ADVICE - Is rewire needed on 2 bedroom property ???

[telectrix]

3/4doubles, each loaded to 16A on a 2.5mm radial. free clothes dryer.

 

[Dave 85]

Personally I'd prolly have Hob, Down Ring, Up ring, Immersion heater (if you have one), Up lts and Down lts. I think If you're gonna run a 2.5 to every socket anyway you might as well chuck the last leg in to make it a ring for the time it takes.
If you do use a twin RCD board instead of RCBO then you want Up sockets on the same RCD as downstairs lights and vice versa. This way if you plug summat in upstairs which trips the RCD then the lights are still on.
Another thing I do is have a non RCD lighting circuit in the mains cupboard, if there is one, so thats always gonna stay on.
Dunno why anyone would use 1.5 t&e for a lighting circuit pulling about 1 amp. Use 1mm its cheaper, easier to terminate and easier to pull in.

 

[bilabonic]

Personally I'd prolly have Hob, Down Ring, Up ring, Immersion heater (if you have one), Up lts and Down lts. I think If you're gonna run a 2.5 to every socket anyway you might as well chuck the last leg in to make it a ring for the time it takes.
If you do use a twin RCD board instead of RCBO then you want Up sockets on the same RCD as downstairs lights and vice versa. This way if you plug summat in upstairs which trips the RCD then the lights are still on.
Another thing I do is have a non RCD lighting circuit in the mains cupboard, if there is one, so thats always gonna stay on.
Dunno why anyone would use 1.5 t&e for a lighting circuit pulling about 1 amp. Use 1mm its cheaper, easier to terminate and easier to pull in.

This is what i thought BUT in the link earlier it states that all cables sunk in walls need to be RCD protected ?

So that would be EVERY circuit for me uunless i used metal earthed trunking ??

I see new builds with split boards with no rcd ??

How do you manage to put socket in utility cupboard on non RCD and conform ?

 

[Dave 85]

This is what i thought BUT in the link earlier it states that all cables sunk in walls need to be RCD protected ?

So that would be EVERY circuit for me uunless i used metal earthed trunking ??

I see new builds with split boards with no rcd ??

How do you manage to put socket in utility cupboard on non RCD and conform ?

Up until 2009 RCD protection was only required on sockets, thats the only explanation I can see for new builds with 16th boards (half RCD half not)? Unless you mean no RCD at all in a split board which means the contactor was a total cowboy, couldn't get the RCD to hold so just removed it. I've seen it done, 17th board with 2 main switches and no RCD.

You're right about cables sunk in walls, but in the fuseboard cupboard my non RCD light would be either surface clipped or in minitrunking (we dont use earthed metal trunking in 2 bed houses these days) it is, after all, probably only a meter or two from the supply to the switch.

 

[nickblake]

Its funny that not much mention of Rubber cable , if your install is rubber , it need rewiring simple as no point changing the consumer unit , any exposed bit of rubber ie light fittings switches , consumer unit the insulation is probably perished and the cabling installed may well be in a poor condition , the problem with rubber it can deteriorate very quickly so i would recomend a rewire

 

[Amp David]

This is what confuses me ?

How do i know if somebody is not going to plug in an electric fire ??

The cooker is integral and only 2Kw so can that just go on the ring circuit ?

I am being swayed to fitting all RCBO's due to the number of circuits.

Made a phone call and got a qualified spark coming out, last time i looked at my 17th Regs book was when studying for apprenticeship 15 years.....:icon9:

Are you sure ::

1.5mm is 37 +VAT and 2.5mm is 43 +VAT, 100 M

 

[Octopus]

This is what confuses me ?

How do i know if somebody is not going to plug in an electric fire ??

The cooker is integral and only 2Kw so can that just go on the ring circuit ?

I am being swayed to fitting all RCBO's due to the number of circuits.

Made a phone call and got a qualified spark coming out, last time i looked at my 17th Regs book was when studying for apprenticeship 15 years.....:icon9:

I've been doing some reading today to get me upto date - would you like to borrow my regs book?

 

[Jay Sparks]

I've been doing some reading today to get me upto date - would you like to borrow my regs book?



View attachment 10887

Ha Ha Ha. Keep giving the rope!!! :hanged:

 

[Dave 85]

Its funny that not much mention of Rubber cable , if your install is rubber , it need rewiring simple as no point changing the consumer unit , any exposed bit of rubber ie light fittings switches , consumer unit the insulation is probably perished and the cabling installed may well be in a poor condition , the problem with rubber it can deteriorate very quickly so i would recomend a rewire

Yeah I was gonna say, but forgot. If its rubber (black sheath usually) then for the love of god just re-wire the place

 

[lauriehurman]

I'm sure you're going to fit modern mains powered fire detection as well while you do the rewire.
You'll probably run them from the light circuit but they need to be interlinked (so that they all go off together). This is a good reason for NOT RCDing the light circuit (although with battery backup it is allowed).

Just to clarify; socket outlets need to be RCD protected, concealed cables in walls need to be either; RCD protected - or - mechanically protected from nails and screws.

Hope that helps.
Laurie

 

[rich.250]

And circuits in a bath/shower room
Need to be Rcd'd too.

 

[bilabonic]

I was going to put smoke detectors on their own rcbo. Do i need 3 core cable ??

 

[mogga]

what you need to do is ask these questions of the electrician your getting to do the job If it was me Id just ask mark wall where you want sockets lights switches ect then LEAVE him to get on with it theres nothing worse than an "Electrician" watching you working From what your asking and saying you have either not worked in the trade for a few years or are an industrial electrician
Probably better to let him get the kit as he will have prices bettter than you can get By the sounds you have an understanding BUT get someone experienced in domestic

 

[bilabonic]

Will do, have wired many houses back in the day....When i had a chat with him he stated that all lighting circuits should now be connected via a RCBO, to comply with the latest amendment in the wiring reg's.


So a basic dual RCD split way C/U really is'nt upto scratch !!
He has just started a rewire on a 4 bedroom house and the board thats going in there is a single RCD split way - with 6 RCBO's on the main incoming side and 4 ring circuits on the RCD sideThis then fully complies

 

[Octopus]

Will do, have wired many houses back in the day....When i had a chat with him he stated that all lighting circuits should now be connected via a RCBO, to comply with the latest amendment in the wiring reg's.


So a basic dual RCD split way C/U really is'nt upto scratch !!
He has just started a rewire on a 4 bedroom house and the board thats going in there is a single RCD split way - with 6 RCBO's on the main incoming side and 4 ring circuits on the RCD sideThis then fully complies

Well, I have to disagree with him. A dual RCD board will comply with the regs as long as the circuits are "arranged" in a suitable manner.

Maybe you should get another one in.

 

[malcolmsanford]

So if that single RCD trips there will not be a power point in the house left working, I bet his clients will love all those clocks/timers they will be resetting.

What are the 6 RCBO's be supplying ?

 

[PC Electrics]

This week I've been wiring up an extensive stables. I've used a 10 way flexible high integrity board from Wylex. I'd normally prefer to use Hager (especially as they do 25A mcbs for those 2.5mm radials), but the Wylex is more compact. I've configured it as a 3+3+4. Wylex also do a fixed 2+4+4 but it's only a pint cheaper. These boards would probably suit your house perfectly:

C6A RCBO, down lights & smokes
RCD1:
20A radial to down sockets
C6 to up lights
32A 6mm for cooker
RCD2:
20A radial for up sockets
20A radial for kitchen sockets

This leaves you with a spare unprotected way and at least one spare on each RCD. It also meets the recommendation of BS5839 not to have smokes on same RCD as sockets. But don't forget to take the feed for the smokes back to the board so they can be isolated seperately to the lights (at the RCBO in this case).

Don't forget main protective bonding.
No need for any supplementary bonding.

You mention about plugging in 3kW heaters, but surely you'll be installing gfch?

 

[malcolmsanford]

Nice split PC but for 6 circuits RCBOs would be better, especially in your own home.

I always tried to convince a client that spending a little more would and have each circuit separate would be the way to go. But if cost was the bottom line then your configuration is spot on

 

[PC Electrics]

In a commercial or industrial environment RCBOs every time. But for domestic? Hmm, the inconvenience caused by having a couple of circuits out isn't costing production downtime and so not so critical. Also what's the risk? Just how often do domestic installs suffer from RCD tripping? Usually faulty appliances, so minor inconvenience.

Mainly depends on the depth of the clients pockets.

 

[lauriehurman]

I was going to put smoke detectors on their own rcbo. Do i need 3 core cable ??

Yes, 3 core for the interlink but ...
I am not an "expert" and don't want to be Mr know-it-all but; if you're running a separate way for the detectors then why RCD it? The danger is that it trips and you don't notice (and so loose your fire protection).

RCD is required for all LV circuits in the bathroom. So if you 12v the lights then you can run the smoke/heat detectors (with battery backup) from the light circuit without RCD.

That's my understanding (I may be wrong).
Laurie