Sockets in Loft

[paddy1515]

Hi

I have a enquiry about installing sockets, a friend has asked me if it is possible to run 2 x double sockets in his loft of a 13A fuse spare that is all ready feeding his boiler. Is this possible if not what is the best solution

Cheers

Dave

 

[uksel]

assured elec, i think you may be confused, i dont believe the spur is in the attic, it would be in the normal locations, he is on about spurring it from there to give him easy access to the attic where he wants the sockets.

that's how i've read the question.

the poster if wanting to carry out this work should be able to think at this level for himself. if he doesn't have the experience, skills or knowledge to make these deicsions then he should simply make every effort to make sure he complies with the regulations which he does fully understand, basically, if you're not sure don't do it.

 

[randyrat]

Animal......in case you hadn't noticed, this site is the ELECTRICIANS forum.....maybe I have it all wrong, but an ELECTRICIAN is competent in the application of the principles outlined in the 17th edition. This current string is peppered with suggestions that are so far from the regs it doesn't bear thinking about. A lot of the site is like this. There are too many people on here offering ill informed advice to people with genuine queries. If you don't know the regs, aren't qualified to have an Electricians opinion, then you should keep it to yourself. While we all accept that there will be people who will ignore the law and do their own sparkying, it is irresponsible to offer people wrong and potentially fatal advice, which they may well take on board.......worst case scenario.....someones in a box because some idiot on here suggested they wire up doubles to their upstairs lighting circuit. Fancy that on your conscience?

 

[Dave]

Lets keep this cival please.....If anybody see's advice they think is wrong then isn't it the whole idea to state why it is and keep it friendly....


thanks lads...

 

[animal]

Lets keep this cival please.....If anybody see's advice they think is wrong then isn't it the whole idea to state why it is and keep it friendly....


thanks lads...

I fully agree ,the advise i gave was correct ,if the "installation" is not part of the fixed wiring then its not covered by any electrical regulations ,so any one can do it electrician or not ,i didnt say it was a good idea

are you using cockney ryming slang randy ,randy rat

 

[ian.settle1]

Animal......in case you hadn't noticed, this site is the ELECTRICIANS forum.....maybe I have it all wrong, but an ELECTRICIAN is competent in the application of the principles outlined in the 17th edition. This current string is peppered with suggestions that are so far from the regs it doesn't bear thinking about. A lot of the site is like this. There are too many people on here offering ill informed advice to people with genuine queries. If you don't know the regs, aren't qualified to have an Electricians opinion, then you should keep it to yourself. While we all accept that there will be people who will ignore the law and do their own sparkying, it is irresponsible to offer people wrong and potentially fatal advice, which they may well take on board.......worst case scenario.....someones in a box because some idiot on here suggested they wire up doubles to their upstairs lighting circuit. Fancy that on your conscience?

It maybe an ELECTRICIANS forum but if you read some of the posts people have openly admitted to not be an ELECTRICIAN, so sometimes getting the correct questions and giving the right answers can be difficult.

 

[uksel]

I fully agree ,the advise i gave was correct ,if the "installation" is not part of the fixed wiring then its not covered by any electrical regulations ,so any one can do it electrician or not ,i didnt say it was a good idea

are you using cockney ryming slang randy ,randy rat

the thing here is, have you ever heard the saying

'a little knowledge is a dangerous thing'


quite simply you are being irresponsible offering this little bit of information to an unskilled person, as they could try to use this as a loophole where you have failed to inform him of the safety implications of any such action and they would continue thinking that they are being clever and safe, all the while endangering themselves and/or any person residing in the premises.

and i also fail to see how you will be connecting a socket to the lighting circuit and classify it as not part of the 'fixed wiring' this is intended to apply to extension leads and accessories. if you use a screwdriver to connect and secure a flex to the circuit, it is fixed wiring.

 

[Had8Lives]

Can't see a problem with adding a spur to the boiler circuit as long as the total load of the boiler and what ever the socket is to be used for does not exceed the cable capacity supplying the boiler spur. Might be best for the sake of safety (water leaks etc in a loft) to use an RCD spur in parallel with the existing boiler spur. That way if the boiler circuit is not on an RCD it won't be an issue.

 

[uksel]

what is the CSA of the cable supplying the boiler?

would it be an option to install a JB in place of the fused spur and run some 2.5mm cable into the attic to supply a radial circuit (if you are already on a 16A breaker)

to feed the boiler then spur out of the junction box installed to a 5A fused spur supplying the boiler???

issue a minor works certificate?? as it is an addition to an existing circuit??

thoughts...?

 

[hughesy]

when you say boiler do you meen immersion , if so already using 13a and would normally be wired in 1.5 so why not put some effort in and wire off the upstairs sockets cant be that hard to get to the loft .

 

[TPES]

now you need to work out what ampere you have left and what use this would be to you in the form of sockets?

I would never run a socket other than an aerial booster off a lighting circuit.

Is this acceptable then?
Is this not against the regs taking power from a light to a fcu to feed an aerial booster?

I thought lighting circuits were for lamps and lamps only?
Is there a reg on this?

 

[Spudnik]

Interesting thread you have dug up here Mr Sid, and i will be keeping a very close eye on it, however, i dont see any reason why a FCU or even a 5A socket for an aerial booster cannot be installed in a loft from a lighting circuit AFTER the existing load has been calculated.

The circuit would be protected via a 6A mcb, so the cable will never become overloaded and lets fact it, an aerial booster pulls a hell of a lot less than a 60W lamp!

 

[TPES]

The few bosster's ive fitted i have been using the Remote power type, sending power up the coax to power the unit from behind a TV point.

Never had any problems with this, I just didnt want to take any chances coming off a lighting circuit incase it was against the regs.

So could no one testing slag this method off???

 

[Spudnik]

I wouldn't even give it a second thought.

What reg is being broken?

Can anyone help?

As far as im concerned, a circuit is a circuit and with the correct schedules, i dont see it as a problem at all.

 

[Guest123]

Hey there.

I must admit to having come off a lighting circuit for the t.v booster in the attic. Did so using only 5A round pin socket and plug though and obviously having checked existing demand.