Running two appliances from a fused connection unit

rachelandgromit

I've just moved in my house and want to wall mount my tv and dvd player. There is an aerial socket and a switched fuse connection unit next to one another where a wall mounted tv was before. Two questions, why would there be a switched fuse instead of a plug socket (I am probably being really thick here, surely it is easier just to plug the tv into a socket rather than a fcu). Also, what is the best way of mounting the TV and DVD player as there is no double socket....

Thanks,

Rachel

asbokid

rachelandgromit wrote: »

I've just moved in my house and want to wall mount my tv and dvd player. There is an aerial socket and a switched fuse connection unit next to one another where a wall mounted tv was before. Two questions, why would there be a switched fuse instead of a plug socket (I am probably being really thick here, surely it is easier just to plug the tv into a socket rather than a fcu). Also, what is the best way of mounting the TV and DVD player as there is no double socket....

no doubt an electrician will be along shortly with the definitive answer..

perhaps the original electrician who fitted the fused spur outlet thought it looked a bit tidier than a 13A socket with the TV plugged into it?

The fused outlet will probably be wired as a "spur" with cabling run from a socket on a ring main using 1.5mm core. Since only one appliance can be powered from the fused spur outlet, there is no risk of exceeding the maximum load of the spur. That's not very likely any way since the modern large flat screen TVs draws a typical current of <3A.

you've got several options to run two appliances, the TV and the DVD....

if the socket on the ring main that feeds the fused spur is a double socket then you can lawfully replace the spur outlet with a double 13A socket. that would involve chasing out some wall for the larger double back box.

If the feeding socket on the ring main is just a single, then by law the spurred socket must be a single, too.

but... if you replace the single feeding socket on the ring main with a double socket, then you can lawfully change the spurred outlet to be a double socket as well.

or.. you could replace the fused spur outlet with a new double socket and then add it in to the ring main. this would involve chasing out the wall for new cabling for the ring main extension. a costly, messy job.

hope you enjoy your new home and get the tv sorted in time for the wedding of the century! :T

[Deleted User]

Hi,

has the house, or did it have, electric central heating?

I would think that there may have been a storage heater wired to it, on a timed circuit.

Are there similar switches around the house?

Alias_Omega

Probably due to space, a socket with a 13a plug into it sticks out a fair bit, but the flex terminated into the spur sits flush on the wall.

You could terminate a 2-way small extension lead into the spur, hiding the socket behind the tv. With the 13amp fuse from the plug in the spur.

Alias

[Deleted User]

Hi,

in my earlier post I suggested that it may be an old electric storage heater switch on a timed circuit.

So may only be live from 11/12 night until 7/8 morning, that's fine, if that's when you watch telly.

I remember someone moving into a new house, and using old storage heater switch in the kitchen to run fridge, and wondered why things in the fridge were 'funny' by bed time.

ormus

if it is a FCU on a spur, youre only supposed to use one appliance on it.
(but you will be ok with small power devices on a two gang socket). just dont plug two electric fires in to it!

muckybutt

asbokid wrote: »

no doubt an electrician will be along shortly with the definitive answer..

The fused outlet will probably be wired as a "spur" with cabling run from a socket on a ring main using 1.5mm core. Since only one appliance can be powered from the fused spur outlet, there is no risk of exceeding the maximum load of the spur. That's not very likely any way since the modern large flat screen TVs draws a typical current of <3A.

1.5mm ???? the wiring should be the same conductor size as the existing installation ie 2.5mm

phill99

muckybutt wrote: »

1.5mm ???? the wiring should be the same conductor size as the existing installation ie 2.5mm

Well spotted, Sir!

Its quite concerning that asbokid starts by saying that an electrician will give a definitive answer, but then proceeds to give chapter and verse from a point of ignorance. Its true what they say "a little knowledge is a dangerous thing!!"

asbokid

phill99 wrote: »

Well spotted, Sir!

Its quite concerning that asbokid starts by saying that an electrician will give a definitive answer, but then proceeds to give chapter and verse from a point of ignorance. Its true what they say "a little knowledge is a dangerous thing!!"

yawn yawn!

"If it is part of a ring with 2.5mm cable and this is the first spur from that ring then you should use the same size cable unless you go through a Fused connection unit (correctly rated) in which case you can use 1.5mm." Appendix 15 of BS7671 (17th edition)

there's a simple diagram if that will help you!!

will-he-payitoff

asbokid wrote: »

yawn yawn!

"If it is part of a ring with 2.5mm cable and this is the first spur from that ring then you should use the same size cable unless you go through a Fused connection unit (correctly rated) in which case you can use 1.5mm." Appendix 15 of BS7671 (17th edition)

there's a simple diagram if that will help you!!

Thats still wrong, the 1.5mm can be on the load side of the FCU but not on the feed side unless the circuit has a suitable sized circuit breaker

iveco_man

change the fused outlet to a socket job done .