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Lee
 
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Default Two different rings in the same room

I need to install a separate ring in one room for washing
machine/tumble/fridge/iron etc, but this room already has a couple of
sockets on an existing ring and it would be helpful to keep these.

Are two separate rings in the same room (same phase, obviously)
"allowed" and are there any labelling requirements (apart from in the
CU) to distinguish them?

It would be somewhat impractical to rewire the existing ring...

Lee
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Peter Stockdale
 
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Default Two different rings in the same room


"Lee" wrote in message
...
I need to install a separate ring in one room for washing
machine/tumble/fridge/iron etc, but this room already has a couple of
sockets on an existing ring and it would be helpful to keep these.

Are two separate rings in the same room (same phase, obviously)
"allowed" and are there any labelling requirements (apart from in the
CU) to distinguish them?

It would be somewhat impractical to rewire the existing ring...

Lee
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Can't see why you could not spur of the existing sockets, then you
could still isolate all the power in the room with a single switch/fuse.

Pete


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Christian McArdle
 
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Default Two different rings in the same room

Are two separate rings in the same room (same phase, obviously)
"allowed" and are there any labelling requirements (apart from in the
CU) to distinguish them?


No it's fine. However, I would recommend mainly extending the existing ring
and using the new ring only for heavy fixed appliances, unless the old ring
is already heavily loaded, or already covers a substantial floor area.
However, the final decision will come down to how the individual appliances
are expected to be used. I fully expect to use tumble dryer, washing machine
and dishwasher simultaenously. Indeed, it is the normal case, so didn't want
to allow much diversity on that circuit. The tumble dryer is even capable of
running at 16A on its own, if I can get round to wiring it up safely.

I have three socket circuits in my kitchen. One is a conventional ring final
circuit on a 32A RCBO. Another 32A MCB (no RCD) radial powers only
integrated appliances (w/m, d/w, t/d) and has concealed sockets individually
switched by a grid switch above worktop level. The final circuit is a 16A
MCB radial purely and solely used for the fridge-freezer, again switched
above worktop level, (although by a 13A FCU rather than a DP switch for some
reason known only to myself).

Christian.


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Lee
 
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Default Two different rings in the same room

Christian McArdle wrote:

Are two separate rings in the same room (same phase, obviously)
"allowed" and are there any labelling requirements (apart from in the
CU) to distinguish them?



No it's fine. However, I would recommend mainly extending the existing ring
and using the new ring only for heavy fixed appliances, unless the old ring
is already heavily loaded, or already covers a substantial floor area.
However, the final decision will come down to how the individual appliances
are expected to be used.


Christian.


snip

Thanks.
The main problem is that there is currently no separate ring for the
kitchen and at the moment, for various access reasons, it is impractical
to adapt the existing kitchen wiring into a separate ring. Hence the
normal ring is already quite heavily loaded.
Having an additional ring in the "utility" room, which I have easier
access to wire, and where the washing machine, tumble, freezer etc are
located anyway, will enable me to run these appliances separately and
alleviate the loading problem.

Putting these on switch controlled sockets or FCUs off a new ring or
radial sounds like a good compromise.

Lee
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Christian McArdle
 
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Default Two different rings in the same room

Having an additional ring in the "utility" room, which I have easier
access to wire, and where the washing machine, tumble, freezer etc are
located anyway, will enable me to run these appliances separately and
alleviate the loading problem.


Got you. I assumed that the new ring was for the kitchen, not a utility
room. It makes perfect sense to have a separate ring or radial for a utility
room.

The existing sockets in the room can either be left, or removed. I prefer to
remove sockets in these circumstances for 2 reasons. Firstly, they are
rarely in the right place or at an ideal height. Secondly, it reduces the
chance of confusion when power is cut to one circuit and not another. I have
done this in my kitchen by crimping off a couple of sockets on the existing
ring and installing the 3 new socket circuits in there.

I wouldn't install RCD protection on the utility room ring, especially if
you aren't running an extra circuit for the freezer. If the room is the
closest to the garden door, then you will need to install an RCD socket in
the box closest to the door, or an outside socket so protected positioned
such that it is unlikely that anyone would use a utility room socket for
portable outdoor appliances (which means lawnmowers and hedge trimmers).

Christian.




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Lee
 
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Default Two different rings in the same room

The existing sockets in the room can either be left, or removed. I prefer to
remove sockets in these circumstances for 2 reasons. Firstly, they are
rarely in the right place or at an ideal height. Secondly, it reduces the
chance of confusion when power is cut to one circuit and not another.


In this case the existing sockets are in a useful position, hence the
desire to keep them and the concern about them being live if the other
sockets are turned off.
I'll do something with neon equipped switches or FCUs on the new
circuit, to limit any confusion

Lee
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Lee
 
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Default Two different rings in the same room

Lee wrote:
In this case the existing sockets are in a useful position, hence the
desire to keep them and the concern about them being live if the other
sockets are turned off.
I'll do something with neon equipped switches or FCUs on the new
circuit, to limit any confusion

Lee


Thinking about it, it would obviously be easier if I just crimped off
the cables to the existing sockets and wired them into the new ring.

I should have thought of that to start with!

Lee

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