Previous owner mayhem

[neodt]

Hi all, really hope you can help. I've recently bought a house that's already had a new kitchen installed. I've started to change a couple of facia plates as old ones were nasty. Upon opening the cooker switch I noticed they have spurred off to a double light switch 100mm away to power the underlights. My guess there was just originally a single light switch, they changed to a double, putting the spurred live in com, and leading out to a fused spur above units for the underlights. The earth is to the back box and neutral joined together to finish the circuit. Is this legal as if not will get someone in to change it. Hope this makes sense. Thanks in advance

 

[neodt]

Sorry, live in common and I forgot to mention live out of L1 to fused spur box

 

[Andy™]

if it doesnt have adequate protection against overload & fault current, then it will not comply

 

[neodt]

I can see where you are coming from. I know it leads to a fused spur before the lights which I believe is adequate in its self. My main concern is two different circuits under a double light switch. I think it as done like that as there is no neutral under the switch. Hence live from cooker switch to com on spare light switch, live from L1 to fused spur, neutral from cooker switch to fused spur and earth from cooker switch to fused spur (5amp fuse)

 

[Andy™]

no issue with 2 circuits in one enclosure, however it would be best wired to the fused spur before the light switch

also, if its wired in 1.5 from the cooker switch to spur, then it may not be adequately protected against fault current

 

[neodt]

no issue with 2 circuits in one enclosure, however it would be best wired to the fused spur before the light switch

also, if its wired in 1.5 from the cooker switch to spur, then it may not be adequately protected against fault current

Just had a check and it's 2.5 up to the fused spur

 

[ProDave]

Okay I'll ask the obvious.

The fused spur you mentioned protercts the under unit lights. As noted that's not right as the cable to the switch is not protected.

BUT what protects the OTHER lighting circuit from the second switch?

It sounds like it was either a DIY bodge, or a kitchen fitter bodge.

 

[Essex1]

So a 2.5mm cable is spurred from a 6mm and at the end of that spur is installed a 13A FCU. Can someone please explain how this cable can be overloaded?

 

[Manator]

So a 2.5mm cable is spurred from a 6mm and at the end of that spur is installed a 13A FCU. Can someone please explain how this cable can be overloaded?

???

 

[Essex1]

???

Think about it. There is overload protection. That cable cannot be overloaded because of the 13A fuse in the FCU. 

 

[poni]

what size is the fuse/breaker for the cooker circuit ?

then we can talk about protection and overloading  

 

[Essex1]

what size is the fuse/breaker for the cooker circuit ?

then we can talk about protection and overloading  

What does that matter?  There is a 13A FCU before any load on the 2.5. 

 

[poni]

where's the 2.5 connected?  

 

[Essex1]

To the cooker circuit. But there is no load between the cooker switch and the FCU. 

 

[poni]

the circuit protection is for the cable not the load

 

[ProDave]

So a 2.5mm cable is spurred from a 6mm and at the end of that spur is installed a 13A FCU. Can someone please explain how this cable can be overloaded?

what about FAULT protection?

And as I noted only one of the light circuits appears to have an FCU.

 

[Essex1]

the circuit protection is for the cable not the load

I get that. How is it possible for this piece of cable to become overloaded?

 

[leesparkykent]

what about FAULT protection?

And as I noted only one of the light circuits appears to have an FCU.

I think the other circuit in the switch is a lighting circuit and nothing to do with the spur from the cooker circuit.

 

[poni]

fault to earth perhaps ?

 

[leesparkykent]

As Essex points out it could well do comply although not the conventional way of doing things Imo (domestic wise any way) but would have to satisfy the requirements of section 434

and 433.3.1