Electric cable

Leethomomo156 · Dec 15, 2024

Can I spur off a socket but instead of digging out the wall for the cable to go can I drill a hole put the cable outside and run it around the wall outside and back into the house?

Fleeting · Dec 15, 2024

Assuming this is T&E the cable would require protection from solar damage and possible mechanical damage. Does the circuit have 30ma RCD protection?

Leethomomo156 · Dec 15, 2024

Fleeting said:
Assuming this is T&E the cable would require protection from solar damage and possible mechanical damage. Does the circuit have 30ma RCD protection?

Yes it is T&E oh that's great thankyou yes the circuit has got that

Murdoch · Dec 15, 2024

Standard twin and Earth cable is not suitable for installation outside

Leethomomo156 · Dec 15, 2024

Is that even with conduit?

Murdoch · Dec 15, 2024

Leethomomo156 said:
Is that even with conduit?

Mechanical protection certainly helps protect from damage by ainmaks / humans and the weather etc

Leethomomo156 · Dec 15, 2024

Murdoch said:
Mechanical protection certainly helps protect from damage by ainmaks / humans and the weather etc

Oh great I'll be using conduit it just doesn't make sense to chase the walls out when they have just been plastered

SPECIAL LOCATION · Dec 15, 2024

Is the circuit a ring or radial?
If a ring, have you confirmed that the existing socket it part of the ring and not already a spur?

binky · Dec 15, 2024

A bit unusual, but certainly an option.

Leethomomo156 · Dec 15, 2024

SPECIAL LOCATION said:
Is the circuit a ring or radial?
If a ring, have you confirmed that the existing socket it part of the ring and not already a spur?

I honestly have no idea all as I know is there's cables going into the socket?

Leethomomo156 · Dec 15, 2024

binky said:
A bit unusual, but certainly an option.

It's just a thought if it couldn't be done I'd have to do the other alternative which would be to dig out the plaster is it mandatory to use conduit if you put cable into the wall and plaster over?

SPECIAL LOCATION · Dec 15, 2024

Leethomomo156 said:
I honestly have no idea all as I know is there's cables going into the socket?

You cannot safely just add additional sockets onto an existing circuit without knowing what type of circuit it is....

If its a radial there are less dangers as it should already be correctly protected.

But if it is a ring, you a only permitted to spur off to one an additional socket outlet, unless it has additional overload protection in the spurred branch.

i.e. if you existing socket is a radial or directly connected onto a ring, there should be no problems with your proposed addition...

BUT if you existing socket is already spurred off a ring, it is not safe to simply just add another socket onto it, without the risk of overloading some of the existing wiring.

Leethomomo156 · Dec 15, 2024

SPECIAL LOCATION said:
You cannot safely just add additional sockets onto an existing circuit without knowing what type of circuit it is....

If its a radial there are less dangers as it should already be correctly protected.

But if it is a ring, you a only permitted to spur off to one an additional socket outlet, unless it has additional overload protection in the spurred branch.

i.e. if you existing socket is a radial or directly connected onto a ring, there should be no problems with your proposed addition...

BUT if you existing socket is already spurred off a ring, it is not safe to simply just add another socket onto it, without the risk of overloading some of the existing wiring.

That makes sense to be fair how would I be able to find this out?

Leethomomo156 · Dec 15, 2024

Leethomomo156 said:
That makes sense to be fair how would I be able to find this out?

There's 2 cables going into the socket i want to spur off if that helps

UNG · Dec 16, 2024

If you have an MFT to hand you could do some tests to prove it is ok

SPECIAL LOCATION · Dec 16, 2024

Leethomomo156 said:
There's 2 cables going into the socket i want to spur off if that helps

With the power off you need to confirm continuity between the two Lives, the two Neutrals and the two Earths..

If they all have good continuity then its a ring and you should be ok to spur of it to your extra socket.

Leethomomo156 · Dec 16, 2024

Perfect thanks for your help

Leethomomo156 · Dec 16, 2024

SPECIAL LOCATION said:
With the power off you need to confirm continuity between the two Lives, the two Neutrals and the two Earths..

If they all have good continuity then its a ring and you should be ok to spur of it to your extra socket.

If i buy a RCD plug socket tester will that do the trick to check continuity?

Fleeting · Dec 16, 2024

Leethomomo156 said:
If i buy a RCD plug socket tester will that do the trick to check continuity?

No.

SPECIAL LOCATION · Dec 16, 2024

Leethomomo156 said:
If i buy a RCD plug socket tester will that do the trick to check continuity?

A plug in socket testers cannot prove ring continuity..
You need a low ohms continuity tester to the measure the electrical resistance between a pair of conductors where you have split the ring open.

Electric cable

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