Electrician has fitted new sockets - certificate needed?

weekendwarrior

p4u1 wrote:

Just to add my pennies worth.

I was taught, 20 years ago now, that the total number of spurs should not exceed half the number of outlets on a ring circuit. The point being, a ring circuit with lots a spurs is fast on the way to becoming a radial circuit.

Regarding spurs taken from spurs, this a big no. It's not so much a loading issue, lets face it, a double socket can draw 26A which I believe could overload 2.5mm T/E in certain circumstances. It's more a case of standardisation. Remove the face plate of a socket, 1 cable makes it a spur, 2 makes it a ring and 3 makes it a ring with spur taken from it. Now consider a spur with a spur taken from it. Two cables makes it a ring, so in theory we could take a spur from it. We could now have 3 double sockets taken from a single spur.

IMHO the purpose of the regs as are 2 fold, a) safety, b) standardisation.

I can see some of the logic behind this but if I remove a socket and it has two cables I do a continuity test to ensure it is a ring main and not a radial or a spur taken from a spur. You never know who has done the wiring and it could be a complete shambles!

Foggy

Thanks to all.

Well the reputable firm didn't turn up tonight, no phone call etc etc.
Its the simple things that matter eh...sigh

Anyway I've read all your helpful posts and will ring local authority tomorrow.

flang

I was always told at college that 2 sockets of a spur was acceptable.

---lee---

flang wrote:

I was always told at college that 2 sockets of a spur was acceptable.

It's common from the 'old days' to find a socket fed as a spur to the main ring which then goes on to feed a spur itself.

It’s not permissible to install sockets like this under current regs.