Run a double plug socket from old immersion circuit?

[JonnyCD]

I'm wanting to put a double plug socket up in my loft, but all I can find up there is the lighting ring and the old wiring from the immersion heater.
Last year we had a new combi boiler and central heating fitted ths rendering the old hot water tank (in the loft) useless. I disconnected the tank from the junction box up there and left it for a while.

I'm now in the process of clearing out the loft and using to play my vinyl's up there using my old stack stereo system
To run this and maybe other goods (portable tv's and such) I'm wanting to install a regular 13amp plug socket. I cannot find any signs of the ring main up there and wasn't really happy about spurring off of one of the bedroom sockets as that would involve wall chasing and a lot of mess.

So my question is...
..can I use the existing and still live immersion circuit (running from a pull chord switch on the landing) and wire it up to the 13amp socket without having to modify anything else down the line?

Is this safe, legal and a 'done thing'?

Thanks in advance for any help with this

 

[EFLImpudence]

Yes, perfectly alright. I assume 15A fuse or 16A circuit breaker.

You can have several sockets run in a line (radial circuit) if you want.
Use 2.5mm² twin and earth (1.5 would do but 2.5 better)

 

[JonnyCD]

Thanks for the reply.
I'm assuming its on a 15amp fuse as from research on the net that is the norm for a immersion circuit?
It has its own breaker on the consumer unit. Is there any way of telling what is used?

 

[EngStudent]

Thanks for the reply.
I'm assuming its on a 15amp fuse as from research on the net that is the norm for a immersion circuit?
It has its own breaker on the consumer unit. Is there any way of telling what is used?

15A when we used to use fusewire, 16A now that we use breakers.

The breaker should have something like B16 written on it. B refers to the type of breaker (in a house you wouldn't usually have anything other than type B), the number after it refers to the size of it (i.e. B6 usually for lighting, B16 for immersions/radials, B32 for a ring, etc).

 

[JonnyCD]

Thanks also for your reply.
Yes the breaker is indeed B16.
So I can go ahead and run a 13amp double socket straight from this with no worries?
Also as mentioned before there will only be power running up to it when I'm in the house as I can pull the afore mention chord on or off as desired.

 

[EFLImpudence]

Yes, go ahead.

Just one thing - keep cable away from any insulation that may be in the loft.

 

[streetlighter]

The circuit will now require RCD protection as socket outlets are being installed, this may or may not be installed alredy and will need checking out beforehand.

 

[kai]

Just buy an RCD protected double socket for the loft.

 

[EngStudent]

The circuit will now require RCD protection as socket outlets are being installed, this may or may not be installed alredy and will need checking out beforehand.

'That socket has always been there, I just replaced the socket & backbox with brand new ones.'

 

[bernardgreen]

Take care with your vinyls in the loft in summer. They tend to warp and distort in hot rooms and attics can get very hot in summer.

 

[Paul_C]

The circuit will now require RCD protection as socket outlets are being installed, this may or may not be installed alredy and will need checking out beforehand.

'That socket has always been there, I just replaced the socket & backbox with brand new ones.'

Doesn't matter anyway, since following the current version of BS7671 is not mandatory.

 

[JonnyCD]

The board where the breaker is on already says RCD protected.
So I assume I can just go ahead and install an old 13amp socket?

Thanks for ALL your replies BTW

 

[RF Lighting]

The circuit will now require RCD protection as socket outlets are being installed, this may or may not be installed alredy and will need checking out beforehand.

'That socket has always been there, I just replaced the socket & backbox with brand new ones.'

Doesn't matter anyway, since following the current version of BS7671 is not mandatory.

So what standard do you suggest working to instead?

 

[EFLImpudence]

So I assume I can just go ahead and install an old 13amp socket?

Yes, it's fine.

 

[Paul_C]

So what standard do you suggest working to instead?

BS7671:2001 would do it, for one.