Extending ring

[Jondude0]

Hi guys, I’ve just been to a customers house. It’s an old house which has a few radial and ring circuits for sockets. They want 4 extra sockets to be installed. The ring circuit is feeding the whole house (not kitchen) would it be ok to tap into the ring circuit feeding the house and add the 4 extra sockets.

Thanks guys

 

[HappyHippyDad]

Hi guys, I’ve just been to a customers house. It’s an old house which has a few radial and ring circuits for sockets. They want 4 extra sockets to be installed. The ring circuit is feeding the whole house (not kitchen) would it be ok to tap into the ring circuit feeding the house and add the 4 extra sockets.

Thanks guys

Hi Jon,
I don't think there is a regulation about amounts of sockets on a ring. From memory the limiting factor is having the ring within 100m2.
Of course, you'll need to make sure it has 30mA RCD protection, no existing faults on the circuit, bonding in place etc etc. Plus give the correct paperwork (MWC).

 

[littlespark]

Hi Jon....

Is it right you're newly qualified?

Its just the questions youve asked (this and the summer house thread) are both fairly simple things to work on.

If so, then all good. Youre just checking before working in someones house.


Adding to a ring.... youve got to keep it as a ring. You cant take an UNFUSED spur and add socket after socket.... With a FUSED spur, you can. You will hear a lot of references to "a spur from a spur" which is the exact same thing.


With a radial at say 16A, you can branch off wherever you like .... like a tree

If youve got the Big Brown Book, pagg 555 appendix 15 has arrangements for ring and radial final circuits

 

[Jondude0]

Hi Jon,
I don't think there is a regulation about amounts of sockets on a ring. From memory the limiting factor is having the ring within 100m2.
Of course, you'll need to make sure it has 30mA RCD protection, no existing faults on the circuit, bonding in place etc etc. Plus give the correct paperwork (MWC).

Thank you brother ! Appreciate the response

 

[IAmSparkytus!]

With a radial at say 16A, you can branch off wherever you like .... like a tree

Didn’t realise you could, thought you still had to essentially “daisy chain” them

 

[freddo]

Didn’t realise you could, thought you still had to essentially “daisy chain” them

It's nice to keep everything nicely in order like that, but in the real world and according to the regs, it doesn't matter.

 

[Jondude0]

Hi Jon....

Is it right you're newly qualified?

Its just the questions youve asked (this and the summer house thread) are both fairly simple things to work on.

If so, then all good. Youre just checking before working in someones house.


Adding to a ring.... youve got to keep it as a ring. You cant take an UNFUSED spur and add socket after socket.... With a FUSED spur, you can. You will hear a lot of references to "a spur from a spur" which is the exact same thing.


With a radial at say 16A, you can branch off wherever you like .... like a tree

If youve got the Big Brown Book, pagg 555 appendix 15 has arrangements for ring and radial final circuits

Yes I am mate just lacking little confidence in myself . I’m a good sparks but now I’m trying to go out on my own all my confidence as plummeted

 

[Tom256]

would it be ok to tap into the ring circuit feeding the house and add the 4 extra sockets.

To your question quoted above and I cannot answer that with either a yes or a no.

Reason: A ring circuit is intended to provide a distribution of sockets * (more for convenience) [using cables that have a Iz not less than 20 Amps].
The adopted limitation on floor area as already mentioned serves a couple of reasons, not least of such is it acts as a form of limitation on loading. Yet loading and design still requires some thought.
That thought requires consideration of the regulations on overload in the 433 family of regulations as per example = Regulation 433.1.204.
Having a large number of loaded outlets at one point on a ring, and perhaps adding to such with more, is something that needs design consideration for overload be it long or short duration.
Ever asked why you at times see multiple rings, perhaps one dedicated to a kitchen?

Competency is more than knowing how to wire a cable from 'A' to 'B'

* EDIT: SHould have added - 'with the load ideally shared equally around the ring'

 

[IAmSparkytus!]

How much load is the ring already pulling and what are the new sockets going to supplying power to?

 

[Jondude0]

How much load is the ring already pulling and what are the new sockets going to supplying power to?

Thanks for all the replies. So they’re just moving in and need more, it’s going to their room to charge phones , and lamps so not loads of power really. I’ve looked it up and done research and it will be all good to extend it. Thanks a lot!