Extra sockets -

Sparky83

Hi all,

Quick question with regards to adding new sockets to a circuit under the new regs,

Am i right in thinking that if you go to a house that has no rcd protection on it you cannot add sockets or enlarge the circuit etc without adding an rcbo to the circuit first to bring it in line with the new regs, obviously i'm talking about when the new regs are in full force.

Reason i ask is a friend of mine has some big fish tanks and he has all the various components on double rcd sockets so if a pump were to go it wouldn't take out the whole tank, so i wanted to know that if he was to want some new sockets added to the circuit would the circuit require require a rcbo at the fuse board to bring it in line with the 17th edition.???

thanks guys

DadofTwo

As I understand it, if you alter a circuit then it needs to comply with the new regs. Therefore, adding a socket into the ring or adding a spur would constitute a change to the circuit and it would therefore need to meet regs. So, assuming the cable isn't buried more than 50mm deep or has nio earthed mechanical protection then yes, an RCBO would be required in order to comply with the regs. Either that or the circuit would have to be move to the RCD protected side of a split load board.

Sparky83

Thanks for the quick reply, thats what i thought would be the case.

Thanks

danzor

thought they were doing away with split load boards?

Shakey

any alterations/additions must comply with the new regs!

so if you were to spur off a ring main and add a new socket (assuming the cable is buried, less than 5cm etc etc)

then the SPUR cable and the SOCKET would have to be on an RCD, it doesnt automatically follow that the rest of the exisiting circuit has to be retrospectively upgraded with an RCD

alternatively: - spur off with a surface mounted cable (in mini trunking for example) and mark the socket 'fish tank only' - then it doesnt need an RCD