more frequently which would be bad practice and unecessary as you can just extend the ring, but I'm thinking about it and need answers from the experienced chaps as otherwise I shall become frustrated!!!!