FCUs and wiring of spurs

[Lobster]

Following on from last week's query about dehumidifiers in the airing cupboard, my next job is to fit a 13A socket inside said airing cupboard!

Currently in there, there's an old surface-mounted spur emerging from below the floorboards [1] wired into an eye-level switched FCU which connects to the adjacent CH controls. The obvious path-of-least resistance solution would be simply to break into the spur at skirting level and fit a new FCU there, from which would run a new cable to the new adjacent 13A socket. (Spose I should fit some trunking too, shouldn't I!).

I was just wondering though - is there a neater solution available in the form of an FCU with an inbuilt socket? If so that could simply be interposed along the existing spur.

David

[1] Which I know connects to a junction box, but would involve uplifting the landing carpet to access, before anyone suggests that as a better solution!

[Mike Harrison]

You can get double back-boxes that take 2 standard-size frontplates, so you could put a 13a SKT and a FCU in the same box.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

As long as the whole spur is protected by an FCU you can add what you wish.

Not seen an FCU and socket combined - the neatest way if they're close is to use a dual box.

[Lobster]

could put a 13a SKT and

Thanks, yes that would be second best to a combined one... although, PITA that I am I've realised that really I could do with a double 13A socket in there (the TV splitter also lives in the airing cupboard and I'm not going to air publically how it's currently wired :-) and I'll bet there are no back boxes for that configuration!)

David

[Mike Clarke]

How about a 3 gang socket with an integral fuse, e.g. . It should do what you need - if the fuse controls all 3 sockets and not just the extra one. The unused spare socket is bound to come in handy sometime.

[dennis]

Their 4 gang one 60887 is cheaper and is OK. The rear box is central if its a two way and behind the second socket from the right if its a single IIRC.

[Lobster]

On the face of it that *looks* exactly what I was after; but presumably if I wired it as the first of two accessories on a spur (which is what I want), then the integral fuse will only be protecting this socket, and not the second accessory (ie the switched FCU for the CH)?

David

[Ed Sirett]

The first thing you need to do is to work out what circuit the wiring to this cupboard is on.

It could easily be any of the following:

1) 15A radial circuit wired in 1.5 or 2.5 which is supplied from a 15, 16 or 20 A breaker. Possibly intended as but never used as a supply for an immersion heater. 2) On a ring final circuit (most likely the upstairs one), with 2 2.5 cables supplying the FCU. 3) As (2) but wired as a spur with a single 2.5 supply cable.

Trunking is not a requirement for protecting T&E cable in a house. The extra FCU may not be needed at all.

[Lobster]

Yes, it's definitely scenario (3) - that's the (ahem) not-so-accessible jcb I was referring to above.

David

[Mike Clarke]

Yes, The CH would need it's own FCU.

[Ragnar Bartuska]

Weird idea but might fly... you can get mini-consumer units for just 4 MCB spaces. What about taking one of these, fitting a 16 amp MCB and connecting both the CH and the new socket to that? the 16 amp breaker would technically suffice to protect the spur from overloading, I don't know if it's by the rules though.

Ranger