socket with unswitched neon indicator

[very_pointy_ears]

Hi,

I'm fitting a new split load consumer unit and one of the things I'm doing is putting a new ring in the kitchen to separate it from the sockets in the rest of the house.

I want to put the fridge and freezer onto their own feeds so that our food doesn't go off if something trips the RCD while we're away. However, if someone in the future works on the electrics, they might assume that turning off the kitchen sockets would turn these off too.

Therefore, I have been trying to find a double socket with a neon indicator that stays on all of the time there's power to the back of the socket, even if the switches are in the off position. Alternatively, an unswitched socket with an indicator neon.

Does anyone know whether such a beast exists?

Cheers,
Kingsley.

 

[kai]

The correct method is to put a labelled unswitched fuse-connection unit with neon indicator above the (unswitched fridge socket) so that the neon is always visible up above the fridge freezer, (telling you the supply is on), The circuit runs first to the U-FCU, and then onto the unswitched socket behind the fridge/freezer etc. Feed both circuits off a B16 breaker each.

 

[very_pointy_ears]

Wow, thanks for the quick response!

Currently, the fridge and freezer are about 10 feet apart (with a doorway between them) but we may put them both together in future so I would want to make the socket by the fridge a double one just in case. As you're recommending a B16 breaker, I presume it's acceptable to feed this with 2.5mm T+E (cable distance about 10 metres from the consumer unit).

Would you feed two separate feeds back to the consumer unit and give each one their own 16A RCBO (on the non-RCD side of the unit, obviously), or would you do it as a mini ring in its own right and thus only take up one space in the consumer unit?

I've got a 17 way unit and currently only have plans for 13 circuits so I do have room to put in a couple of separate RCBOs if necessary.

Cheers,
Kingsley.

 

[Lectrician]

A neon indicator on 24/7 is not going to last......how long before it starts to flicker and fail?

There is no 'correct way' to do this other than adequate labelling of the CU - A 'Circuit Schedule' as required by BS7671.

 

[very_pointy_ears]

I don't know how long neons last to be honest - I had assumed that they were things that lasted years and years. I guess that's not the case then

Incidentally at the weekend I discovered that the previous owner's ring main extension that's feeding 3 double sockets (which includes the kettle and microwave), the washing machine, the dishwasher, some lights and until last year was feeding a single fan oven was actually connected into a spur cable, not onto the ring proper. Jeepers ...

Cheers,
Kingsley.

 

[mdbalson]

A neon indicator on 24/7 is not going to last......how long before it starts to flicker and fail?

What about the neons on extenstion leads they are on all the time, if it is an extenstion lead which is left on all the time.

 

[Lectrician]

A neon indicator on 24/7 is not going to last......how long before it starts to flicker and fail?

What about the neons on extenstion leads they are on all the time, if it is an extenstion lead which is left on all the time.

Yes, and it will eventually start to flicker and fail!

 

[very_pointy_ears]

what sort of time span is typical for neons left on 24/7 to start to fail? Are we talking maybe 2 years or is it more like 15 years?

That said, I suppose the wiring is likely to be in place for longer than that so best not rely on it as the method of alert (I was going to label the CU anyway - silly not to).

I guess in this instance a failed neon is more dangerous than no neon.

Cheers,
Kingsley.

 

[Cremeegg]

We have a FCU with neon for the cooker. As the cooker clock serves as our main kitchen clock it stays on all the time. After ten years on 24/7 power cuts excepted it's getting slightly dimmer but still well lit.