Single Pole Fused Switched Spur?

[Ocelot7]

Hi all, I'm new to this forum and the trade so please be gentle!

I've recently rewired a kitchen with 7 appliances on one ring circuit and each appliance has a switched fused spur to isolate the related socket.
I'm only switching the live in each spur, so the neon on each spur is not lighting up (sockets are working though).
Is there such a thing as a single pole fused switched spur with a neon that I could use instead?
It's not possible to run another cable now so that i can use the double pole spur.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

 

[telectrix]

one of the main reasons for fitting double pole FCUs (apart from the safety aspect) is that if the appliance were to develop a N-E fault, causing RCd tripping, then by the simple flick of a switch, that fault is isolated and thr RCD can be reset.

 

[Jonny66]

Ok, it's not a light switch agreed and why any electrician would wire it this way is beyond me, but just out of interest what would you fail it on specifically? unconventional wiring?

I know it's not following manufactures instructions and neon doesn't work, but if I understand correctly how the op has wired this (with connectors at s/o under the worktop up to FCU with T&E) then the only other thing I can think of is -- anyone working on said socket would expect it to be dead when FCU is switched off, although the socket would be dead ,the connectors would still be live. However, you should be testing dead before working on anything.

As for double pole isolation I dont think it is required for compliance on TN installations (MCBs are single pole) only for TT...I maybe wrong......although I do understand what Telectrix is saying above, I dont think this makes it non-compliant or am I wrong?

Just out of interest Ocelot7, are you an electrician and if so why have you wired it like this? on all 7 FCUs?

 

[trev]

I have to agree with all the others here, I don't understand why you haven't used the terminals available to you. Every switched fused spur I've ever seen has had terminals for supply and load so the need for connectors has never existed.
Please explain your method mate

 

[Richard Burns]

Ocelot7 the way you have the SFCUs wired will not allow a neon to operate without rewiring.

I would suggest that rewiring would be a good idea. As jonny66 says this may be technically permissible but it is not a good way to proceed as you will have learnt from the above posts.

I have drawn a quick diagram and believe you have wired as in the top version whereas they should be wired as in the bottom version. I would suggest that you employ the second method in future.

If you really are unable to rewire then I would definitely put an explanation with the CU to explain the unconventional wiring method, and you would need to change the FCUs for non neon ones. However this is a work around and not a solution, for a new installation it should be correct.

 

[Ocelot7]

Thank you for all your help and advice.
I realise that this was a very stupid mistake to make and will be one I won't make again.

By luck more than design, I have managed to get a cable from the first and last sockets on the ring to their related spurs.
At the socket ends I connected this to the supply from the CCU.
At the spur end I connected this cable to the supply of the spur (all 7) to provide a feed. Then used the original T+E at each spur to connect to the load terminals and on to each socket.
So it is now wired the way that Richard Burns has shown in his diagram.
Sockets are working, neons are working. It passed the inspection.
Phew!
I'm only 19 and this was my first job on my own. I know it's no excuse but we all make mistakes.
Once again, Thanks for the help!

 

[Swicade]

Part of me wants to turn into the guy that trained me up all those years ago and deal out a 'clip around the ear' for the mistake that was made tbh....but the other part admires the fact you gave it a go and have taken the advice on the chin realiseing your mistakes and accepting the problem.

Always good to see some sensible enthusiasm and i hope you'll keep this up BUT i will suggest that in future you plan out what you want to do then seek some professional advice before starting the next job, people will always help (we might take the mick in the process of course) so things get done right.

I'm hopeing your in training at present as a sparks as the attitude shown here (willingly taking advice without the usual chip on the shoulder many seem to have) as a credit to yourself......if your a diyer having a go i'd suggest looking into proper electrical training (ful course to nvq3 not a crash course) as you seem to be the sort of future sparks (given the right training) that gives me alittle hope for the future.

 

[Geoffsd]

Don't want to be picky but just in case Ocelot7's not sure.

In the diagram - the neon should be on the load side and the fuse will be before the switch.

 

[Richard Burns]

Don't want to be picky but just in case Ocelot7's not sure.

In the diagram - the neon should be on the load side and the fuse will be before the switch.

Oops, correct I must have rotated not flipped the FCU at one point, if the FCU was flipped over and the cables stayed where they were it would be correct. However moot point since we have no control over the internal design of an FCU.

 

[Geoffsd]

the fuse will be before the switch.

Apparently they vary in this respect - sorry.

 

[Guitarist]

If this was your first time doing this kind of job, you should have been supervised and trained, not left to "get on with it". It's fortunate that someone didn't get hurt.