Presuming you mean 32A that isn't correct. It is (or at least used to be - haven't read the regs recently) quite acceptable to deliberately fit a smaller MCB on rings where it is known such a load would never be applied.
On Sun, 06 Mar 2005 18:47:42 +0000, Andrew Chesters strung together this:
I certainly wouldn't. If some clueless f****it fried themselves because they didn't know what they were doing and 'assumed' things relating to safety then it would not be anyones problem other than their own.
Why's that then?
On Sun, 06 Mar 2005 19:04:31 +0000, Mark Carver strung together this:
Nope, i't's an 80A 100mA device.
I've got some second hand ones. BS60898 is the replacement for BS
3871.Looking at the picture of your CU the third wire in the existing ring main MCB is not a spur to a socket. It looks like the cooker cable has been moved across so that the new 6mm, (the cable with the white sheath), can be fitted to the now spare MCB.
I would suggest that you call someone in to do all of this as some of your comments here scare me a little and show a lack of understanding.
Cables likely to be taken outdoors, moisture (Perhaps) maybe lots of potted plants in front of sockets... Not all a "regulation" reason, but just an instinct that the risks COULD be higher.
On Sun, 6 Mar 2005 20:36:19 -0000, "Mike" strung together this:
Er, sounds a bit Heath Robinson, like. Think you'd better just observe this thread and try not to partake. Having a rough stab at something that might resemble the correct answer is not a good idea.
If you read the rest of the thread you will find it is not as it seems anyway.
Don't bother. Simply cut the seals and remove the fuse(s). Same with the meter if you need to replace the tails. They'll only be interested if your metered consumption - ie bills - suddenly drop enormously. But write and tell them you've cut them if you're worried.
Possibly. But as I said this was a common approach to wiring in the 70s and could be what the OP has.
So it is, I shouldn't post from memory !
I've found this lot....
Investigating further the 4mm cable seems to feed a fused switch that in turn feeds the garage (detached from the house).
Thank you for your concern, I might well do that. I'm an electronics/comms engineer, not electrical, but I'm well aware of the dangers, hazards, and issues involved, (that why I've asked in here) Thanks for all the responses.
A DIYer can do what they like. However, the extent of the work comes under Part P, which will require a building notice (and hence inspection) to remain legal.
Christian.
In the op's position, I would replace the CU with a larger split load model and add some extra circuits. If it's easy to do so, I would find out what was and wasn't "ring" on the downstairs 32A breaker, and if it looks like a radial circuit has been added to it, move this onto it's own 20A breaker.
Alternatively, depending how much load the OP expects to place on the conservatory circuit, he could use the esisting breaker marked Immersion heater to feed it as a radial rather than a ring, and either;
In reality the actual immersion heater is not connected to anything ! The previous owners 'stole' its feed, and connected that to a shower pump, (100 watts)
Yes, as you say not allowed. Such devices cannot be fed as spurs off of ring circuits AIUI ?
What I could do is move the pump to a ring main spur, and stick a 13A flying lead and plug on the immersion heater (not allowed according to regs), or as you say totally forget the immersion heater. Then I just replace the existing 16A breaker with a 32A and feed the conservatory as a ring circuit off this.
A 3kW load in the conservatory is very likely :-(
The proper answer is no: fixed water heaters should have their own dedicated final circuit; this is a clear requirement of the Regs.
The pragmatic view is that IF you're accumulating tuits to fit a bigger CU, AND you can be SURE the immersion won't be used other than in the case of a boiler breakdown, AND you can be sure no-one else in the household will violate that assumption, AND you'll restore to fully compliant before you sell, you won't in fact be creating anything actively dangerous.
At least, that appears to have been the reasoning of the professional electrician who ran out of ways on the CU in this place after putting in a new ring for the garage conversion - having I assume consulted with the previous owners, the upstairs ring was chosen as the one to sneakily add the only-in-emergency immersion to...
Going back to your actual requirement - one other perfectly reasonable solution is to run your conservatory sockets as a *fused* spur from a nearby point on the ring. 13A should be plenty for the conservatory's requirement - a coupla lamps, boombox, fanheater in exceptional circs. Stick the FCU - switched or unswitched - next to the socket you're teeing off, consider using one which comes with an RCD if the downstairs sockets aren't already RCD'd (wot with conservatories being semi-outdoor), label the FCU neatly, campers of happpiness all round.
Stefek
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