ADVICE - Is rewire needed on 2 bedroom property ???

[Paul.M]

What you could do to "future proof" the install from future upgrades and people plugging in 3Kw heaters in winter is to have a upstairs ring, downstairs ring, 6mm cooker circuit and a kitchen ring. That way you have more than enough to handle whatever you need in your house.

 

[gavin26]

Only thing you can do is get the tester out.

 

[bilabonic]

What you could do to "future proof" the install from future upgrades and people plugging in 3Kw heaters in winter is to have a upstairs ring, downstairs ring, 6mm cooker circuit and a kitchen ring. That way you have more than enough to handle whatever you need in your house.

Thats what i presumed i had to do.

Up ring
Down ring
Up lights
Down Lights
Cooker.
Kitchen Ring

8 Way board with RCBO on each. NEVER used them before though.

Just priced cable !!!!!!!!!!

Ridiculous for 100m, how much should i be paying for 1.5 and 2.5 T+E.

Cheers

 

[gavin26]

Thats what i presumed i had to do.Up ringDown ringUp lightsDown LightsCooker.6 Way board with RCBO on each. NEVER used them before though.Just priced cable !!!!!!!!!!Ridiculous for 100m, how much should i be paying for 1.5 and 2.5 T+E.Cheers

I pay 60 quid with the VAT for 100m 2.5mm. I pay about 50 quid for 100m 1.5mm with the VAT and thats menat to be trade!

 

[bilabonic]

Crazy prices since i last bought by the reel.....

Madness having ring on kitchen as well, probably only room for 3/4 doubles.

 

[telectrix]

3/4doubles, each loaded to 16A on a 2.5mm radial. free clothes dryer.

 

[Dave 85]

Personally I'd prolly have Hob, Down Ring, Up ring, Immersion heater (if you have one), Up lts and Down lts. I think If you're gonna run a 2.5 to every socket anyway you might as well chuck the last leg in to make it a ring for the time it takes.
If you do use a twin RCD board instead of RCBO then you want Up sockets on the same RCD as downstairs lights and vice versa. This way if you plug summat in upstairs which trips the RCD then the lights are still on.
Another thing I do is have a non RCD lighting circuit in the mains cupboard, if there is one, so thats always gonna stay on.
Dunno why anyone would use 1.5 t&e for a lighting circuit pulling about 1 amp. Use 1mm its cheaper, easier to terminate and easier to pull in.

 

[bilabonic]

Personally I'd prolly have Hob, Down Ring, Up ring, Immersion heater (if you have one), Up lts and Down lts. I think If you're gonna run a 2.5 to every socket anyway you might as well chuck the last leg in to make it a ring for the time it takes.
If you do use a twin RCD board instead of RCBO then you want Up sockets on the same RCD as downstairs lights and vice versa. This way if you plug summat in upstairs which trips the RCD then the lights are still on.
Another thing I do is have a non RCD lighting circuit in the mains cupboard, if there is one, so thats always gonna stay on.
Dunno why anyone would use 1.5 t&e for a lighting circuit pulling about 1 amp. Use 1mm its cheaper, easier to terminate and easier to pull in.

This is what i thought BUT in the link earlier it states that all cables sunk in walls need to be RCD protected ?

So that would be EVERY circuit for me uunless i used metal earthed trunking ??

I see new builds with split boards with no rcd ??

How do you manage to put socket in utility cupboard on non RCD and conform ?

 

[Dave 85]

This is what i thought BUT in the link earlier it states that all cables sunk in walls need to be RCD protected ?

So that would be EVERY circuit for me uunless i used metal earthed trunking ??

I see new builds with split boards with no rcd ??

How do you manage to put socket in utility cupboard on non RCD and conform ?

Up until 2009 RCD protection was only required on sockets, thats the only explanation I can see for new builds with 16th boards (half RCD half not)? Unless you mean no RCD at all in a split board which means the contactor was a total cowboy, couldn't get the RCD to hold so just removed it. I've seen it done, 17th board with 2 main switches and no RCD.

You're right about cables sunk in walls, but in the fuseboard cupboard my non RCD light would be either surface clipped or in minitrunking (we dont use earthed metal trunking in 2 bed houses these days) it is, after all, probably only a meter or two from the supply to the switch.

 

[nickblake]

Its funny that not much mention of Rubber cable , if your install is rubber , it need rewiring simple as no point changing the consumer unit , any exposed bit of rubber ie light fittings switches , consumer unit the insulation is probably perished and the cabling installed may well be in a poor condition , the problem with rubber it can deteriorate very quickly so i would recomend a rewire

 

[Amp David]

This is what confuses me ?

How do i know if somebody is not going to plug in an electric fire ??

The cooker is integral and only 2Kw so can that just go on the ring circuit ?

I am being swayed to fitting all RCBO's due to the number of circuits.

Made a phone call and got a qualified spark coming out, last time i looked at my 17th Regs book was when studying for apprenticeship 15 years.....:icon9:

Are you sure ::

1.5mm is 37 +VAT and 2.5mm is 43 +VAT, 100 M

 

[Octopus]

This is what confuses me ?

How do i know if somebody is not going to plug in an electric fire ??

The cooker is integral and only 2Kw so can that just go on the ring circuit ?

I am being swayed to fitting all RCBO's due to the number of circuits.

Made a phone call and got a qualified spark coming out, last time i looked at my 17th Regs book was when studying for apprenticeship 15 years.....:icon9:

I've been doing some reading today to get me upto date - would you like to borrow my regs book?

 

[Jay Sparks]

I've been doing some reading today to get me upto date - would you like to borrow my regs book?



View attachment 10887

Ha Ha Ha. Keep giving the rope!!! :hanged:

 

[Dave 85]

Its funny that not much mention of Rubber cable , if your install is rubber , it need rewiring simple as no point changing the consumer unit , any exposed bit of rubber ie light fittings switches , consumer unit the insulation is probably perished and the cabling installed may well be in a poor condition , the problem with rubber it can deteriorate very quickly so i would recomend a rewire

Yeah I was gonna say, but forgot. If its rubber (black sheath usually) then for the love of god just re-wire the place

 

[lauriehurman]

I'm sure you're going to fit modern mains powered fire detection as well while you do the rewire.
You'll probably run them from the light circuit but they need to be interlinked (so that they all go off together). This is a good reason for NOT RCDing the light circuit (although with battery backup it is allowed).

Just to clarify; socket outlets need to be RCD protected, concealed cables in walls need to be either; RCD protected - or - mechanically protected from nails and screws.

Hope that helps.
Laurie