Adding sockets to a radial circuit in different directions

[finlamit]

Hi.

I have a radial circuit supplying electricity to the garage (part of the house). It's on a 20amp breaker, uses 2.5mm cable. It currently only supplies a single socket. Before anyone asks, its 100% a radial circuit. 6 months ago I had an electrician install a new consumer unit, and the testing/certificate that followed states this.

There is a single socket on the circuit. Annoyingly, the socket is at the back of the garage and right in the middle of the wall.

What I would like to do is keep this socket. Then... come out of the socket on the left, and put a socket on the left wall, and out of the right and put a socket on the right wall. I cant continue the cable round in a single direction as the garage door and other things are is in the way. Coming off in both directions from this socket it the only option.

Would this be ok? An alternative I had was to come out of the the top of the socket into a junction box (30A), then the two cables come out of this... best described as a T junction.

In case anyone wondered, there will not be any high load appliances used. One will supply the chargers for my tool batteries, the other will be Christmas lights!

Thanks in advance.

F

 

[brianmoooore]

There's no legal definition of an electrician in the UK.

 

[DPG]

That was in fact the original question I asked. Appreciate your answer.

Of course that is true. But we all occasionally come across individual's who fall in to the "overconfident and undertrained" department and given an opening are happy to take it. Your system would benefit from losing off that loophole.

You'll never stop it. I know a guy who does his own gas work. Illegal, but as you say, over confident DIY will always happen.

 

[timhoward]

Of course that is true. But we all occasionally come across individual's who fall in to the "overconfident and undertrained" department and given an opening are happy to take it. Your system would benefit from losing off that loophole.

I think this is a little academic as such a person wont' be concerned with certificates or notification in the first place. It's very easy to make an electrical job 'work'. That's all the customer will care about.
We described how the system is supposed to work, and all we can do as conscientious sparks is to crack on doing it right. There's rarely any comeback for those that don't do it right unless something terrible happens.

 

[brianmoooore]

It's also not an offence in the UK to do work that is controlled by the building regs., without notifying building control first. The offence occurs if the work undertaken is not done to comply with the regs.

 

[Aaron b]

I would normally strongly agree and think having an ecir done should be held in higher regard. I also appreciate that most problems are caused by amateurs but considering that the board has just been changed it's unlikely to cause an issue adding a couple of sockets. There's a lot of electricians that won't both testing or certifying.

 

[brianmoooore]

You'll never stop it. I know a guy who does his own gas work. Illegal, but as you say, over confident DIY will always happen.

To the best of my knowledge, it's not. Doing someone else's gas work would be.

 

[timhoward]

I would normally strongly agree and think having an ecir done should be held in higher regard. I also appreciate that most problems are caused by amateurs but considering that the board has just been changed it's unlikely to cause an issue adding a couple of sockets. There's a lot of electricians that won't both testing or certifying.

Sure - we rather drifted off from the 2 garage sockets into a more philosophical debate!

 

[DPG]

To the best of my knowledge, it's not. Doing someone else's gas work would be.

Mmm, you might have a point there. My theoretical 'friend' may also do gas work for other people as well though!

 

[LastManOnline]

Sure - we rather drifted off

Drifted.. yes. My fault

from the 2 garage sockets into a more philosophical debate!

Philosophical? Not in my view. Its been established that a competent diyer (or an individual who regards himself as) can in fact wire and certify an installation in the UK. I was, nt aware of that. That is a situation that is, nt possible (practically or theoretically) in the ROI system. That's not a criticism by the way, just a comparison.
I,m keenly interested in the differences in EU countries electrical. systems and appreciate the insight this thread has provided.

 

[timhoward]

@LastManOnline I'm equally interested how it's impossible in the ROI.
If I went over there, and added a socket and did a good job that didn't make it obvious it had been added, how would anyone find out, and what would the consequences be.

 

[DPG]

@LastManOnline I'm equally interested how it's impossible in the ROI.
If I went over there, and added a socket and did a good job that didn't make it obvious it had been added, how would anyone find out, and what would the consequences be.

That's what I was thinking.

 

[LastManOnline]

@LastManOnline I'm equally interested how it's impossible in the ROI.
If I went over there, and added a socket and did a good job that didn't make it obvious it had been added, how would anyone find out, and what would the consequences be.

Yes. Of course you could wire a socket or light etc. In fact you are entitled to do that. But it would not be possible for you to " wire and certify" as only registered electricians can obtain, complete and return wiring certificates.

 

[DPG]

Yes. Of course you could wire a socket or light etc. In fact you are entitled to do that. But it would not be possible for you to " wire and certify" as only registered electricians can obtain, complete and return wiring certificates.

So there will be plenty of people just doing work under the radar then. Same as here.

 

[westward10]

This thread has drifted way off topic. The OP asked whether he can legally carry out these works, the answer is yes. Assuming this is their own private dwelling it needs no notification or Certification, they can do as they wish but I assume they have long been scared off.

 

[BiddeldyBwah]

A very informative thread for me this. Can I conclude that in the UK an unskilled person can theoretically buy a multimeter, a set of electricians tools etc and then rewire and certify a house?

In the UK anybody can carry out any electrical work.