3 radials?

[pluto]

Hi there. Just looking at a job for after my assessment this month but I would like to combine radials to be able to reduce 3 X Wylex fuse boards (dist. boards fed from the main board by 3 x 6mm T&E) into a 10-way dual split CU.

The issue is that each 15A fuse supplies 1 socket only. There is 16 sockets!The fact that there is only 1 socket per radial surely is irrelevant, it`s still a radial and therefore I can only have 1 spur off that circuit per socket. Putting 3 of these short radials into 1 breaker would help me alot but this is contravening the regs, surely?

The guy won`t consider the upheaval of moving furniture to lift boards and extend/combine the circuits.

Any help or thoughts much appreciated

 

[maccarooni]

Pluto

On a radial circuit you can have as many points as you want asd long as you are not exceeding the rating of the cable with your OPD. So if you,ve got 3 seperate sockets fed on 3 seperate circuits and are all fused at 16A, as long as each seperate cable is capable of carring 16A then theres no problem.

Macca

 

[Andy™]

The issue is that each 15A fuse supplies 1 socket only. There is 16 sockets!The fact that there is only 1 socket per radial surely is irrelevant, it`s still a radial and therefore I can only have 1 spur off that circuit per socket. Putting 3 of these short radials into 1 breaker would help me alot but this is contravening the regs, surely?

nothing wrong with putting 3 sockets into one as you describe... why do you think it would be?

 

[PC Electrics]

Combining multiple sockets, each with it's own cable from the CU, is fine providing the cables are rated for the ocpd device you use. How many you put in each ocpd is up to you, but it may help to try and group togehter sockets that are physically close to each other. I would suggest a maximum of 5 cables per ocpd, but there is no hard and fast rule. Don't forget to properly label the CU and maybe list the sockets vs ocpd in the 'comments' section of your EIC.

 

[pluto]

Thanks for the prompt replies. Don`t want to dig myself a hole here but I must be misinterpretting the regs. I was understanding the OSG 8.2.4 to mean that, if I was to connect the first single-socket radial then I can come off that with only 1 non-fused spur (a second single-socket radial). But after reading your replies then would it be sensible for it to be classed as a second FUSED spur (with the breaker being classed as the FCU). In which case these are unlimited?

It would be useful if you could please have a quick read and hopefully understand my confusion...

Thanks in advance, Craig

 

[Andy™]

a radial is different to a ring. usually the MCB is rated less than the cable, so just like your lighting circuit, you can take sockets from anywhere and add to anywhere (only expection is a 4mm 32A radial - you can use a 2.5 to feed one outlet)

 

[batty]

Combining multiple sockets, each with it's own cable from the CU, is fine providing the cables are rated for the ocpd device you use. How many you put in each ocpd is up to you, but it may help to try and group togehter sockets that are physically close to each other. I would suggest a maximum of 5 cables per ocpd, but there is no hard and fast rule. Don't forget to properly label the CU and maybe list the sockets vs ocpd in the 'comments' section of your EIC.

What is OCPD?

 

[Andy™]

over current protective device. AKA MCB / RCBO / fuse

 

[Evans Electric]

Theres a new one to try to remember !!!!! What was it again...... OCTY....

 

[batty]

Theres a new one to try to remember !!!!! What was it again...... OCTY....

Me too I always thought overcurrent was one word thats what confused me but does not take a lot to do that.