Fused spur socket - what can I do with it?

phoenix_w

Hi all.

In my house there is a fused spur wallplate that doesn't connect to any appliance attached to the landing wall. Apparently it used to power the previous owner's stairlift. The fused spur is supplied from a socket on the ring main ~80 cm away.

Could I change the fused spur plate to a regular plug socket, or would I have to used the fused spur to supply another socket? (I suspect the latter!)

EssexExile

Just change it for a socket. Whatever you plug in will have a fuse in the plug.

retepetsir

You're fine to do the above suggestion!

DevCoder

How do you know the fused spur is not fused at 3 or 5 amp and the radial cable rate for that amperage?

Plugging in a 3KW fan heater to that radial circuit with that cable will cause a fire risk.

Check the fuse in the spur, for a stair lift Id expect it to be 13amp, but better be safe and check first!.

EssexExile

I assumed the spur was wired into the socket wiring not just plugged in. If it is wired in then just replace the fused plate with a socket, the fuse in the plug will replace the fuse in the plate.

If it's just plugged into the socket we call that an extension lead.:)

DevCoder

The fuse in the plug is there to protect the cable to the appliance.
The fuse in the FCU is there to protect the cable to the consumer unit (or in this case the ring if its a spurred radial off a ring circuit).

So the advice still stands, check what the electrician has fused the spur at (as he might well have cabled in 1mm for 3amp which won't take 13amps if you go sticking a heater on it).

With a stair lift, as already mentioned, its probably going to be fine, but always good to make sure and check first.