Rewire - any circuits I'm missing?

[Donkmeister]

Putting together my final spec for my rewire, and I've ended up with the following circuits... I bought a 30-way dual-RCD Contactum (I bought it nearly 3 months ago now!)... it's going to look a touch empty!

Am I missing anything? Any suggestions on the configuration?

Unprotected rail
Shed electrics (32A RCBO)
Node zero (32A RCBO) - servers, networking, amps etc
Garden electrics (16A RCBO) - further described lowed down
Fridge radial (16A RCBO)
Boiler/CH radial (16A RCBO)
Smoke alarms radial (6A RCBO)
10 spare ways

RCD1
Sockets downstairs (32A MCB)
Cooker radial (32A MCB)
Washing m/c radial (16A MCB)
Lights upstairs (6A MCB)
3 spare ways

RCD2
Sockets upstairs (32A MCB)
Sockets kitchen (32A MCB)
Dishwasher radial (16A MCB)
Lights downstairs (6A MCB)
Doorbell transformer (6A MCB)
0 spare ways

Garden electrics

Will consist of the following, switched from an 8-way grid by backdoor (fused down by an 8-way grid of fuse carriers concealed by a dedicated cupboard door)

3 zones of low-energy garden lighting
1 outdoor socket by tree for festoons
1 set of well-shrouded, low-energy floods (not on a PIR, and only to be used when garden NEEDS to be flooded )
1 zone of low-energy pond lights
1 fountain pump
1 pond filter (on secret key switch)
Total of all fuses = 15A


Now, as you can see I've tried to separate things out so if an RCD completely fails I can still have lighting via mains sockets on that floor. What I regard as "vital services" are on RCBOs, so that's the smoke alarms, fridge freezer, heating system, server equipment.

I've also put anything "outdoors" on an RCBO to prevent any tampering with those causing outages elsewhere. Is that overkill?

House will be fitted with combi boiler and will have no space for a tank, thus pre-wiring for an immersion wouldn't be feasible.

Future uses for the spare ways that I can think of...
Electric shower
Electric car charger (maybe, one day? )
Home alarm system

 

[1john]

how about sockets up and down on same circuits feeding front and back say?? saves running ring final circuits around twice if you are dropping down from the 1st floor for the ground floor sockets as well as up which in turn saves excessive drilling of joists too. just my opinion.

Really nice to see someone putting alot of thaught into their installation to make it versatile and not design it strictly around it being cheap

 

[1john]

oooh, electric cookers tend to develop earth faults so that may be good to have on an RCBO instead and maybe have a circuit ready incase of a large powered oven too?? just some after thaughts i had.

 

[RF Lighting]

I'd prefer to see the shed supply not protected by RCD, and keep the RCD local to the point of use in the shed, assuming your wiring system will allow it.

Also, could you keep stuff like the fridge / boiler circuits off RCD by using one of the approved wiring types, or running them in surface?

Not sure how much IT stuff will run on your node circuit, but if you get enough IT stuff on one circuit, the high leakage currents may trip an RCD.

All in all though, looks like a well designed installation.

 

[EdwardCurrent]

Hello.

Maybe another circuit to cover the loft ? Lighting and maybe aerial amps etc ? Just a thought.

All the best

Ed.

 

[333rocky333]

How about a circuit for a light/ socket in the loft. ( )

Is the CU in a cupboard, a light/ socket adjacent sometimes handy.

 

[EdwardCurrent]

( ) Indeed, an emergency light near the C/U can be a blessing.

Ed

 

[Donkmeister]

How about a circuit for a light/ socket in the loft. ( )

Is the CU in a cupboard, a light/ socket adjacent sometimes handy.

Hadn't considered a socket in the loft... might be an idea.

CU is in a cupboard under the stairs and I will be putting a light on the downstairs lighting circuit in it

 

[Donkmeister]

I'd prefer to see the shed supply not protected by RCD, and keep the RCD local to the point of use in the shed, assuming your wiring system will allow it.

Also, could you keep stuff like the fridge / boiler circuits off RCD by using one of the approved wiring types, or running them in surface?

Not sure how much IT stuff will run on your node circuit, but if you get enough IT stuff on one circuit, the high leakage currents may trip an RCD.

Good idea... Shed will be run in SWA all the way to the CU, which is a metal enclosure. So, I can terminate SWA properly within the CU (no adaptable box required).

I could run fridge, boiler etc off RCD, that would be better now you mention it. Shouldn't be too much of a slog as the run is fairly straightforward, but can I terminate SWA in a flush backbox? I'm thinking about the earthing nut not being accessible once it's plastered in. Or is there another sort of cable where this isn't an issue?

IT stuff can be wired in SWA without issue because it's in the same (large understairs) cupboard as the CU.

Unfortunately internal walls are solid but 100mm thick... thus can't just bury the cables.

All in all though, looks like a well designed installation.

Thanks!

 

[Aragorn84]

IT stuff can be wired in SWA without issue because it's in the same (large understairs) cupboard as the CU.

Would it not be better running the cables for the IT kit on the surface, so you dont need to use SWA?

 

[Donkmeister]

I guess I could, but I like the flush-fitted look.

Although in a cupboard, who looks

 

[Aragorn84]

That was my thaughts, its in a cupboard thats already filled with a consumer unit and a big rack of IT kit...

 

[ban-all-sheds]

CU is in a cupboard under the stairs and I will be putting a light on the downstairs lighting circuit in it

Put a boggo emergency bulkhead in, wired through an upside down switch, i.e. when the rocker is up a connection is made, and flicking it down breaks the supply and the light comes on.

That way you'll have light in there to reset anything that trips.