Ring or Radial

[liam b]

Hi

Im starting a rewire tomorrow, its a 2 bed terrace, with only 3 sockets downstairs in the living room and 4 upstairs, 2 in each bedroom, maybe one on the landing.

anyway i was going to use rings as thats the norm for me but 3 sockets downstairs on a ring just seems silly, ill be putting the kitchen on a ring as it will have all appliances in there. plus upstairs 4/5 sockets again seems a waste of time/cable

is it bad practice to use radials where normally a spark would expect a ring?

whats your thoughts?

cheers

 

[telectrix]

it's ok to use radials as long as you use 16A or at most a 20A MCB. However, say the house were to be sold and the new owner wanted extra sockets and heavier loading, i would install rings on all socket circuits. better too much than too little.

 

[Hawk81]

personally if I was doing that job I would do it in radials in 4mm on a 32amp mcb

 

[olly w]

Can you not put the upstairs and down stairs sockets on one ring? and like you say keep the kitchen on its own ring.

 

[telectrix]

good answer. wish i'd thought of that.but just in case of a fault on the ring, client would lose all sockets apart from kitchen

 

[EasT]

As a potential customer. If it was my house I would sooner you offered me the option and any price difference. I would then choose to have separate rings.

 

[olly w]

No problem with clients losing lots of power due to a fault...makes them phone quicker and open the wallet wider..lol.

 

[jeremy]

are you fitting extra sockets?

 

[cjp1]

I personally would sooner do 2 circuits for sockets 1 up and 1 down either a ring in 2.5mm or a radial in 4mm.
cheers chris.

 

[liam b]

i think ill go with my usual and wire 3 rings, just curious as to what people would do for the sake of a ring with 3 sockets on it

due to cost i wouldnt use 4mm, shot a few extra metres of 2.5mm in and make a ring. cheaper than 4mm anyway

cheers lads.

 

[telectrix]

always good to get a 2nd opinion

 

[not clever]

personally if I was doing that job I would do it in radials in 4mm on a 32amp mcb

Same here

 

[not clever]

I personally would sooner do 2 circuits for sockets 1 up and 1 down either a ring in 2.5mm or a radial in 4mm.
cheers chris.

I'd go with the kitchen on its own circuit, seen as most of the high loads tend to be in this area.

Would you be the same chris that was on the Virtual pir course in Guilford a few months ago?

 

[Sintra]

I am a radial man myself as i hate rings can't stand them.

 

[Phil]

i will pop one on for the 4mm radial. was always shown the ring when starting out but the radial is the one i would wire my place in if i was to do it