My new boiler arrived today (feelings of happiness mixed with feelings ofemptiness in the wallet department).As I was studying the wall that is to be its new home and making sure myoriginal designs would be accurate I realised I'd missed an area whenhatching my master plan.I'm currently rewiring this house one room at a time.In the kitchen I plan on having the only non RCD protected socket in theproperty (for the freezer so if the RCD trips whilst on holiday the contentswon't spoil).Questions:Should the boiler be RCD protected or not (any pro's and con's?)If the boiler shouldn't be RCD protected then is it okay to have it on thesame spur as the Freezer?If the boiler can be on the same spur as the freezer then will I need toconvert that spur into a ring?If the boiler should be on its own circuit, what rating MCB should generallybe fitted?Thanks for any answers, as ever, it's all appreciated.Seri

On Wed, 19 May 2004 10:21:45 GMT, in uk.d-i-y "Seri" strung together this:No, the only socketsittings that need RCD protection are ones thatare likely to supply portable equipment used outdoors. It has the samepros and cons as the freezer, you don't lose heating or hat water ifthe RCD trips.Yes.No, you can run two radials from one MCB. A 16A MCB with 2.5mm cablesis ample.If it was on it's own circuit, then I would fit anything from a 3A MCBupwards, and appropriate cabling to suit.

To RCD protect or not to RCD protect (a hopefully simple question)?

May 19, 2004 46 Replies

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Martin Angove 22 years ago

Now you've confused me >:-/

My problem was with "Z" who was apparently saying that whereas you'd normally use 2.5mm cable on a 16A circuit, if it were Pirelli cable then

1.5mm is sufficient. TBH 1.5mm T&E should be ok for 20A under method 1 whatever the manufacturer.

I threw MICS in because I am aware (Table 4J1A) that it has a somewhat higher current-carrying capacity than 70C PVC T&E and wondered if he had been confused. I might go so far as to allow 90C cables a higher capacity (more tables)... but there are plenty of manufacturers other than Pirelli producing those :-)

Isn't LSF cable rated exactly the same as PVC of similar construction? Never used your Flame Shielded stuff, though I have seen it, but I can't find it in the regs either. Does it come under MICS?

Hwyl!

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BigWallop 22 years ago

You're actually better treating the cables as being the same as PVC T&E Martin. For safety sake on the circuits you're designing anyway, it's best to use the tables for the plain T&E cables.

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Z 22 years ago

In article , Martin Angove writes

What does that mean?

In the trade Pirelli refers to cable of a fire retardant nature such as FP200/gold, Fire-tuf, fire-tec and their ilk.

Mineral Insulated (MICC) you mean?

No, I'm not confused.

Yes but generically it is referred to a Pirelli whether Pirelli, AEI, Delta or anyone else makes it.

Yes, if you are referring to it's only having an insulant with low smoke and fume properties with nothing else different. I avoid PVC/PVC cable if at all possible particularly that T&E Brits seem so keen on.

What is flame shielded? Pirelli you mean? :-)

? My regulations are in the vehicle. Pirelli.co.uk/fp has datasheets on FP200 Gold and FP Plus

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geoff 22 years ago

In message , Z writes

It means he's welsh and, for some reason, wants to advertise the fact

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Andy Hall 22 years ago

Fun or merriment according to my dictionary

.andy

To email, substitute .nospam with .gl

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Martin Angove 22 years ago

Welsh, please - note the initial capital :-) Cymro Cymraeg hefyd.

It's a sign-off I've been using for years and one of these days I'll probably get bored with it and find another one, but it'll do for now.

As well as Andy's explanation of "fun or merriment" (but much more than that) it is also a contraction of "hwyl fawr" which is the Welsh equivalent of "goodbye", i.e. akin to "'bye".

If my Welshness offends you, please feel free to ignore me. It's a trick the English have been using with the Welsh for some centuries and which we are only now escaping from.

Actually, half my ancestors aren't actually Welsh at all, though they are at least Celts - the Angoves (an Gof, the Smith) are Cornishmen. Except for the South Africans, Canadians, Americans and wine-making Australians ;-)

Hwyl!

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geoff 22 years ago

In message , Martin Angove writes

Sorry, I don't tend to do capitals, in the same way I don't often use full stops at the end of an email

Not in the least, being a borders man

Can we still shoot you within the confines of hereford cathedral on a sunday ?

I reserve the right to take the piss

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