Ask an Electrician anything...

[AW10]

What is the highest load that you want to run from that outlet in the airing cupboard?

How is your central heating powered? Via a fused spur from the ring main, possibly located near the boiler?

How are the immersion heaters wired? Each with their own dedicated 16A breaker in the fuse panel? How often are they used?

[Somebody]

AW10 said:

What is the highest load that you want to run from that outlet in the airing cupboard?

How is your central heating powered? Via a fused spur from the ring main, possibly located near the boiler?

How are the immersion heaters wired? Each with their own dedicated 16A breaker in the fuse panel? How often are they used?

Very light. I only want to provide 9V DC to power some temperature sensors.

CH powered via a fuse spur near the controller in the kitchen.

One gang switches with neon power indicator. 2 dedicated 16A breaker in the fuse panel. Only used when the boiler is out of action so we can still have hot water in the tank.

Thanks

[AW10]

In that case what I would do is install an outlet from a fused spur fitted with a 1A fuse and clearly mark the fused spur and outlet as being protected by a 1A fuse. The 1A fuse will ensure no-one plugs a hoover in and overloads the CH system wiring. Make reasonably sure a leak from the CH system can’t drip onto anything you’ve added. And make it reversible should you move house.

I did something similar in a previous house when I wanted an outlet in the loft to power a laptop monitoring a PV solar inverter.

[Regbuser]

RacingPete said:

Regbuser said:

Does the plug for the lights contain a low voltage power supply?

Not that it seems, just this to the first light, and it’s 3A fuse in the plug.

Is the outside lighting circuit protected by an RCD?

[RacingPete]

Regbuser said:

RacingPete said:

Regbuser said:

Does the plug for the lights contain a low voltage power supply?

Not that it seems, just this to the first light, and it’s 3A fuse in the plug.

Is the outside lighting circuit protected by an RCD?

Yes, on same circuit as ground floor lighting that is RCD protected.

[Regbuser]

RacingPete said:

Yes, on same circuit as ground floor lighting that is RCD protected.

Hmm, I wouldn't recommend what you're proposing, because you're extending the external lighting circuit with components that are not rated for fixed or permanent installation, hence the 3A BS1363 plug.

Things to consider would be reviewing potential energy in the extended circuit vs energy rating and disconnection time of the protective device. This is because you'd be bypassing the 3A fuse and hooking up the lights to say, a 6 or 10A type B RCBO.

Also, review suitability of the festoon lights for extended use in adverse environmental conditions, and whether vulnerable persons can in anyway come into contact with the lighting circuit.

But, plenty of people do just string their twinkly lights up !

[RacingPete]

Regbuser said:

RacingPete said:

Yes, on same circuit as ground floor lighting that is RCD protected.

Hmm, I wouldn't recommend what you're proposing, because you're extending the external lighting circuit with components that are not rated for fixed or permanent installation, hence the 3A BS1363 plug.

Things to consider would be reviewing potential energy in the extended circuit vs energy rating and disconnection time of the protective device. This is because you'd be bypassing the 3A fuse and hooking up the lights to say, a 6 or 10A type B RCBO.

Also, review suitability of the festoon lights for extended use in adverse environmental conditions, and whether vulnerable persons can in anyway come into contact with the lighting circuit.

But, plenty of people do just string their twinkly lights up !

Ok, thanks… will bite the bullet and get external socket installed for outside. In completely unrelated news, anyone know a good electrician in the Berkshire/Reading area to install an outside plug

[Somebody]

AW10 said:

In that case what I would do is install an outlet from a fused spur fitted with a 1A fuse and clearly mark the fused spur and outlet as being protected by a 1A fuse. The 1A fuse will ensure no-one plugs a hoover in and overloads the CH system wiring. Make reasonably sure a leak from the CH system can’t drip onto anything you’ve added. And make it reversible should you move house.

I did something similar in a previous house when I wanted an outlet in the loft to power a laptop monitoring a PV solar inverter.

Many thanks

[PaulV]

Can I ask for a sanity check on a quote received to wire up a new build annexe / log cabin (8x7)?

Rural North West Hampshire.

1 Double bedroom 3.5x3, 1 single bedroom/office 1.8x2.5, bathroom 3x2.5, kitchen - living area 5x5, entrance lobby (3x1.5)

40amp supply to new board from existing building feed (Bungalow).

All in £8k + VAT

This is for LED strip lights, Quinetic switches & receivers, surface mount sockets & trunking.

Seems rather more than we were expecting.

Example
Lobby area
1 No. LED strip light light,
1 No. Quinetic switch & receiver),
1 No. Double socket.
For The Sum Of £ 670.00

Thanks

[PhilboSE]

I am adding a shaver socket into a bathroom. I know I can connect to a ring main via an FCU with a 3A fuse, or direct to a lighting circuit.

Either is equally easy. But is one method regarded as “better” than the other?

[Teddy Lop]

PaulV said:

Can I ask for a sanity check on a quote received to wire up a new build annexe / log cabin (8x7)?

Rural North West Hampshire.

1 Double bedroom 3.5x3, 1 single bedroom/office 1.8x2.5, bathroom 3x2.5, kitchen - living area 5x5, entrance lobby (3x1.5)

40amp supply to new board from existing building feed (Bungalow).

All in £8k + VAT

This is for LED strip lights, Quinetic switches & receivers, surface mount sockets & trunking.

Seems rather more than we were expecting.

Example
Lobby area
1 No. LED strip light light,
1 No. Quinetic switch & receiver),
1 No. Double socket.
For The Sum Of £ 670.00

Thanks

Yes I'd get another quote!

I'd commute down from north London and do it for less than that..

PhilboSE said:

I am adding a shaver socket into a bathroom. I know I can connect to a ring main via an FCU with a 3A fuse, or direct to a lighting circuit.

Either is equally easy. But is one method regarded as “better” than the other?

Not really.

I'd pick the lighting circuit option as it's typical.

[Bazsm]

Any idea on the cost to move our main consumer unit from the garage into our downstairs utility room, it’s basically just moving it to the other side of the wall it sits on atm, so drill a hole, thread the big cable through and connect up!

It sounds very easy to me

[Somebody]

How often should a electrical safety check be carried out on house wiring and what is a typical cost for say a townhouse?

[silentbrown]

Bazsm said:

Any idea on the cost to move our main consumer unit from the garage into our downstairs utility room, it’s basically just moving it to the other side of the wall it sits on atm, so drill a hole, thread the big cable through and connect up!

It sounds very easy to me

"the big cable".

Have you forgotten that all the 'little cables' will need re-routing too?

[Bazsm]

silentbrown said:

"the big cable". Have you forgotten that all the 'little cables' will need re-routing too?

That’ll be 2 holes then

[spikeyhead]

Bazsm said:

silentbrown said:

"the big cable". Have you forgotten that all the 'little cables' will need re-routing too?

That’ll be 2 holes then

If you use a 14ib sledge hammer you'd only need one hole

[Regbuser]

Surely the hole is already there, just the box and wires need relocating.

[AW10]

As it’s a wall between the house and the garage odds are high it’s a block wall. All the cables will need rerouting; if you’re lucky there’s enough slack. There are almost certainly regs to be followed for penetrations of a wall that’s a fire barrier.

[dhutch]

I would also ask, why?

[dundarach]

Where can I find a simple module to convert 12v DC to 5v DC that's small and simple to use which doesn't create much heat?

Ideally two wires in and out and 1cm2