Hi, im doing a job to convert a dining room extension into a kitchen. There is a kitchen/diner ring existing which i will be extending and raising some sockets on etc. Straight forward enough but my dilemma is getting 30Ma rcd protection on the circuit. The C/U is currently a 3036 wylex board which is situated in the downstairs loo under the stairs. It is in a small cupboard with the meter etc but there is no room to install a mini C/U to connect the existing ring to. Above the room that will be the kitchen, is a pitched roof loft area so the cables run up here. Im guessing that putting a mini C/U up here is classed as unacessable under part M! The customer doesnt really want a consumer unit mounted in the kitchen as it will be all new so any ideas would be great. Thankyou.
RCD PROTECTION OPTIONS
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Not even enough room to stuff one of these on the ends of the ring main?
Wylex Fully Insulated RCD Shower Consumer Unit | Screwfix.com
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That's just what I've done before, an RCD in a small enclosure just to add RCD protection to one existing circuit.
Needs much less room than a complete mini CU
You have the fuse protection, that remains as it is, or you could replace with a plug in MCB for the old wylex boxes. You are just adding an RCD.
That's just what I've done before, an RCD in a small enclosure just to add RCD protection to one existing circuit.
Needs much less room than a complete mini CU
You have the fuse protection, that remains as it is, or you could replace with a plug in MCB for the old wylex boxes. You are just adding an RCD.
Nice, its just the location of it, absolutely no room by the cu so would it be accptable for me to put this a couple of feet from the ceiling so that the back of the cupboard can be cut round it? Obviously i would have to bring both legs of the ring into the feed side of the rcd effectively making it interlinked. Is this bad practice or am i crying over spilt milk again?
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You could always turn it into a "lollipop" circuit. Both legs of the ring to the RCD output, then a single 6mm radial from the RCD input to the fusebox.
But then, technically, your bit of 6mm is a new circuit, so would need RCD protection. Bit of a problem, unless it's surface mounted.
That's why right next to the CU avoids that issue.
Ok thanks for the help and advice guys, will have to drill out the side of the cupboard in the loo for the rcd as i will have to amend the existing kitchen wiring at a later date, so killing two birds with one stone, thanks again.
FFS they are willing to spend several grand for a new kitchen and extension but won't spend <
I know Noz, i have tried but their not interested. A case of diyers doing it on the cheap. Guy in his mid 60s, ' I dont mind doing the donkey work if thats easier', 'er no its ok thanks!' The extension is existing and the guy is pretty handy to be fair but i dont even let anyone else pull in my cables. And fairplay to him for wanting it part peed, but i have to take what i can at the mo!
Is he going to be telling you how to do it aswell? 
Probably, im dreading it a bit to be honest, lovely old boy, but too helpful if ya know what i mean! Bless him, he has been smashing away at the chases for a couple of days before asking me if i had a machine that could do itROTFWL. I told him to ut the kettle on and leave it to me.
ut the kettle on and leave it to me.
PC Electrics
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If you are proposing to leave the rfc with 3036 ocpd, then you should carefully inspect the cables to make sure they are all 2.5/1.5 and that there is no 2.5/1.0 as this would not comply on a 3036.
Or, just put in a plug-in 60898 anyway (it was already there, wasn't it??)
Or, just put in a plug-in 60898 anyway (it was already there, wasn't it??)
There was a big article in a trade magazine not too long ago about "lollipop" circuits, and while they said that they were "non standard" circuits, they did say that there was nothing wrong with them so long as the join was accessible and that it was properly tested and documented.
