RADIAL CCTS

[lloydy]

Hi

I'm in the process of changing the CU in my house.
On disconnecting the mains cct I found 2 cables into the same fuse which i thought was a ring cct but when I tested I had no continuety between the live cables, so I suspect that there are 2 seperate radial ccts!
Can I move these to the new CU or do I have to convert to ring.
These ccts are both on 2.5mm cable.

 

[dingbat]

You need to find out what they actually do first. It's possible that they are the ends of a ring but that somewhere the ring has been broken. Have you tried continuity test on the neutrals and CPCs? It could be simply that one live has popped out of the back of a socket terminal.

If they are separate radial circuits supplying sockets they should be put on separate 20A MCBs and suitably identified. This may be an easier option than linking them into a ring.

But how about insulation resistance and earth loop values? Are you updating the CU to add some circuits, or to consolidate a series of historical additions, in which case maybe a full rewire is worth considering? And are your main fuse and tails up to the job? How do you intend to connect your new CU to the supply... etc, etc...

 

[lloydy]

Thanks

I ave already tried the Neutral and that is also open cct.
I'm uprading as I only have old fuse box and the I have found live wires etc left under floorboards and the garage is wired off a spur in house etc etc.
I'm in the middle of tracing everything as whoever wired this house needs shooting!!!

 

[dingbat]

It sounds like you would be better off to bite the bullet and go for the full rewire - that way you get exactly what you want, where you want it and you know it's all been done correctly. Once it's done, it's good for the next umpteen years.

If you're planning to attempt it all yourself a useful reference is Brian Scaddan's "Electric Wiring, Domestic" published by Newnes, for around a tenner. (Yes I know Scaddan can't spell for toffee and Newnes seem unable to proofread, but it's basically sound!)

Best of luck with it!

 

[lloydy]

Thanks
I have already done the lighting as I found loads of probs with 3 way switches wired incorrectly and I had a broken live under floorboards.
Next for the mains, I think it may well have been a ring at one point as now there are only 2 sockets on one radial! and I have found a live cable dangling near one of these sockets!!

 

[securespark]

Yeah, it's funny that. My parents-in-law bought a house a couple of years ago, and the NIC report said open circuit on the ground floor ring. When I got under the boards, there was a stripped, bare live leg of the ring just lying in the soil....???????

 

[lloydy]

Funny old thing when I connected the live cable that was lying under the floorboards I now have a ring CCT!!!
Now I can plan to change the CU its only took me 4 days to sort out somebody elses mess, I can't believe that people are so stupid!!
Lucky the house didn' burn down.
I had an electrical inspection before I bought this house and it didn't mention anything that needed doing straight away, what a waste of money that was!!