Smart Socket

[RickH]

I have many lights in house wired back to X10 switched at Consumer unit.
on a power cut some lights default to on … can’t seem to select which so just accept it.

 

[RickH]

That would then be 2 spurs off a spur which is not allowed

 

[RickH]

This is not a spur off a socket

 

[EFLImpudence]

The 'spur' is the cable; not a Fused or non-fused (spur) Connector Unit.

 

[RickH]

So is this definition wrong?

”Spur - An electrical supply using one feed cable to a socket taken off a ring main usually used to achieve an extra socket without having to do too much work.”

In this case there is no ring main. The supply is to a 6A mcb it is not from a socket, only socket will be downstream of the mc.

 

[SUNRAY]

So is this definition wrong?

”Spur - An electrical supply using one feed cable to a socket taken off a ring main usually used to achieve an extra socket without having to do too much work.”

In this case there is no ring main. The supply is to a 6A mcb it is not from a socket, only socket will be downstream of the mc.

As far as the specifics go yes it is wrong but the essence is correct.
You will not be dealing with a ring main, we all know what you mean and understand and the vast majority of us are fairly happy to go along with the term. That should really state "ring final circuit" not "ring main".

An electrical spur can be on any circuit such as a 32A radial, a lighting circuit etc.

A spur does not have to feed a socket, I have a spur off the ring final in my kitchen to a switched fused connexion unit with a small fuse (probably less than 3A) supplying under cupboard lights, without including any socket. EDIT actually I have two of those and I use the switch as the light switch.

A spur is simply something sticking out of something else, for example a side corridor off a main corridor, it may be for hotel rooms, offices, hospital wards etc. Railway lines have spurs also known as branchlines.

So in essence your additional installation is effectively a spur and we would have recommended a fused connexion unit, however your MCB suggestion is no more, or no less ideal for the job. As both devices connect at the same place it's hard to tell which is the spur.

 

[EFLImpudence]

This is not a spur off a socket

Our Electrical Regulations definition:

Spur. A branch from a ring or radial final circuit. Simples.



A lot of people call the FCU a "fused spur" - presumably a wrong abbreviation of, as I intimated, a "fused spur connector unit"

I thought you meant yours was not a spur because you had decide to not use an FCU. Apologies if I was mistaken.

 

[SUNRAY]

Our Electrical Regulations definition:

Spur. A branch from a ring or radial final circuit. Simples.



A lot of people call the FCU a "fused spur" - presumably a wrong abbreviation of, as I intimated, a "fused spur connector unit"

I thought you meant yours was not a spur because you had decide to not use an FCU. Apologies if I was mistaken.

I imagine it may have been more to do with confusion from advice.

 

[RickH]

Thank you Gents

 

[markyd1]

Make sure to label your double socket 6 amp only

 

[JohnW2]

Smart socket is 13A ... I only need it to handle <2A, as the 2 LED strings combined are 40W, even allowing for some conversion loss, still very low current draw.

Yes, a lot less than 2A. 40W at 230V less than 0.2 A.

Reason for the WYLEX enclosure is the capacity for a 2nd MCB if I needed to add another light in the future,

As implied by the above, you wouldn't need a second MCB. You could feed more LEDs than you could possibly want (more than 1,300 W worth of them!) from the one 6A MCB.

I'll use 2.5mm t&e to the box.

... and nor would that be necessary. In fact,1.0 mm² T+E (now allowed by latest amendment to regulations), which can carry about 16A is more than enough for a cable protected by a 6A downstream MCB. In fact, although, as above, you'll never need more than one 6A MCB, 1.0 mm² cable would be OK even with two of them.

Kind Regards, John

 

[RickH]

Thanks for comment, had mentioned 2A in the event I run other lights from the 2 outlet.
i have a coil of 2.5mm so seems sensible to use rather than go by 1.0mm …. Does give me capacity if I ever want increase cct capacity (can’t think of any for now)



I do have a Q on sect.701 zones, will post this under seperate thread.

 

[JohnW2]

Thanks for comment, had mentioned 2A in the event I run other lights from the 2 outlet. i have a coil of 2.5mm so seems sensible to use rather than go by 1.0mm ….

Fair enough.

Does give me capacity if I ever want increase cct capacity (can’t think of any for now)

Sure, assuming that the cable is installed with 'Method C' (i.e. not buried in thermal insulation etc.) 2.5mm² could supply up to 27A, so you could use to to supply MCBs whose total ratings was no greater than that (e.g. four 6A ones OR one 6A and one 20A etc.!)

I do have a Q on sect.701 zones, will post this under seperate thread.

OK. I'll look out for it!

Kind Regards, John