New ring main

[PoorFish]

Greetings folks

I was wondering if you could give me a little advice.

when rewireing a 3 story / 3 bedroomed property what would you suggest would be the best way to split up the circuits.

Kitchen is downstairs with the main living room.

2nd floor has two beds and bathroom

top floor has a bedroom

would it be right to say that

a) kitchen 32a ring

B) cooker circuit

c) kitchen lights and main living room lights

d) bathroom lights and bedrooms lights

e) house ring

Its late so I wont elaborate any more

thanks all

P

 

[SPECIAL LOCATION]

I would probably just do em floor by floor..

And split across two RCD's shown RED & BLUE

Down stairs sockets (kitchen & lounge) 32A ring

Down stairs lights 6A

First floor sockets 20A radial

First floor lights 6A

Top floor sockets 20A radial

Top floor lights 6A

Cooker 32A

Smoke detectors 6A non RCD

Shower anywhere?????

 

[Lurch]

Easiest to look at the easiest way of getting the circuits in then work back from there, if there's a bit too much on a circuit the way it would be easiest to wire it split it up a bit, so for instance if you decided it would be easiest to wire a downstairs ring main but that includes kitchen, utility and garage then make it 2 rings rather than 1.

I've noticed a lot of people referring to up and down ring mains. I tend to do it front and back purely because it's easier and uses less cable and doesn't involve running 2 ring mains round the same rooms.

In an average 3 bed 2 storey rewire I'd normally have the rings split as roughly ;

Ring 1: Bed 1+2, hall and lounge

Ring 2 Bed 3, dining and kitchen

Or something similar.

In the scenario posed in this thread though, I'd probably do as is mentioned above by SL.

 

[PoorFish]

Many thanks lads

I had originally thought about splitting them a bit like this but then I thought i was making a bit complicated seeing that it was quite a small house.

Thanks for advice and will be taking it on board.

Im currently still training so obviously have loads to learn and many tips to find out.

Thanks again

P

 

[kme]

NB regarding trailer boy`s post.

The "smokies", although not on RCD, would need RCBo IF the cabling wasn`t surface, or if the install was TT

KME

 

[Apache]

NB regarding trailer boy`s post. The "smokies", although not on RCD, would need RCBo IF the cabling wasn`t surface, or if the install was TT

KME

KME thought was ok if the wiring was in the ceiling, only needs RCD/RCBO if buried in WALLS <50mm?

 

[SPECIAL LOCATION]

NB regarding trailer boy`s post. The "smokies", although not on RCD, would need RCBo IF the cabling wasn`t surface, or if the install was TT

KME

Quite right my good man...

I was waiting for someone to spot my deliberate mistake!Blushing]

I meant to say NOT on RCD's with other circuits! RCBO, RCD FCU or similar..

:coat :coat

 

[SPECIAL LOCATION]

KME thought was ok if the wiring was in the ceiling, only needs RCD/RCBO if buried in WALLS <50mm?

True...

But getting between the floors.. likely to be buried!

 

[PoorFish]

Couple more questions...

do smoke alarms have to be on there own circuit?

if someone has done a rewire recently should it have been done to 17th regs - namely all circuits protected by RCDs???

if so when would the cut of point for using an old board have been?

Cheers

 

[Lurch]

if someone has done a rewire recently should it have been done to 17th regs - namely all circuits protected by RCDs???

The 17th edition doesn't say that all circuits should be protected by an RCD.

 

[PoorFish]

Why do new Cu's have dual RCD protection?

 

[Lurch]

Why do new Cu's have dual RCD protection?

New CU's don't have dual RCD's, some CU's have dual RCD's, and these are the type most used.

In most scenarios to comply with the 17th edition a domestic installation will require all circuits to be covered with an RCD. Putting everything on one RCD is not recommended and using 10 RCBO's on every job is expensive so the most cost effective way of complying with the 17th edition on most domestic installations is to use a dual RCD board.

 

[mercurystar999]

Smokes are better off on the lighting circuit as then they can't be disconnected.

 

[Evans Electric]

P Feeney I'd only have put two rings in that 3 story house . I don't care what anyone says , bedroom rings take minimal current . Two lighting cts also if the top floor is just one bedroom .

 

[PoorFish]

Top floor is only one bedroom .

i can see the benefits of both but shall let the home owner decide.

By the way this is a mate who has just bought a house and has decided to do everthing himself including the ol electrics......but its ok as he read a book the other night so he should be OK!!!!!!! (His words not mine)

Still slightly confused about all circuits having/not having to be protected by RCD's.

 

[Apache]

Still slightly confused about all circuits having/not having to be protected by RCD's.

Basically (this is my amateur understanding) in a normal domestic house (can you have a non-domestic house?) everything wants to be on an RCD. Just spread things out over two (or more) so if one trips then you still have some light, sockets working etc.

There's always RCBO's if you fancy?

 

[PoorFish]

originally posted by LurchThe 17th edition doesn't say that all circuits should be protected by an RCD

Cheers Apache I understand what you are saying .

Just wondered what Lurch meant .

Do you mean for example smokes on there own circuit which could therefore be protected by a RCBO?

 

[Lurch]

No, I mean if you fancied wiring your house in galv tube or MICC you could get rid of some of the RCD protection.

Read the first few pages of the OSG, it says what should and shouldn;t be protected in there IIRC.