Spur Or Fused Spur; That Is The Question?

[KMH]

My 1960s property (recently acquired) has one main ring with a deficit of sockets for the modern world or electronic equipment. I have hung extension leads out of every socket but have noticed trunking which hides the fact that some of the sockets are spurs off of the ring without any additional fuse...

'Anyone know if this is acceptable or legal? I thought that you needed a fuse on a spur (as indeed an extension lead has a 13A fuse in either it or in its plug)?

I am thinking that I might effectively reconnect the ECO7 sockets to the "all day" meter and used timers to control the input time as this will gain me a number of sockets in each room; anyone want to put me off doing this? 

Regards...

 

[Essex1]

If the cable spurred from the ring final circuit is a 2.5mm then rule of thumb is as long as only 1 socket is connected to that cable it does not need to be fused down.  There are other considerations depending on the installation method that may affect this however.

 

[KMH]

Interesting; does one socket mean just that; a single socket,  or is a double socket a single when it is a 2 gang pair? I also note that old cable has been re-used ( grey sheathed painted over and obviously from somewhere else in or out of the house and then used on the spur) in the trunking; even the paint is a different shade! :Blushing

 

[Essex1]

A two gang socket is fine.

 

[Doc Hudson]

The question of rings and or fused spurs and or radials cannot be accurately answered without knowing the value of the fuses protecting the circuit(s) and the size of the cable conductors used. A lot of people assume sockets are always and must always be on a ring circuit. This is not correct. It is not uncommon to find houses with either larger gauge cables or smaller rating fuses supplying radial socket circuits. In which case you may well find a lost of branches and spurs off the circuit. If it is a true ring then a single accessory can be spured directly from the ring. If you want more than one accessory branching from a single point then this would typically use a fused spur to protect that leg of the cable.

With regard to the old eco7 wiring, The cables used for each single storage heater position may not be large enough for direct connection onto a 30 or 32amp socket circuit. Often smaller gauge cable was used if only supplying say a 2kw rated heater. Typical max load less than 10amps. If you do want to reinstate these for use then I would get the cables correctly tested first, continuity of all conductors and the condition of the insulation and ensure they are supplied by an appropriately rated fuse. Do not just join them to your ring without first verifying the cable integrity and correct fusing.

Doc H.

 

[KMH]

Thanks Doc H...  My intention was to maintain the ECO7 spurs as just that (a spur) to the socket that they would supply rather than attempt to make a ring or join them into the existing single main.

With regard to the old eco7 wiring, The cables used for each single storage heater position may not be large enough for direct connection onto a 30 or 32amp socket circuit. Often smaller gauge cable was used if only supplying say a 2kw rated heater. Typical max load less than 10amps. If you do want to reinstate these for use then I would get the cables correctly tested first, continuity of all conductors and the condition of the insulation and ensure they are supplied by an appropriately rated fuse. Do not just join them to your ring without first verifying the cable integrity and correct fusing.

Doc H.

Thanks for this observation Doc. H... I was intending to use the ECO7 spurs as just that - a spur - and not joined into the existing main ring; this partially in the hope that it might maintain a supply cleaner of electronic hash...

 

[NozSpark]

Also bear in mind that ALL socket outlets (with certain exceptions) will require RCD protection. A lot of older E7 CU's don't provide this.

TBH it sounds like you might benefit from having additional sockets installed,,, or dare I say it even a rewire.....

 

[KMH]

Also bear in mind that ALL socket outlets (with certain exceptions) will require RCD protection. A lot of older E7 CU's don't provide this.

Good Point!

Fortunately there is a nice new consumer unit (vintage 2014) with a goodly supply of spare trips... It probably will end up as a rewire once I decide where all of the halogen down-lighters will be installed (and once I have replaced the supplied halogen bulbs with LEDs!!!!!!).