External Sockets

[JohnW2]

Ah OK. And from a quick google it appears that swapping MCB for RCBO is notifiable?

Nope (in England - possibly notifiable in Wales) - provided that it is not a 'new circuit' you are creating (which it hardly could be, if there's already an MCB there!)

Kind Regards, John

 

[JohnW2]

as the socket is going on the other side of the wall from an internal one I had planned to install it as an extension of the ring main rather than a spur, but I couldn't use an isolator if I did this as the isolator would isolate every socket after it in the ring. .... I think I could do a ring extension by using a DPDT isolator switch. ....... Hope that makes sense?

There are all sorts of reasons why that wouldn't be a good idea (as well as being unnecessarily complicated) - it's surely simpler to just use a spur, and to have a simple DP isolator switch in just that spur.

Kind Regards, John

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I did think about installing an isolator but dismissed it when I found out I needed a seperate RCD as i could cut the power to the socket byt throwing the RCD. This would not solve the issue above though

Why wouldn't it?

as the socket is going on the other side of the wall from an internal one I had planned to install it as an extension of the ring main rather than a spur, but I couldn't use an isolator if I did this as the isolator would isolate every socket after it in the ring.

No it wouldn't - if you break the ring you just end up with two undersized radials.

I think I could do a ring extension by using a DPDT isolator switch. The main in comes into throw 1 and goes out on pole 1 to the external socket. the ring then comes back from the external socket and goes into throw 2 and on to the next interna socket in the ring from pole 1. pole 2 on throw 1 would be bridged to pole 1 on throw 2. This means when the switch is open the external socket is in the ring and the later circuits are fed by pole 1 on throw 2. when the switch is closed the external socket is isolated but the later sockets in the ring are now fed from pole 2 on throw 1? Hope that makes sense?

That would only switch the line conductor, so would do nothing to isolate the neutral, and therefore do nothing to deal with an RCD tripping due to a N-E fault in the outside enclosure.

 

[Tueur]

Have just check and they are plug in circuit breakers like this.

 

[Tueur]

I think I can install a fused RCD like this

next to the internal socket then install the external socket on the outside wall after the RCD. the RCD can be used to isolate the external socket.

Would this comply?

 

[JohnW2]

Have just check and they are plug in circuit breakers like this. ....

Unfortunately, you can't replace them with RCBOs - so you will have to forget that. If the circuit requires RCD protection, that would have to be provided by a separate, standalone, RCD.

Kind Regards, John

 

[Tueur]

So I was doing a bit more reading on this last night to work out what would be the best solution. I have 5 circuits in CU (upstairs/downstairs lights/sockets and cooker), and I dont believe that I cn put a single RCD between the feed and the CU as that doesn't comply with regs. swapping out the CU could be very expensive as there are bits of my internal wiring that dont currently meet regs (elongated spurs) and I want to sort these issues out. We are redecorating the house room by room so now is the time to fix any wiring issues.

I suspect that an electrician would not simply swap the CU without first fixing all the other wiring issues (I picked this up on Rogue Traders) which may mean a rewire, and I definitely cant afford that.

So as an interim could I install 5 RCDs on each circuit directly after the CU in the cupboard. I'm not touching the CU so I dont think this would be notifiable. I could then resolve the wiring issues as I decorate and then get an electrician in to swap the CU for a more up to date one once the wiring is fixed?

Would appreciate some advice and thoughts.

Thanks for all your input so far.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

What's the difference between "there are bits of my internal wiring that dont currently meet regs .. I want to sort these issues out. We are redecorating the house room by room so now is the time to fix any wiring issues" and a rewire?

Why do you want to put all of your circuits on RCD FCUs, at a cost of over £70?

How well will your socket circuit(s) work if limited to 13A?

Ditto for your cooker circuit?

 

[JohnW2]

Why do you want to put all of your circuits on RCD FCUs, at a cost of over £70? ... How well will your socket circuit(s) work if limited to 13A? ... Ditto for your cooker circuit?

Indeed - but AFAICS the OP said RCDs, not "RCD FCUs" (although he had previously posted a pic of the latter) - which, although electrically would achieve what was intended, would again be expensive and would not seem to be a very sensible approach.

Kind Regards, John.

 

[Tueur]

Pic of cu and main feed.

Require would mean recabling whole house. I can simply remove spurs and add additional sockets to existing ring. To fix current issues. I will need to move some sockets as part of the decorating which currently I can't do because I don't have an rcd in the cu.

View media item 86373

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Pic of cu and main feed.

//www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=3258972#3258972

Require would mean recabling whole house. I can simply remove spurs and add additional sockets to existing ring. To fix current issues.

If wiring needs changing, and issues need fixing, then changes and fixes are needed. If not, then they are not.

You do not have to have a rewire done in order to have the CU replaced if a rewire is not needed, you just need the "issues" resolved.

I will need to move some sockets as part of the decorating which currently I can't do because I don't have an rcd in the cu.

That is, of course, a dilemma, but how would you propose to add RCD protection to a socket circuit from the existing CU?

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Cant see much of the surroundings, but it looks like there could easily be room for a new CU alongside the existing one.