Best way to find where upstairs part of ring joins downstairs part

[Mr.Si]

Hi all, as the title really.

Bit of a logistics query.

What's the best way you've found without destroying a house to find the point at where a ring of sockets joins from upstairs to downstairs when splitting the ring into two radials or to prepare for creating 2 rings.

Ta,

Si

 

[telectrix]

if you're creating 2 rings, you've got to get the floor up, so find it then. or split it where you think at a socket, make open ends safe with block or lever wagos, power 1 leg and see what's on. repeat for other leg.

 

[Des 56]

You may find,orI should say,will likely find, there is no one place

Cabling routing could be, up to down, and down to up, and then down to down, and then. up to up,shall I go on

 

[Mr.Si]

telectrix: That is so simple I'm ashamed I didn't think about it. I think I was trying to over complicate things.

Des 56: I hope it's not like that! But I suppose for even distribution, it may have been done like that.

Thank you both.

 

[pushrod]

checking whether ground floor socket cables are dropping down from first floor or not, with cable detector, will give a bit of an idea as to what is going on.

Also when you have split your ring -taking a Zs at at all the sockets on one side will help give an idea of what is happening ie the route/order they are taking - mind any spurs can mess this up especially if it is old and you have a spur on a spur. Where the floorboards have been up before is always a good place to look (TBH i don't like having to do this sort of thing i usually find that my guesses as to where JBs are, are usually wrong and just find where the plumber has been!). Good luck!

 

[telectrix]

checking whether ground floor socket cables are dropping down from first floor or not, with cable detector, will give a bit of an idea as to what is going on.

Also when you have split your ring -taking a Zs at at all the sockets on one side will help give an idea of what is happening ie the route/order they are taking - mind any spurs can mess this up especially if it is old and you have a spur on a spur. Where the floorboards have been up before is always a good place to look (TBH i don't like having to do this sort of thing i usually find that my guesses as to where JBs are, are usually wrong and just find where the plumber has been!

:83:good place to look for faults

 

[pushrod]

You may find,orI should say,will likely find, there is no one place

Cabling routing could be, up to down, and down to up, and then down to down, and then. up to up,shall I go on

LOL and with different types/colours of cable thrown in just to make it really confusing!

 

[pushrod]

find where the plumber has been!

:83:good place to look for faults

LOL yep unfortunately I'm quite capable of making my own as well - "do you want this picture a little more to the left dear"

 

[Mr.Si]

This will be the project I use for my assessment I think - a CU change on my house (yes, I haven't done it yet). I've been trying to get my wife to see the benefits about it. Hopefully it won't be a full re-wire required. I shall be doing a full PIR inspection and test on it all.

She doesn't want me to make a mess of the house and has made that quite clear - she wants to redecorate.
But I want to make safe!!

If it was a full re-wire, I wouldn't care, but because we (she) want(s) as little intrusion into the walls etc, it sparked this question.

Thanks for all the useful replies. I will add them to my bank of knowledge.

 

[telectrix]

if it needs any rewiring , do it before decoration or you might end up having had an elizabeth taylor marriage ( lasting just a few weeks ) :behead:

 

[Des 56]

If want a seperate ring final,consider making it a kitchen ring and house ring set up,it may be less destructive

 

[telectrix]

If want a seperate ring final,consider making it a kitchen ring and house ring set up,it may be less destructive

shows des has got his thinking head on today.LOL.:troll:

 

[Engineer54]

Des 56: I hope it's not like that! But I suppose for even distribution, it may have been done like that.

That was the the way single ring main circuits were wired. Not only does it give a more even distribution, it is also the most economical way of wiring when using T&E cable!!!
Rarely if ever, did they wire downstairs then go upstairs....