Quick question

Lukethoma1985 · Sep 16, 2011

Hi everyone, how are you all

Just a quick question, im quite new to the trade.
Recently my brother had the local electrical contractors around which work for the council.

Theyve upgraded the consumer unit and had to check everything. His got electric goin to the shed fed off a 32A mcb, 6mm t+e to a cooker switch with socket. Which then is wired to a fuse spur. From the fuse spur in 2.5 t+e to a couple of sockets then to another fuse spur to feed 1 light.

Now is this ok as tge contractors said to my brother it was or am i just over the top.
If i was checking this, would i be right to say the circuit labled cooker, would be changed to outhouse. The cooker socket removed and the 6mm carried on through to the outhouse which the feeds a small consumer unit. Also i dont think you can run a fuse spur off another fuse spur can you?

Its boggleing my mind

Please help thankyou luke.

I hope you all have a good weekend

telectrix · Sep 16, 2011

it's certainly not how i would have done it. however, if each section of cable is correctly protected, i would say it just about complies, except for being labelled "cooker". ( i assume that there is not currently a cooker wired into the circuit)

Lukethoma1985 · Sep 17, 2011

Hi telectrix
Thats the first thing i thought bout was the labeling, i thought they would of at least put cooker and out house. Nah theres no cooker on that circuit. The cookers on a 13A plug so its on the ring. Im not over the top then, what about a fuse spur to the light from a socket already off a fused spur.
If i done a job like this id of gone 6mm out the cu protected by 32A mcb. To swa under ground, with warning tape on buried at the correct depth. Into a double switch consumer unit feeding a 16A for a radial and a 6A for the lights. Would that be right. If its a workshop conversion then itd be 10mm for a upgrade to a ring.

Richard Burns · Sep 17, 2011

I agree with telectrix it is a right hash up of wiring but from what you have said it would be safe and meet BS7671. Not too sure how the supply is getting from the house to the shed (overhead, underground etc.)
You can have an FCU on an FCU if you really want as once you are fused down to 13A (presumably on the sockets) from the first one then you can fuse down further on the next one for the lights.
It looks like this was done as a method of getting power to the shed with minimum thought. Effectively using the FCUs as intermediate sections of a consumer unit!
Generally better to go for a separate circuit from the CU, but can all be done from an FCU off ring!
Your method is much better.

Lukethoma1985 · Sep 17, 2011

Thats brilliant thankyou both very much for helping me clear my head. I kind of thought it was wrong but because im new to the trade id thought the professionals working for the council would of known better and sorted it out. They even labled it cooker when they put the new cu in, but i just wanted to make sure i werent over the top. I hope you have a great weekend guys