Radial vs Ring in a standard 3 bed

[Scott Jacob]

Afternoon all.
I normally cable my first fixes in a standard 3/4 bed as follows:

Ring up
Ring down
Kitchen ring.

I was at a trade show the other day and got talking to a few people and they said they only use a ring in the kitchen. Radials up and down. Got me think what’s the standard? I know there’s a max length for a radial circuit even though i can’t remeber it as I don’t normally use them. What do you guys use as I’m on a first fix atm and taking a leg back to the board from my upstairs circuit is going to be hell.

Cheers

 

[Dustydazzler]

Don’t forget the ones that like to use radials because they can’t test rings

A ring imo is easier to test and you have nothing to link out.
It’s just end to end which couldn’t be simpler.
I know DIYers can get very confused when they have a broken ring thou

 

[Dustydazzler]

Don’t forget the ones that like to use radials because they can’t test rings

A ring imo is easier to test and you have nothing to link out.
It’s just end to end which couldn’t be simpler.
I know DIYers can get very confused when they have a broken ring thou

 

[Pete999]

Don’t forget the ones that like to use radials because they can’t test rings

Don't they teach RFC testing on the Electrical Trainee courses then?

 

[Deleted member 26818]

I would have thought most houses could be wired one 20A Radial upstairs, one 20A Radial downstairs and a ring for the kitchen.

 

[Pete999]

Don’t forget the ones that like to use radials because they can’t test rings

Don't they teach RFC testing on the Electrical Trainee courses then?

 

[Charlie_]

Recently done 6 x 4 bedroom dormers ;
Timber frame with I beams throughout;
2 x Radials - which covered both floors for each half of the building, this method saves lots on cable, whilst wiring for the ground floor we just pulled up loops to each socket position for the floor above.
1 x ring for the kitchen
1 x 4mm radial for the utility

 

[Andy78]

I am rewiring a house currently with 3 rings and a radial for sockets.
Have done one lately with 1 ring and 4 radials.
Have done one with 2 radials.
Will be doing a kitchen extension next week with one ring and one radial. Whatever suits the job is right.

 

[kingeri]

My house is 3 stories plus a basement - I have 5 socket circuits.

Basement - 4mm 20A radial
Ground floor -
-Kitchen 4mm 32A ring
-Living room 2.5mm 20A radial
First floor (one bedroom) - 4mm 20A radial
Second floor (three bedrooms) - 4mm 32A ring

I also have a 20A 2.5mm radial supplying the washing machine and spa bath (both in the bathroom), a 6A 1.5mm radial for the boiler, a 16A 1.5mm radial for the fridge freezer, a 40A 10mm cooker circuit, a 16A 2.5mm SWA supply to my shed and then of course 4 lighting circuits.

I had to be creative calculating maximum demand!

I only partially rewired it years ago, made use of some of the existing good stuff and this is just what I ended up with I suppose!

 

[Midwest]

There’s only so much a typical family can plug into sockets, unless you use lots of electric fires

 

[EbolaSideRoom]

My current 3 bed 1980s semi has 1 ring on a 32a mcb for the entire house. Like this from new I presume. Not been rewired.
In fact it only has 4 circuits in total.
Cooker , ring , immersion and lights.
Proteus split board , cooker , immersion and lights non rcd And ring on the rcd. Loads of spare ways.

My first house was/is very similar; 63A/30mA RCD Main Switch, 32A Cooker, 32A Ring, 6A each lights up, down & smoke detectors. New build 1998.

 

[BeardyJaws]

4 bed detached, one ring for all the sockets but they put the cooker and oven on their own radial and the garage sockets on their own. The test results are all good and never tripped so it’s very much on the back burner because I don’t want to redecorate but it also means there’s not a lot of scope to add sockets because the ring is already spurred to supply downstairs. When I do come to sort it, I’ll put in whatever makes sense, if it’s a short leg back to the board it’ll get a ring, if it’s a long run back it’ll be a radial. Why complicate it more than need be if the calculations work out and you’re happy.

 

[EbolaSideRoom]

They always baffle me these threads. Use whichever circuit is best for the job having taken all design and operational considerations into account.

If you can't install a ring circuit properly, use radials is my advice to those who assume rings "dangerous"

I have to agree here. I’m not at all a fan of RFCs, but there are circumstances where it makes more sense to use one instead of a radial. And I also agree that one 16A or 20A radial Circuit for general use Sockets per Floor is plenty for the average dwelling.

 

[Phil Thompson]

Should the fridge and boiler not be 2.5mm as they are power circuits not lighting circuits @kingeri

 

[kingeri]

Should the fridge and boiler not be 2.5mm as they are power circuits not lighting circuits @kingeri

As far as I know the minimum CSA for power circuits is 1.5mm^2.

 

[Phil Thompson]

You're right It's 1.0mm that's only lighting, having a brain fart tody lol