If I understand correctly, a ring main is a ring of wire on which sockets (and spurs) are strung? Wire comes from the fuse board via all the sockets and returns to the fuse board? My question is, "why are they used?".
I asked a while ago about installing a cooker point when the fuse board is old. An electrician has now fitted a cooker point and replaced the fuse board with a nice new one. He wasn't happy about the wiring - something about the circuits being radial. I've had a look at the wiring - it's all visible and traceable (well most of it) down in the cellar. The circuits are (from memory):
Double-socket x2 in kitchen area - each on a separate wire Cooker point - including single socket Single (unswitched) socket in living area - on a separate wire but a wire comes from the socket to a juction box that feeds a second single socket in the living area, plus a single socket in the cellar (screwed to a shelf under the gas meter - I initially thought someone had balanced it there) Single switched socket in the living area Light in the cellar Lighting - only one wire but I can't be sure it's lighting because it vanishes into the wall cavity. If so, it powers all the lights both up and down stairs Double-socket in bedroom - can only guess at this but there's only one wire left :)
Each wire/circuit appears to have its own fuse - the old fuse board must have doubled (trebled) up on wires to fuses. There are no return wires.
To my mind it's all positive - much safer (less load per circuit), easier to identify problem devices that are blowing a fuse, and no chance of a blown fuse taking out, for example, the supply for one floor (like you get in modern houses). So why was the electrician unhappy?
Thoughts?