Euro Electrics

[Cynical Git]

Loads of them in Europe, used them in Germany and Sweden in the past couple of weeks, Sweden had them ten years ago or more.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

There's a lot more to cable ratings than just the point they melt. Surely that's been explained enough?

[Dave Plowman (News)]

They fall out for a start. ;-)

[Dave Plowman (News)]

So that would be 9 lighting MCBs to add to the other 40 or so I'd need in my viewing room. It would all have to be surface wiring since I doubt it would be possible to conceal that lot without a deal of structural alteration. And for what?

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Some London black cabs.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

You're assuming several things. That the 'ring' is broken at the CU to make it into a radial. And that all the other connections are well made. Because in practice shoddy wiring normally consists of poorly made connections at sockets etc, and these are where the excess heat will occur, while the main part of the cable - even under the worst bunched or covered condition remains ok. I've come across this scenario often enough

- which is why accessories have to be in a flame proof box.

They'll still 'work' if just the earth was broken.

Bollocks. You can invent as many possibilities as you like but in practice poor workmanship and poor testing will account for 99% of cases.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

And just what do you suppose Part P is 'supposed' to be about?

[tony sayer]

They do exist in the UK its just that severe competition between cab firms doesn't allow them to spend too much on such devices.

Whereas its cheaper to read out details over the radio!!!!.....

[Martin Angove]

It's the rifts in the space-time continuum you want to worry about. Crumbs, Nuclear power is all very well, but I didn't like the look of that thing in Cardiff bay last Saturday. I was stood on that exact same spot only last Wednesday!

Hwyl!

M.

[dennis]

I thought you meant the signals were rubbish.

They work OK if you tie the cable so they don't fall out and don't buy gold plugs unless you have gold sockets (there isn't a worse combination of metals for electrics than tin/lead with gold is there?).

[dennis]

Have they fixed the cracks in the pavement and the windows yet?

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Bad practice, IIRC.

They're the most common by far, though.

You should be using flex with a plug.

[dennis]

Its about stopping IEE members doing electrics isn't it?

[dennis]

Flex connects to plug tops not plugs.

[Christian McArdle]

It's actually about banning single person companies so they get more income tax take, as they think that all single person companies are run by tax dodging crooks pushing through half their work in cash.

Christian.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Plug is short for plug top. A plug fits in a socket. Two plugs trying to mate was once illegal.

[johnty]

'Kin'ell. They're onto us!

[John Rumm]

Er, no it connects to both since they are the same thing...

The terminology you are perhaps searching for is "socket".

[bigcat]

Noone said any such thing or drew any such conclusion. If you cant even discuss the difrence between the 3 cable ratings without jumping to all sorts of idiotic imagined conclusions youre a moron. Not often i call people that, but you are. Welcome back IMM.

NT

[John Rumm]

You can run the whole ring in insulation if you wish. You need to derate the current capacity to 21A (for 2.5mm^2) however. See Table 6F OSG.

You don't overrate, you design for their correct rating and include any derating required for local factors (i.e. material the cable is burried in, ambient temperature, grouping factors etc). This process includes taking into account the typical useage and anticipated loadings of the circuit.

If you design as has been described then you are following best practice. If a cable then fries then that would suggest faulty cable for which the manufacturer would ultimately be responsible.

Much the same thing. The IEE wiring regs are no longer "recommendations" either, they have the force of law since they are called up in the building regs.

Neither would I. I would make sure there are two runs of cable rated at at least 20A. They call it a ring final circuit. You should read up on the concept - very well thought out.

Once installed then you test it correctly - low ohms, insulation resistance, polarity and correct connectivity at each accessory, plus RCD test if applicable. If you want to ensure that it remains safe, carry out a periodic inspection. This will give you much greater real safety than fitting a 20A MCB and hoping for the best.