separating socket rings in CU

[trev]

Your Homes Newcastle specced this method for their decent homes programme in Throckley, funnily enough the up down method was used everywhere else in town, The only real problem I can see is the lack of labelling as long as it;s tagged up it should be ok.

 

[SPARTYKUS]

Hi spinlondon

I think you're trying to cover too many bases.

Really anyone messing about with an electrical 'point' in a house should power down the whole lot if not sure whats what. Or get a sparky in. And still prove its dead.

I don't think its an argument to counter excellent design & prior thought at the first fix stage.

Not trying to start an argument just like the mixed up socket layout.

 

[shocking_eg]

Mine from today, needed to do a couple of "custom" labels on my trusty Brother printer too.
Took about 10 minutes in all. Theres no excuse for not labelling IMHO.

did you have a nice DP main switch already installed by DNO for you to isolate the installation to change that DB ?

 

[telectrix]

my argument would be in favour of a vertical split. in the scenario of, say 1 RFC being out of service, it,s safer to run an temp.extension lead say, from 1 living room to another on the same floor, than trail one all the way upstairs to get a supply for the TV/PC/ etc.

 

[shocking_eg]

my argument would be in favour of a vertical split. in the scenario of, say 1 RFC being out of service, it,s safer to run an temp.extension lead say, from 1 living room to another on the same floor, than trail one all the way upstairs to get a supply for the TV/PC/ etc.

good point, but can be right both ways IMO, i think its easier to identify which sockets are on the circuit. say its wired like you suggest, half and half split, front and rear etc.. what happens if a socket is in the middle of the house ? would that be classed as front or back ?

obviously you could label up all the sockets to DB circuit number but how many people want labels on their expensive chrome sockets ?

interesting subject, we all have our preferred ways

 

[trev]

I prefer the up and down method but that's probably more out of force of habit than anything. Nowt wrong with a diagram near on on the CU, RCF1 RFC2

 

[shocking_eg]

or even better, radials !

i prefer them actually, no worries about spurs off of spurs !

then you could segregate circuits, IE living room and dining sockets, master bed and office sockets etc.....

I seem to be using radials on more jobs now, saves time on testing too

 

[Guitarist]

Separate supply to each socket, labelled both ends is the answer!

 

[telectrix]

with a 50 way CU, all RCBOs. 2nd mortgage.

 

[Octopus]

with a 50 way CU, all RCBOs. 2nd mortgage.

And a £1250 EICR for the poor homeowner

 

[ipf]

And a £1250 EICR for the poor homeowner

Let's have more of this, sounds like christmas.

 

[telectrix]

5 grand to build an extension on the house to house the new CU.

 

[Guitarist]

At least it would bring the price of RCBO's down.

 

[ipf]

5 grand to build an extension on the house to house the new CU.

And a bloody massive christmas tree.

 

[imago]

It's one of those things where I don't really have a preference as there's no perfect way whatever you do. The house I was in today started out as a single ring for the whole house. Then an extension was built for kitchen and lounge which had it's own ring. Then the kitchen was changed and needed to be RCD protected so the board was changed. So now there is a ring for the kitchen, a ring for the rear of the living room, another ring for the rest of the house and the hall sockets are on a separate radial. So unless you make sure whatever you're working on is isolated and use labelling, instict, common sense or 'the force' as a guide only you're asking for trouble IMHO.

BTW, the lighting circuits are even more complicated and it's only a three bed semi.