Electrical Connections In Airing Cupboard

[ban-all-sheds]

1)what type of wire is required within the module box - is 2.5mm twin core and earth like the ring main fine (needed for the spur anyway) or is a lower guage cable required?

Depends how you connect it to the circuit.

2)why are there 10A and 20A switch modules available. surely the fuse module provides the protection not the switch. i believe 10A is fine for all my devices, just curious

Grid systems are used on all sorts of circuits - sometimes switches rated at 20A are required.

3) obviously I would connect via a 13A fuse module (8 gang needed then with 1 blank)/separate fcu first and then a switch module and fuse module for each device fe from the load side of the first fuse

Not obviously - you could loop the socket circuit through the switches.

however which order should I use for the subsequent connections a)SWITCH-FUSE-DEVICE or b)FUSE-SWITCH-DEVICE

a). That way if you need to replace a fuse you can turn the switch off and not have to be fiddling with a fuseholder which is still live.

 

[jellybean2009]

thanks ban-all-sheds

Depends how you connect it to the circuit.

it will be a spur from a nearby socket on the RCD protected ring main.

Grid systems are used on all sorts of circuits - sometimes switches rated at 20A are required.

i see so the rating of a switch is similar to the guage of cable used - both are chosen dependant on what load will be on the circuit. presumably it is cheaper to manufacture a 10A switch so you only have to pay extra for a 20A when needed - is that right?

Not obviously - you could loop the socket circuit through the switches.

true but a fused spur avoids the complication of creating a junction box in the back of the socket (which I am not confident of doing). i wanted to extend the ring main but there is no easy access to the adjacent wiring/sockets due to the compressed board floor - see earlier post above

a). That way if you need to replace a fuse you can turn the switch off and not have to be fiddling with a fuseholder which is still live.

of course that makes sense although i would probably have the circuit off as well for that anyway just to be sure!

many thanks again for your advice

 

[ban-all-sheds]

it will be a spur from a nearby socket on the RCD protected ring main.

If you do it that way you could use 1.5mm² cable.

i see so the rating of a switch is similar to the guage of cable used - both are chosen dependant on what load will be on the circuit. presumably it is cheaper to manufacture a 10A switch so you only have to pay extra for a 20A when needed - is that right?

Yup.

true but a fused spur avoids the complication of creating a junction box in the back of the socket (which I am not confident of doing). i wanted to extend the ring main but there is no easy access to the adjacent wiring/sockets due to the compressed board floor - see earlier post above

Extend the cable with crimps, or add another socket right next to the existing one. If the existing one is a twin replace it with 2 singles in a dual box.

 

[jellybean2009]

If you do it that way you could use 1.5mm² cable.

is that for everything (including the spur between socket and first fuse) because the max load is 13A for the whole spur and 1.5mm is good for upto 14A? does this mean that technically I could use 1.0mm within the module because the maximum fuse per device is 5A? i take it you can use as big a cable as you like as long as it is above the minimum required?

Extend the cable with crimps, or add another socket right next to the existing one. If the existing one is a twin replace it with 2 singles in a dual box.

As a DIYer crimping does not appeal but the idea of making the current single socket into 2 singles is excellent advice (I am surprised previous posters didn't suggest this). all them same the fused spur still represents easier/less work for me is there any reason why I should reconsider (I don't really need a double on the landing and it is unlikely anything else will ever be needed in the airing cupboard)

many thanks