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Electrical
Additional ring main
Anonymous user 3 March 2024 - 3.17 PM
Hi
In my house, both the upstairs and downstairs sockets are on the same ring main. I've added additional sockets upstairs and am not sure if I should add anymore
I need eight additional sockets downstairs
There is room on the consumer unit for a second ring main. Can I wire these additional downstairs sockets on their own ring main?
If so, my plan would be to fit the sockets and lay the cable, which I can do, but get an electrician in to connect it to the unit, which I wouldn't attempt myself
I've asked some people this question but am getting wildly different answers, as it seems everyone wants to give an answer if they know or not. Hence, why I'm here
Thanks in advance
Are you a tradesperson and able to answer this question?
Hope all this wiring is backed up by an RCD ? Because it should be. Design, installation, testing and certification are the things that are missing here. Personally, I would hire an electrician who has all these capabilities, and testing equipment. If you installed it, and installed it wrong & not to BS7671 then you get an electrician in to connect/and test, (if you can find one who does 3rd party testing) if it’s installed wrong what then? As dead tests have to be carried out before energising. Then loop tests and RCD tripping times( if present) if an RCD is not present the sockets should not be installed.
In short yes put in another ring main you'll be splitting the load, but both should be RCD protected, you don't say what edition your board is.All these things need to be correctly worked out and tested by a qualified electrician, by all means do your own work but trying to get an electrician who will do and test 3rd party work may not be easy
It doesn't matter how many sockets you have on your ring main but it does matter what your plugging in to them as the breaker will be 32amp this equates to a maximum of 7680 watts that can be drawn before the breaker blows. If you want 100 sockets to plug in 100 telephone chargers that's fine. If you want 3 single sockets to put 3 kettles on it might just hold. Nobody can pre-empt what your going to plug in and have running at the same time so sit and work it out yourself if you think you'll have more than 7000 watts running at the same time then yes you need an additional ring main. If in doubt get an electrician to do it.
Might not be a problem but if circuit is to long then your resistance values could be To high to protect you under fault conditions. There is also volt drope to be considered. All this can be checked by periodic inspections and testing get it done
