"David Hansen" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 21 Feb 2006 16:17:04 -0000 someone who may be "Sparks"
wrote this:-

There is a 32A breaker marked as Spare with a single 2.5mm wire inserted
(So
it isn't spare then I assume!)

Do you know where this cable goes? Is the MCB on or off?

MCB is on, but I am waiting until everyone goes home before I turn it off
(Although, it would probably be quicker to turn it off and see who shouts!

Now, one part of me says this is wrong, it should be a 20A MCB as it must
be
a radial,

Correct.

but if this were a ring circuit, then I could spur off of it, so
the spur would be protected with a 32A breaker.

Non-fused spurs can only serve a single or double socket, or one
fixed appliance. Incidentally the Wiring Regulations are silent on a
spur serving one fixed appliance and one socket side by side, which
is essentially the same as a double socket. As a result of this the
current that can be drawn down the spur is limited. However, the
30/32A protective device doesn't protect the spur cable properly.
Spurs are a balance of risks, as indeed is any other form of wiring.
If houses were bursting into flames regularly because of problems
with spurs there would no doubt be a change. There was a change many
moons ago, because at one time spurs could feed two single sockets
(which meant somebody might think they were on the ring).

On a radial circuit any number of sockets could be wired up. Thus
the size of the protective must be smaller to protect the cable.

The installation has passed safety inspections, should it have?

That rather depends on what was inspected. If the consumer unit was
inspected then no.

I will find out what was tested then!

Thanks!

Sparks...