Spur off a spur

[cjm68]

Hi All,

Quick question.........

I had a new socket installed in my kitchen recently.

There was already a socket in the kitchen (a spur from the garage, with a double socket on), and the electrician took a spur from this spur and put another double socket on.

When I queried this I was told that, strictly speaking, this was not compliant but since I wasn't going to be running any super-heavy appliances then it would be OK.

Of course, I am not particularly happy with this.

I am not going to ask the guy to return, but I want an FCU placed in to make the work compliant.

My question is.....if I am putting a 13Amp FCU in, does it sit before the first (original) spur (so that the total limit for both sockets is 13Amp) or between the original spur and the new spur (just to limit the new spur to 13Amp)?

Many thanks for any help..............

 

[motorbiking]

You need the FCU to be on the first spur as it protects the whole cable run. Pretty poor of your sparky to do this, particularly in a kitchen where its notifiable. Did he give you an installation certificate for the work?

 

[cjm68]

Many thanks for your speedy reply....

No - should I have gotten a certificate? I didn't get one...........

 

[motorbiking]

Yes otherwise you might as well have done the work yourself. Assuming you paid him a fee and it wasn't a favour from a mate you should have got an EIC outlining the modification. Of course no self respecting sparking is going to certificate a non compliant install.

See https://www.niceic.com/find-a-contr...are-the-different-types-of-electrical-certifi

 

[cjm68]

Thanks for that - yes, I did pay him so I will chase him up. Many thanks for your help, much appreciated.............

 

[motorbiking]

There are lots of knowledgeable people on here, so it would be interesting to see what others add.

 

[cjm68]

Just spoken to the electrician - he says he will be sending a certificate through in the post. I guess that is something, although I still seem a little unsure spurring off a spur! Thanks again for your advice, much appreciated.

 

[motorbiking]

It will be interesting to see how he describes it. I had electricians remove a FCU and replace it with a light switch in my house, so nothing surprises me. When I asked how the 1mm lighting cable would cope with 32A - it was changed.

A lot of sparkies seems to hire unqualified people and then check their work. Fine if they have a good understanding of what they have done, but often stuff gets missed.

 

[JohnD]

kitchens are very prone to having dishwashers, microwaves, toasters, ovens and kettles in them. With luck they will not be running for long, but two or more heating at the same time will blow the fuse.

"In the post," eh.

When the kitchen is next redecorated, or before you tile it, is a good time to run a row of sockets all round the room, about 150mm above the worktop, either on your ring or a new kitchen radial. It's economical on labour because you can chase and replaster in one long line and only need to come down at the ends. Kitchens need lots of sockets and other outlets.

 

[winston1]

When the kitchen is next redecorated, or before you tile it, is a good time to run a row of sockets all round the room, about 150mm above the worktop, either on your ring or a new kitchen radial. It's economical on labour because you can chase and replaster in one long line and only need to come down at the ends. Kitchens need lots of sockets and other outlets.

Not high enough. They need to be at least 250mm above the worktop so they are above kettles, toasters etc, not behind them.

 

[JohnD]

so the steam and hot air can get at the plug, you mean?

 

[securespark]

The only hot air here is coming out of winston.

Where do you get the 250mm distance from?

 

[winston1]

Where do you get the 250mm distance from?

Did you not read my post?

at least 250mm above the worktop so they are above kettles, toasters etc, not behind them.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I read it.

Where do you get the 250mm distance from?

 

[winston1]

I read it.

Where do you get the 250mm distance from?

FGS.

READ:

at least 250mm above the worktop so they are above kettles, toasters etc, not behind them.

AGAIN:

so they are above kettles, toasters etc, not behind them.

AND AGAIN:

so they are above kettles, toasters etc, not behind them.