One ring main for whole house

[richo106]

I have just bought a relatively new house (15 years old) and didn't expect to do any major electrical work only moving the odd socket. however i went to isolate a socket and realised the whole house was fed off a single ring on 32amp.(still cant believe it was wired like that!)

I'm will be having a complete new kitchen fitted so i want to install a new ring main for the kitchen then have the rest of the house (3 bed) on the original ring. Ive never really done any work in domestic properties as ive always been on the industrial side, so i was thinking of finding the first and last socket in the kitchen and putting a link between them to complete the ring and then install a new ring for kitchen, there are plenty of spare ways in the CU.

I was just after some advice if this would be the best way to do it and if there is anything i should look out while attempting this.

Thanks

 

[Geordie Spark]

gor blimey. me 13stone. just imagining trying to squezze under the floor and then roll a joint.

Ye roll it BEFORE ye squeeze yersel under the floor ye big daft Scouse muppett!! :sifone:

And stop derailing the poor lad's thread - he's one of "us" - not some numpty DIYer.

 

[telectrix]

youse only jealouscoz' you didn't derail the tread first, ya soft scottish that coulna climb a wall. :wazzzup:

 

[Lucien Nunes]

Before you change anything, do the full set of RFC tests to make sure it really is a ring. It might have ended up as one circuit because the cables got muddled / wrongly run and it's actually a figure 8 or something, which might decide the best break-in point. I wouldn't be keen on separating the kitchen and making the two bits left behind into 20A radials unless the kitchen is very close to the middle load-wise. Else you might end up with much of the house on one 20A which could actually be a retrograde step.

 

[richo106]

Yes that's what I was thinking Midwest, ideally I didn't want to touch the floorboards upstairs. I also have another question how do people generally run the cables around the kitchen behind the units. I'm going to have a couple of sockets above worktop and a couple of sockets in adjacent cupboards for integrated appliances. Chase it out at low level in the safe zone or just clip direct and then chase out for the sockets above the worktop. If I clipped direct would I have to wait until it's been plastered. I would like to get as much done as I can now as the plasterer isn't available for a couple of weeks.

all help appreciated as you can this is first proper domestic installation

thanks all

 

[sparksburnout]

Before replying, just remember the OP is an Industrial spark, not a DIYer. Give help to a fellow Sparky (play nicely )

Something a bit odd here then. I can remember loads of threads on here criticising "Electrical Trainee" and "Domestic Installers", along the lines of "a spark is a spark, there are no different disciplines and a proper spark should be able to tackle anything. Now, I am not sticking up for the former at all, but does the same thing not work in reverse? Should an industrial spark no be able to sort this out without recourse to asking on a forum? Just saying, its not rocket science.

 

[richo106]

Something a bit odd here then. I can remember loads of threads on here criticising "Electrical Trainee" and "Domestic Installers", along the lines of "a spark is a spark, there are no different disciplines and a proper spark should be able to tackle anything. Now, I am not sticking up for the former at all, but does the same thing not work in reverse? Should an industrial spark no be able to sort this out without recourse to asking on a forum? Just saying, its not rocket science.

i know what you're saying and I could figure it out but I'm big believer in if there is something you're not 100% on you should ask no matter how stupid it sounds. Would much rather ask your guys opinions on the the matter before I steam in and do something I regret. Like I said its my first domestic installation and would like to do it right

 

[Midwest]

Yes that's what I was thinking Midwest, ideally I didn't want to touch the floorboards upstairs. I also have another question how do people generally run the cables around the kitchen behind the units. I'm going to have a couple of sockets above worktop and a couple of sockets in adjacent cupboards for integrated appliances. Chase it out at low level in the safe zone or just clip direct and then chase out for the sockets above the worktop. If I clipped direct would I have to wait until it's been plastered. I would like to get as much done as I can now as the plasterer isn't available for a couple of weeks.

all help appreciated as you can this is first proper domestic installation

thanks all

Run the cables as is easiest. Run them in safes zones horizontally or vertically between sockets. If you run cables clipped surface behind units, run them at plinth level, saves having to notch backs of vertical panels of floor units, then flush in from below worktop to socket.

 

[sparksburnout]

i know what you're saying and I could figure it out but I'm big believer in if there is something you're not 100% on you should ask no matter how stupid it sounds. Would much rather ask your guys opinions on the the matter before I steam in and do something I regret. Like I said its my first domestic installation and would like to do it right

I'm not criticising you at all mate, just seemed a bit of an odd comment from the mod to "go easy" not usually much going easy on DI's, which is probably right, just seemed a bit rich.

 

[Leesparkykent]

Something a bit odd here then. I can remember loads of threads on here criticising "Electrical Trainee" and "Domestic Installers", along the lines of "a spark is a spark, there are no different disciplines and a proper spark should be able to tackle anything. Now, I am not sticking up for the former at all, but does the same thing not work in reverse? Should an industrial spark no be able to sort this out without recourse to asking on a forum? Just saying, its not rocket science.

A time served electrician who's looking for a little advice or a Electrical Trainee who needs a step by step guide is a little different Imo.

 

[richo106]

Just asking for a little advice, not exactly step by step guide

 

[Midwest]

Just asking for a little advice, not exactly step by step guide

I'm not gonna tell you the next step.

 

[richo106]

I'm not gonna tell you the next step.

looks like the job will be on hold then until someone reveals the next step:computer:

 

[Risteard]

complying with reg 314 (division of installation).

Only if a single circuit is prone to giving problems, which in reality it probably won't be.

App 15 recommends a maximum of 100 sqm for 1 x RFC.

It only states that it was a historic requirement, so it isn't even a recommendation now.

 

[Midwest]

Only if a single circuit is prone to giving problems, which in reality it probably won't be.

That's not how I understand the reg, i.e. 314.1 (i)


It only states that it was a historic requirement, so it isn't even a recommendation now.

It says 'Historically, a limit of 100m2 has been adopted', (adopted - definition; choose to take up or follow an idea). I was trying to suggest, that it wouldn't be an issue to have one rfc in terms of load, for a typical domestic property

In reply.

 

[Risteard]

In reply.

The division of circuits is required to ensure that the installation will operate safely; minimise inconvenience, etc.

The reality is that there isn't likely to be any adverse effect on safety in a domestic installation if a ring final circuit has a fault, nor is the inconvenience likely to be of any real level.

A risk assessment would probably show that the arrangement is fine, although most wouldn't choose to install that way in a new installation. (Evidently whoever installed it did, however.)