Floor socket - 2 sets of T&E?

[Cupa]

I went and had a good look and from what I can tell, it's deffo not leading to a spur. I then went and looked at the paperwork that I have and got the details of the guy who did the testing and inspection on the place before I ended up there. Call him, sent him a pic and he said from memory its a ring, so both need to be connected, explains why they were connected initially I guess.

From a learning perspective, what would happen if only one of the T&E cables was connected and the other not?

 

[Spoon]

From a learning perspective, what would happen if only one of the T&E cables was connected and the other not?

You would end up with two radial circuits, wired in 2.5mm, both connected to a 32A breaker... Which is not good.

 

[AlmondSauce]

You would end up with two radial circuits, wired in 2.5mm, both connected to a 32A breaker... Which is not good.

...and those radials wouldn't, aside through complete coincidence, be evenly split either.

If that socket is the first or last on the ring, you could easily end up (effectively) converting your ring into a single 2.5mm radial with a 32A breaker on it...

 

[Spoon]

If that socket is the first or last on the ring, you could easily end up (effectively) converting your ring into a single 2.5mm radial with a 32A breaker on it...

That's what I basically said. You can't go pinching my waffling on this forum...
I demand payment... With cheesecake..

 

[shaun1]

A Ring final circuit allows 2.5mm cable (which can only carry around 20A in some circumstances) to be used with a 32A MCB on a 32A circuit. This works because every socket has 2 routes back to the MCB (either way around the ring) so the current is divided between the 2. As others have said, if you creat a break in it somewhere, up to 32A could flow down one leg and via one 2.5mm cable, overloading it.

It is a wiring method not often found outside the UK, and was devised after WW2 to save copper. It is safe enough when a properly wired in a ring with sound connections, but its very easy to leave in a dangerous state if modified incorectly.

 

[AlmondSauce]

That's what I basically said. You can't go pinching my waffling on this forum...
I demand payment... With cheesecake..

You'll have to just live with the satisfaction of knowing I'm now hungry and wanting cheesecake, and will be in this sorry state until I can get my hands on one this evening.

 

[Deleted member 26818]

It looks like you have

Before I moved into my flat, it had undergone a quick makeover and as part of that some wiring work was carried out including some extra sockets. I was told that under the kitchen breakfast bar there is T&E already there, it's just that the previous owner never installed a socket there but the wiring is there.

So yesterday I dived under and had a quick look. After taking electrical tape off each core, I discovered there are 2 sets T&E. I bought a 1 gang Contactum 13A floor socket and wired it in:

(a) with just one T&E attached
(b) with both T&E cables wired up together

And it works either way absolutely fine (note: I cut the T&E shorter afterwards and then took the image you see attached).

My question is whether I should go with option (a) and just tape the other core up properly or option (b)?

View attachment 48724

Attach both T&Es to the socket.
Show us a picture of the socket, so we can tell you it doesn’t comply.

 

[Deleted member 72666]

That's what I basically said. You can't go pinching my waffling on this forum...
I demand payment... With cheesecake..

...and a cupa!

 

[Cupa]

Show us a picture of the socket, so we can tell you it doesn’t comply.

3344BSW | Contactum - http://contactum.co.uk/content/3344bsw

This is the socket in question. I can either earth on the galvanised back box itself or the floor socket. I will earth at the socket itself rather than the back box, for no good reason aside from the fact that it is easier.

 

[Deleted member 26818]

3344BSW | Contactum - http://contactum.co.uk/content/3344bsw

This is the socket in question. I can either earth on the galvanised back box itself or the floor socket. I will earth at the socket itself rather than the back box, for no good reason aside from the fact that it is easier.

Lol.
I was just joking.
However that socket complies.

 

[Cupa]

Thanks for everyone's help guys