hi i bought a outside socket
Any ideas?
Actually that's a Good Thing, because had there only been a single cable entering that socket, then in all probability it would have already been a spur, and you wouldn't be permitted to add a second one! And bear in mind that it's possible you may have just found the first of two spurs (which did used to be permitted), and you ought to rule that out before proceeding further.
Anyway, your options would be to break into the ring main elsewhere (eg under the floorboards below this socket) using a 30A junction box from which you could take a spur to the outside socket, or better, to remove the old metal backbox behind the socket, fit a deeper box which will give you more space for the cables, taking great care not to damage the old cables while doing so. This will probably trash the decor, of course.
David
The fitting instructions for the Clipsal range do say that you need "link cables" to join the outlets (wonder if that technically makes the
2nd outlet a spur from a spur in your case?) but I can't see why you are having problems getting two 2.5mm^2 into them, have you stripped a sufficient length of insulation? You seem to need about 14mm ...
Presumably assuming it's a ring main...?
If there were only single wires in the back of the house socket it could well have been a spur off a ring, and you would not be permitted to add a further spur. Two lots of wires is normal for a socket on a ring.
You should be able to get 3 x 2.5mm into any 13A socket of reputable make; it might help if you change the house socket to one with bigger terminals. Some makes are easier to wire than others.
Owain
Sorry for not being clear (i have a habit of doing that)
It's a ring main, this is what i'm doing
Double Socket (Ring) -> Switched Fcu - > outside socket double
Now i know then everything after the fcu will be able to switch on and off when need to (holiday etc)
The house is all rcd protected so that's not a worry (tt supply)
Lobster had it right it's the outside sockets thats the problem, it's like 2 sockets stuck together. It's told me only strip back a few mm but looks like i need to strip back more. But good thing i'm putting in the fcu as you cannot have spur then spur.
Sorry again if not clear
On 20 Mar 2006 04:42:41 -0800 someone who may be "htmark98" wrote this:-
Why do you want to get two 2.5mm cables into one of the outside sockets? The maximum current drawn by the sockets is limited by the fuse in the connection unit. 1.5mm cable is probably the size of cable to use from the connection unit to the sockets. 1.0mm may be allowable, if it passes the appropriate calculations.
Personally I would have outside sockets on a separate way of the consumer unit. This may even be less work, depending on circumstances.
Unless of course the socket you are looking into is already a spur and the other wire goes of to another spur!! Never assume anything where electricity (and gas) are concerned.
HTH
John
Sorted. Need to take alot more off than i ever done before about 25mm but that's how deep the blocks were.
All works and can be disabled from the switched fsu.
People dont read my posts do they!
The double socket is part of a ring (2 cables only)
socket. Which needed to be linked to the other block next to it. I think i need to take a picture for you.
But it all works fine now.
Thanks
Oh and whats the point of having one socket on a seperate run to the cu? I understand if i'm puting in a few and lights etc. But for 1 soclet really dont see the point.
The point is that outside sockets are far more likely - due to damp, whatever their IP rating - to cause an RCD to trip. You don't want it taking out the whole ring main, do you?!
My outside points are spurred off a ring - using individual RCD-protected FCUs - but the whole ring *isn't* RCD-protected in my case.
On 20 Mar 2006 06:34:32 -0800 someone who may be "htmark98" wrote this:-
An expert is someone who knows how little they know about something.
If there are two cables going into a socket then it may indeed be on the ring. However, there are at least four other possibilities that are worth eliminating before making this assumption:
1) it was wired up incorrectly. 2) it is the first socket on an unfused spur which also serves another socket. Until sometime in the 1970s, perhaps 1970, an unfused spur was allowed to feed two single sockets. 3) it is on a radial circuit, not that this matters in this case. 4) it is on a fused spur. Not that this matters in this case, other than nuisance operation of the fuse.On 20 Mar 2006 06:38:59 -0800 someone who may be "htmark98" wrote this:-
1) it avoids nuisance trips from garden equipment that affect everything else on the ring final circuit. In this case it may not, because of the problem of a whole house RCD. 2) depending on where the consumer unit and outside socket are, together with the cable route, it may be less work to install a separate circuit than install a switched fused connection unit, especially if it is to be flush mounted.
I think you'll find _I_ did understand what you meant, perhaps others aren't familiar with the clipsal fittings, but you didn't make it too clear what you meant, leading others to assume the two wires were in the socket you were spurring from, not spurring to ...
Ok no worries, Sorry not for being clear but i did know it was part of a ring as it was a ring i extended about 2 years ago.
The socket i spured from inc the fcu and then outside was about 400mm of cable. The lengh from my consumer unit to the socket is about
25meters.On another point i made a run for outside electrics over the weekend, and i'm using 6mm for that with it's on CU in the shed. M friend will be helping me do that (sparky) as havent used SWA before so need to do that properly.
If my CU was not all RCD i would have course used a RCD protected socket as i know that i must have a RCD protected socket outside.
And in a couple of years i will upgrade to a split board new consumer unit.
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