Have the rules for ring mains changed over the years?

[rewireIT]

Nobody has said that the rest of the world is wrong!

You're the only person who displayed such a narrow mindset.

I don't think stating that the rest of the world gets by just fine without rings and therefore proves they're unnecessary, is really a mindset at all, just a fact.

I put one in today that's got 4 sockets going on. Again running only a TV and the occasional hoover. Every spark from another country would laugh at that design choice.

 

[pc1966]

I don't think stating that the rest of the world gets by just fine without rings and therefore proves they're unnecessary, is really a mindset at all, just a fact.

The rest of the world does not use fused plugs. Once you understand what that implies you will see why a 32A feed can be used in the UK and not for general sockets elsewhere. And from that point you can grasp why the RFC is an elegant solution for typical use over, say, a 32A radial.

Remember the UK used to have unfused plugs to BS546, commonly in 5A and 15A, on radial circuits only. Post WW2 we moved to 13A fused plugs and the RFC to make it more efficient. Those plugs are not seen much now (sometimes 5A for switched light sockets) in the UK, but are still the standard in India and a few former colonies of the UK.

I put one in today that's got 4 sockets going on. Again running only a TV and the occasional hoover. Every spark from another country would laugh at that design choice.

For a few sockets in one place it is not a sensible choice.

For a whole floor's worth of sockets it is.

Did you read the comparison thread I suggested earlier? All of these things are covered in some technical detail.

As far as EU versus UK versus USA they all have good and bad points on both design aspects and on an installation aspects. But there is always a reason for those choices. To simple dismiss something you are not familiar with while not studying the reasons behind there development is not a good way to learn.

 

[davesparks]

I put one in today that's got 4 sockets going on. Again running only a TV and the occasional hoover. Every spark from another country would laugh at that design choice.

A lot of electricians in this country would also laugh at that design choice. Why did you choose a ring circuit over a radial for that?

You installing a ring unnecessarily does not mean that there is anything wrong with ring circuits, it just proves that you have installed one unnecessarily.

 

[rewireIT]

Why did you choose a ring circuit over a radial for that?

I didn't. The designer did.

You installing a ring unnecessarily does not mean that there is anything wrong with ring circuits, it just proves that you have installed one unnecessarily.

It proves i've installed one to the designer's spec. I'm not allowed to just ignore drawings and do what i like.

And that's the problem - even those with qualifications to design installations are still stuck on this idea that all power has to be on rings. I've never been on a site in the UK where a radial has been used for power outlets, it's always rings.

 

[rewireIT]

The rest of the world does not use fused plugs. Once you understand what that implies you will see why a 32A feed can be used in the UK and not for general sockets elsewhere.

That's fine but i wasn't arguing that RoW uses radials because they can't use rings; more that the fact they don't use them proves they're not needed to install perfectly safe and operational installations. Rings are simply unnecessary.

I also think it's preferable to have different rooms or different sections of the home on different breakers. We're encouraged to split between floor levels but imo splitting between sections or rooms is much more preferable.

 

[narkedatninety]

So flex is dangerous? Not sure the cpc 'detects' anything.

Flex demands different requirements and it's clear you were refering to UK flat profiles.

I didn't say any cable was 'dangerous', I said it was less safe and more expensive. No strawmen please.

The cpc is used to carry fault current, which may be to do with an appliance and not the cable's insulation.

Yes, I know.

 

[rewireIT]

I didn't say any cable was 'dangerous', I said it was less safe and more expensive. No strawmen please.

You can't strawman by asking a question.

 

[narkedatninety]

You can't strawman by asking a question.

You can when it misrepresents the argument but each to their own.

 

[mainline]

the sole purpose is to detect a breach of the dielectric barrier within the run of cable

Mainline : The cpc is used to carry fault current, which may be to do with an appliance and not the cable's insulation.

Yes, I know.

Then why post such a statement if you knew it was wrong.

 

[narkedatninety]

Mainline : The cpc is used to carry fault current, which may be to do with an appliance and not the cable's insulation.

Then why post such a statement if you knew it was wrong.

Which part was incorrect?

 

[mainline]

Which part was incorrect?

narkedatninety said:
the sole purpose is to detect a breach of the dielectric barrier within the run of cable

 

[narkedatninety]

narkedatninety said:
the sole purpose is to detect a breach of the dielectric barrier within the run of cable

Which is correct.

 

[brianmoooore]

We're encouraged to split between floor levels

By whom? I've always considered grouping power circuits into floor levels to be bad practice. Excluding rooms such as kitchens and utility, I've always grouped power circuits into rooms and those above or below them.

 

[rewireIT]

By whom? I've always considered grouping power circuits into floor levels to be bad practice. Excluding rooms such as kitchens and utility, I've always grouped power circuits into rooms and those above or below them.

Like a ring upstairs and one downstairs

 

[brianmoooore]

Like a ring upstairs and one downstairs

Bad practice, in my opinion. I wire a downstairs room with the rooms above it. Uses less cable and allows power upstairs and down even if a circuit is out of operation. Tht power may not be in the room you require it, but it won't be far away.