Is my garage an electrical deathtrap?! Advice Please!

[RhysJames2008]

Hi all,

First of all I'd like to announce that I am not an electrician, I just change plugs, sockets, light switches and the simple stuff.

I was looking at my spotlight today as it hasn't worked for some time. Having check the connections going into the spotlight I found they were fine.

So I decided to trace its supply, and I traced it back to a double light switch (theres another spotlight on the other switch), which was connected to a Fused 13A switch, which in turn was connected to a single surface-mounted socket, which has a surprisingly thick twin and earth cable coming from the wall.

Is this lighting configuration okay?

This is the worrying part... in addition to the lights running from the socket, theres also another single socket coming from that first single socket... and if thats not enough, theres ANOTHER single socket wired into that second single socket.

Ive attached a little diagram that I made on Paint to explain things.

Garage wiring Config

• RhysJames2008
• 25 Nov 2008
• 1

I just want to know if this is safe. I've heard stuff about spurs and rings but I dont know what that is so I don't want to go messing with them because i dont know if the previous guy knew what he was doing.

Kindest Regards
Rhys James

 

[Click-Sure]

As far as the lights are concerned, not a problem, as long as a 3 or 5 amp fuse is used in it. You may however have an issue with spurring-off-a-spur with the sockets.

You say the feed to the socket is wired in surprisingly thick cable, was this supply intended for a cooker or shower at one time?

In which case, have the additional sockets been connected up with the same thinkness of cable and what rating of fuse/MCB is protecting this feed back at your consumer unit?

A couple of pictures would enable use to give you a better view. Plus, we all love pictures.

 

[RhysJames2008]

Yeah I like pictures too Ill try and get some tomorrow when I get home before it gets dark.

I should make it clear that my consumer unit is an old 70's type with the wire fuses. I have no idea what rating is protecting the feed.

But what I do know is that the big thick twin and earth is a cooker cable, because unsurprisingly, it comes through the wall from the cooker switch.

I think the cable feeding the two sockets FROM the main single socket is actually 1.5mm flex Its all running through plastic conduit though as its all surface mounted.

And a 5 amp fuse is on the lighting circuit.

If its not too much trouble too could you explain this whole deal with rings and spurs please. Might help me understand what the old chaps done.

 

[sparkyspike]

This doesn't appear to be a 'ring and spurs' scenario. Rather a cooker radial circuit has been used for your garage supply. The two main issues are whether the fuse is rated for the cable and whether the cable is rated for the load. You can have multiple sockets on a radial circuit such as this (not using 1.5 flex though). And a switched fused spur is ok for lighting - better off with a 3A fuse in it though. Is your cooker still in use? What is the fuse rating?

 

[RhysJames2008]

Is your cooker still in use? What is the fuse rating?

The cooker is in regular use, yes. Although rarely at the same time as a device in the garage. Sorry I'm unsure of the fuse rating of the cooker.

What do you suggest I do? About how this is wired up at the moment?

 

[streetlighter]

I would recommend a periodic inspection report be carried out by a competant electrician.
This will highlight any problem areas with the whole installation as from your description it sounds like there will be more bodges found,
Then Having the consumer unit replaced with a dedicated circuit feeding the garage.

 

[RhysJames2008]

Right, sounds horrific

Shouldn't I just remove the two sockets that are wired into the first single socket?

 

[Click-Sure]

It would be a start, but as streetlighter says, and from my own experiences, if you find one bodge you can be sure there will be plenty more!

A periodic inspection report will give you more info.

 

[RhysJames2008]

you can be sure there will be plenty more!

Oh I'm sure that theres plenty more. I have missing earths on my lighting circuits, live wires hanging out of wall, terminated with horrible looking terminal blocks, endless numbers of sockets wired up.