Two ring mains in a room

[Humourme]

Hi could someone clarify if it is ok to have 2 ring mains in a room if at the board there’s a house layout detailing which socket is on each circuit? The house has been knocked about a bit with some internal stud walls removed hence the conundrum!
Thanks for any input

 

[Fleeting]

It is fine you can have as many ring final circuits in one room as you want.

 

[Humourme]

It is fine you can have as many ring final circuits in one room as you want.

Thank you, that’s one less thing to worry about

 

[Andy™]

what makes you think it wouldnt be allowed?

 

[SPECIAL LOCATION]

Hi could someone clarify if it is ok to have 2 ring mains in a room if at the board there’s a house layout detailing which socket is on each circuit? The house has been knocked about a bit with some internal stud walls removed hence the conundrum!
Thanks for any input

As has been said there are no electrical dangers by having multiple circuits supplying the same room, in fact it can have advantages such that during a fault you still have some working accessories rather than losing all power to a room!

And, as an additional point often assumed incorrectly, sockets do NOT need to be connected to ring final circuits...

It is perfectly acceptable to use radial circuits to supply sockets, providing appropriate cable sizes and protective devices are used...

As a general rule-of-thumb, it is only normally rooms such as kitchens and/or utility's where more higher power appliances are often connected that ring final circuits tend to be needed in preference over radials..

 

[Murdoch]

I’ve come across rooms with 4 circuits in them

 

[mort2376]

Don't use ring circuits when rewiring now. 20a radials in 2.5 for living/bedrooms and 32a 4mm in kitchens. With appliances on their own radials as required.

Easier to wire and easier to test. I'm surprised the regs haven't got rid of them by now.

 

[Andy™]

Don't use ring circuits when rewiring now. 20a radials in 2.5 for living/bedrooms and 32a 4mm in kitchens. With appliances on their own radials as required.

Easier to wire and easier to test. I'm surprised the regs haven't got rid of them by now.

also far easier to extend in future. no having to only go to one point, or extend the ring or whatever, jsut wire to as many sockets as you want

 

[Murdoch]

Easier to wire and easier to test. I'm surprised the regs haven't got rid of them by now.

I think dual rcd boards should have been removed years ago
And as for RFC - if these were got rid of the cowboy EICR reports would be giving them C2’s

 

[mort2376]

Mcb manufacturers have seen this trend as well hence more making 25a mcb for 2.5 radials.

 

[Humourme]

what makes you think it wouldnt be allowed?

Just from a safety point of view, someone isolating a socket and assuming all others are isolated, and not checking.

 

[Mike P]

Just from a safety point of view, someone isolating a socket and assuming all others are isolated, and not checking.

You’r right. I was caught out once. Never made the mistake again. Never assume, always check!!

 

[binky]

Just from a safety point of view, someone isolating a socket and assuming all others are isolated, and not checking.

Lable the board well! Checking everything with a plug in tester or voltage probes is essential safe working practice. To get to being a retired electrician I learnt a very long time ago to assume nothing

 

[Murdoch]

For the average DIYer the easiest way to check sockets are isolated is to use a plug in lamp and move it from socket to socket to confirm isolation.

Clearly this isn't really an option with a faulty circuit.

 

[Andy™]

Just from a safety point of view, someone isolating a socket and assuming all others are isolated, and not checking.

that's their problem for not following safe isolation. natural selection and all that

 

[SPECIAL LOCATION]

Just from a safety point of view, someone isolating a socket and assuming all others are isolated, and not checking.

From a safety point of view anyone who assumes anything is isolated without checking first is not competent enough to be working with an invisible substance that can kill a healthy adult in less than a second.

It is about as logical as not looking before you cross a road, because the previous road you crossed had no traffic!

The only assumption you can make from a safety point of view, is that everything is still connected and live until you have proved it to be isolated.

Even if there is just one socket circuit, what if the switch / MCB used for isolating is faulty and has not disconnected the source of power? Or if the MCB labels are incorrect and a 32A cooker & 32A socket ring are swapped? Or the wiring has been crossed between two MCBs? Or borrowed neutral issues..?

Although they may sound unusual.. be assured incorrect label identification, faulty switches can and do happen more often than I would like them too, and I have seen a single ring with each end connected onto different MCBs, and conservatory lights with Live feed from the lighting circuit and neutral tapped into the sockets as they was no neutral at the switch they extended from! etc..

Always test and re-check before touching anything that could be live!!

 

[Andy™]

Or borrowed neutral issues..?

one reason why i often checkt he neutral voltage after they've been disconnected. they will show dead when connected, but potentially live once disconnected. especially on lighting circuits

 

[Humourme]

Thank you all very very much for your responses, certainly a lot different to many of the other forums.

 

[Murdoch]

Thank you all very very much for your responses, certainly a lot different to many of the other forums.

What have other forums suggested ?

 

[Humourme]

It’s based on questions I have asked in the past elsewhere, not necessarily electrical, where there’s normally a torrent of abuse or suggestions that not knowing this means you shouldn’t be doing the job. Good example was asking what size nail I should use to secure counter battens on a roof I was fitting to our new double garage…… I didn’t ask how to fit the trusses, gable ladders, board it out, how to set out the tiles, fit the dry ridge system and dry verge system or how to fit soffits, facias and guttering…… because I knew how to do all that from the drawings and a fantastic Marley site guide. Just wanted to know the correct length of nail for the counter battens as it wasn’t detailed….. the flack was unbelievable. So it was nice to ask a question and get lots of replies with constructive and consistent information. As the header says “ the friendliest forum “ thanks again…… just have to see if I can find a like minded plumbers forum now!