Strange Electrical Outlet in Airing Cupboard

[TheScullster]

Hi all

Can anyone help identify the outlet detailed below please:?

Within the airing cupboard there were two single boxes. One, which I believe was the original immersion feed, had been hijacked, run through a cooker point (to provide a socket for a shower supply, an immersion supply and an alarm panel feed via a separate fuse). This was supplied by 2.5sq mm T & E.

The strange thing is that the second single box (which looked like it had never been disturbed) had an immersion heater type face plate, but only

1.5sq mm T & E feeding it!

Does anyone know what this second socket with the light feed would be for?

For reference the house is 1970s build in East Yorkshire.

TIA

Phil

[Dave Plowman]

Err, I don't know of any shower capable of running off 2.5mm - let alone with an immersion as well. The smallest showers I've seen are 7.2 kW which is about 30 amps. 2.5mm is rated at 24 amps.

Perhaps there used to be twin element immersions with a small second one?

[Set Square]

Is anything connected to it? Could it have been the feed for a central heating system. It is not uncommon to find the wiring for a fully pumped system all brought together in the airing cupboard.

Incidentally, what type of shower is being supplied by your 2.5mm cable? I trust it's only a shower *pump* and not an electrically-heated shower?!

[TheScullster]

Set Square/Dave

Worry not, the previous shower was a mira excel (I think), with gravity supply hot and cold and an internal electric accelerator pump. Now considering fitting a new shower, still gravity hot/cold, but external pump.

Interesting thought the central heating control bit, but I am fairly sure that the original system was fully pumped, with the pump located on the boiler return at ground level. The motorised valve on the hot water side is in the airing cupboard but on the opposite side of the cupboard to this box and wired independently.

Phil

[Andrew Welham]

[troubleinstore]

Can't help with the original post, but back in the 70's when I was working for City Electrical Factors, don't know if they are still about, we used to sell a 3Kw unit called a 'Carosel' can't remember the makers name. This unit could be used with a Shower head in the bathroom or next to a kitchen sink with a short length of chrome pipe as an Instantaneous water heater. I know Mum & Dad asked me to get one for them and fit it on the kitchen sink.

-- troubleinstore

[Peter Parry]

Not sure about the wiring but it was common at that time to have two immersion heaters - the lower one ran at night on cheap rate electricity and provided the bulk of the hot water. The upper one topped up the hot water during the day if necessary.

[Bob Eager]

(mystery outlet like immersion heater one wired with 1.5mm2)

I'd guess it was to feed one of those low power 'tube' heaters that used to be really common at the bottom of airing cupboards. Usually connected with flexible cable, so the flex outlet part would make sense.

[Lurch]

On Mon, 17 May 2004 13:11:59 +0100, in uk.d-i-y "TheScullster" strung together this:

I'll try.

And where is it fed from, is it a spur from the ring?

Nothing strange there.

It's not a light feed, it's a 1.5mm feed, which can in most cases be used as a 16A supply, which is ample for an immersion heater. I've seen quite a few properties of 70s\80s era with immersions wired in

1.5mm cable.

[Dev Null]

I have seen systems where it is possible to plug in the immersion heater to either an "off-peak" supply or the normal "full-rate" where the off-peak is on a time switch.

Perhaps this is the remnants of such a system?

DN