tying off a ring outlet

Nov 10, 2006 15 Replies

Hi again all,



Another quick electrical wiring question. I'm about to change the wiring on my boiler, so that the existing mains power source (which is on my kitchen's ring) is unused and hanging in the breeze. I am putting a blanking plate over where the cable to the boiler came from.



Obviously it's not going to be acceptable to leave the wires just lying there. What is the correct way to isolate the wires so that they are not touching anything, is it ok to use a screw terminal block ?


Yes, as long as it's a 30A one, and it's protected behind the blank face plate so it still remains accessible in future.

It will require different treatment if part of the ring or now an unused spur off it. If a spur, I'd disconnect at source. If the ring itself, use

30 amp connector blocks and insulate well. They must remain accessible via a cover, etc.

Why a 30A one? Surelt it's best to use one that suits the size of the cable???

Thankyou Dave, and Andy.

Looking at it, I'm pretty sure it is a spur (there's only one cable so I guess it's not a ring) but I don't want to remove it as it may be useful in the future. I'll put a connector block on it and wrap it with tape, and stick a blank plate on.

Thanks again.

I assumed it was a spur, hence my comment about using a smaller connector block. 15A would be OK, and will match the wire size better.

I'd forget the tape; it's inside a box that's screwed shut, same as any electrical accessory. It'll probably only go yucky and sticky.

Thanks for that, Bob.

No need to remove it, but you could still disconnect where it's spurred off. Having live circuits going nowhere is bad practice, IMHO.

Because the title said "ring outlet" not "spur outlet"

Which would be 2.5 t+e for a ring, and thereby require 30A block, no? chances are the spur would still be in 2.5 t+e anyway ...

Yes, but 30A is a bit big for a single wire of that size. Better grip with 15A.

On 12 Nov 2006 13:53:34 GMT someone who may be "Bob Eager" wrote this:-

One might think so, if not aware of how to use them.

Why? Provided the connector is used properly the grip should be much the same in either case.

However, if this is a spur disconnecting it at the other end would be advisable. Alternatively, a switched fused connection unit ready for some other gadget could be put on the spur.

Excellent, a personal attack.

Too easy for the wire to be incorrectly placed, to one side.

That's already been discussed and it seemed pointless to rehearse it again. To some extent I agree, although opening up the point where the spur is taken off might be an unnecessary disturbance.

On 12 Nov 2006 14:49:01 GMT someone who may be "Bob Eager" wrote this:-

Nice try, but incorrect. It was a general point, a personal attack would have been... personal, "you don't know how to use one", is an example.

That goes back to being aware of how to use them.

I've always found it curious that a 15 amp connector strip has a hole size approximately the same as a socket terminal, while a 30 amp type is much larger.

In the end this is actually what I did. I removed the cable (which was twin C+E) that was being "switched" completely. The mains supply to the spur is still connected to the switched FCU, with the fuse removed for paranoia's sake.

Thanks for your help, everyone.

Join the Discussion

Have something to add? Share your thoughts — no account required.

Didn't find your answer?

Ask the community — no account required