Adding a socket - spur or ring?

[JoeJoe]

I need an additional double socket in the kitchen. The socket will supply a microwave (900w I think) and a deep freezer (about chest high, not sure about rating).

The easiest solution in term of damage to the decor is to run a spur from a nearby unused single socket that is on a very lightly loaded ring. Alternatively I can add the socket to the same ring by extending/crimping the cables feeding another socket of the above ring. This however will result in quite a lot of damage to the decor that I would rather avoid...

Any reason why not to use the first solution?

[ARW]

Sounds fine as long as the CU is correctly labelled.

[Roger Mills]

I'm not sure what the official party line is in this. You can certainly run a spur with a single socket with no problem. By using a double you could - in theory overload the spur cable if you were to plug a 3kW heater into each socket, for example.

In reality, taking diversity - and your intended usage - into account, I don't see a problem.

Being in a kitchen, you may also be in Part P territory - which most of us choose to ignore in cases like this!

[ARW]

The socket will melt long before the 2.5T&E. The official party line is here (fig 15A).

Hopefully dennis will not be let out of his straight jacket to reply to this thread.

[JoeJoe]

Thanks guys - just what I was hoping to hear!

[John Rumm]

We are assuming here that the single socket is actually on the ring itself, and not already a spur. If it were, then you would ideally need to replace it with a fused spur, and connect the existing socket (if required) and the new one via the FCU.

Regarding adding a new socket as part of a ring, there is no reason why it has to entail any more destruction that doing a spur. You can return both cables from your new position to the socket currently on the ring, and then join them such that the new socket becomes part of the ring rather than a spur:

[The Natural Philosopher]

+1 for this. If you crimp the cable ends together, its leagal reliable and better than a spur.

[Alexander Lamaison]

Aren't crimps only for stranded cable? Can't find a decent link now but I know a lot of sparks get very wound up if you tell them you're going to crimp some 2.5mm T&E. Even with a ratchet crimper.

Alex

[ARW]

No.

[Alexander Lamaison]

Based on?

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Knowledge.

[ARW]

The fact that no such rule exists.

[charles]

2.5mm comes in stranded as well as solid core.

[tony sayer]

Indeed.. as long as you use a good quality ratchet crimper like this one...

and not those "two bits of pressed metal ones riveted together" that never got the right pressure for a decent crimp closure....

[ARW]

NASA disagrees:-)

Page 23 of this

And they have killed more astronauts than I have killed customers due to dodgy wiring.

If there was some reg prohibiting the crimping of solid core cable then I am sure that an electrician somewhere in the UK must know about this.

[The Natural Philosopher]

and crimps are very much the thing for solid core..

[The Natural Philosopher]

It is the preferred method.

[Trevor Smith]

Are these the same red, blue or yellow crimp terminals you can get at places like Halfords because i thought they were for car electrics.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Not all of these are the same. Not specifically Halfords, but I've seen plenty inferior ones, made out of thinner metal. So I only buy mine from a reputable electrical wholesaler.

BTW, I never use these on cars. I use the correct terminals with the correct crimp tool.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

In TW&E?