Radial circuit, should branches be avoided

[jase31]

On a new circuit (radial) should branches be avoided?

 

[trev]

Imho, yes

 

[GaryM]

Imho, yes

Personally I can't think of a reason why a branch would impair the safety of the circuit though I wouldn't from a preference view only.

 

[Deleted member 26818]

Are you refering to branches or spurs?
A branch would be where the circuit splits to feed a number of points on each leg, whereas a spur only feeds one point per spur.

 

[i=p/u]

a branch i assume is where one circuit , going in different direction from one point, i.e spotlights 2 rows from one junction box, fault on circuit could make it awkward to find

 

[jase31]

Are you refering to branches or spurs?
A branch would be where the circuit splits to feed a number of points on each leg, whereas a spur only feeds one point per spur.

Branch. Assume 10 socket, connected as below. This would give 1 spur from socket 1, and then two branches, one fed from socket 1, and one from socket 3. This gives 3 end of lines, and 3 cables in socket 1 & 3. If sockets are wired in strict daisychain, then extra cable will be used, is it better to go to this effort, or branch and simplify the installation.

Socket 1 - 2
Socket 1-3-4-5
Socket 3-6-7-8-9-10

Whilst considering wiring methodology, what about wiring as a radial star. This would then end up with 10 end of lines, with the advantage of 1 wire in in socket, and connected to a central junction (wagobox) which would allow individual sockets to be moved to different circuits (i.e load balance, or put in a new feed and move sockets to the new circuit)

i.e Feed to wago box 1, out to sockets 1,2,3,4,5 and feed to second wago
wagobox 2 to 6,7,8,9,10

 

[cornburn]

Why would you avoid branching? Design to suit the installation, whatever's simplest. Less cable = less chance of it getting damaged in the first place so less chance you'd need to be fault finding. Just use common sense, don't want 6 sockets being fed as a star from one socket do we as the terminals obviously aren't meant to screw down to that many cables. Wagos like you say would be a good option, I'd want them to be accessible though for future testing or additions.

 

[jase31]

I havent used a star radial before but thinking about it more the idea is growing on me. As cornborn said, need to be use common sense, but wagos do seem ideal for this. Could make for a neat install some cases, and give future flexibility to easily add an additional circuit feed and move sockets between circuits. Fault finding would be simplified too, with 1 cable between the star and the socket.

 

[Deleted member 26818]

As long as the rating of the protective device is no greater than the current carrying-capacity of the conductors of the circuit, there should be no problem.
Spurs, where the current carrying-capacity of the conductors are less than the rating of the CPD, are acceptable.
However if the length of those conductors is greater than 3m, suitable additional overcurrent protection should be provided for those conductors