Spur for boiler needed - Via junction box or socket?
 

I am to install central heating in my house and need a single socket
for the boiler to be close to it.

Can anyone advise which is the better option -

1) To take a spur from an existing socket on a ring to this additional
socket or

2) To take a spur from a junction box intercepting the ring main. I
understand from this that I need to remove the sheathing on the cable
and strip away some casing to leave about 1/2" of the neutral and live
exposed and connect this without cutting the 2 wires. The only wire
that needs to be cut in 2 is the earth wire and then linked to the
spur.

I think the junction box would be the easier option as I could take a
feed from the cable in the ceiling as the socket is needed half way up
a wall. The socket spur would involve a wire going down from an
existing socket into the cellar, along then up the wall.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated and many thanks in advance.

In article . com,
wrote:
I am to install central heating in my house and need a single socket
for the boiler to be close to it.

The normal way is to use an FCU to feed the CH electrics. And it's
probably better to run the feed to this direct off the CU on the none RCD
side.

--
*Time is the best teacher; unfortunately it kills all its students.

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

In article . com,
writes:
I am to install central heating in my house and need a single socket
for the boiler to be close to it.

Can anyone advise which is the better option -

1) To take a spur from an existing socket on a ring to this additional
socket or

2) To take a spur from a junction box intercepting the ring main. I
understand from this that I need to remove the sheathing on the cable
and strip away some casing to leave about 1/2" of the neutral and live
exposed and connect this without cutting the 2 wires. The only wire
that needs to be cut in 2 is the earth wire and then linked to the
spur.

There's no requirement to avoid cutting any of the 3 wires.
(Having said that, I do try to avoid cutting conductors that
are to be connected anyway, but it's not worth jumping through
hoops to do it.)

I think the junction box would be the easier option as I could take a
feed from the cable in the ceiling as the socket is needed half way up
a wall. The socket spur would involve a wire going down from an
existing socket into the cellar, along then up the wall.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated and many thanks in advance.

Do whichever is easiest.
Incidently, if you fit a socket for the boiler, it should be
an unswitched socket. Alternatively, install a switched fused
connection unit (which will be double pole switching).

--
Andrew Gabriel

In message ,
(Andrew Gabriel) wrote:


Incidently, if you fit a socket for the boiler, it should be
an unswitched socket. Alternatively, install a switched fused
connection unit (which will be double pole switching).


Presumably then a DP switched socket would be just as good?

Hwyl!

M.

--
Martin Angove: http://www.tridwr.demon.co.uk/
Two free issues: http://www.livtech.co.uk/ Living With Technology
.... On the other hand..you have five different fingers

In article ,
Martin Angove writes:
In message ,
(Andrew Gabriel) wrote:


Incidently, if you fit a socket for the boiler, it should be
an unswitched socket. Alternatively, install a switched fused
connection unit (which will be double pole switching).

Presumably then a DP switched socket would be just as good?

In theory yes. In practice no, as the CORGI installer
probably won't understand why the rule is there, nor
be able to tell if the socket is DP switched.

--
Andrew Gabriel

In message ,
(Andrew Gabriel) wrote:

In article ,
Martin Angove writes:
In message ,
(Andrew Gabriel) wrote:


Incidently, if you fit a socket for the boiler, it should be
an unswitched socket. Alternatively, install a switched fused
connection unit (which will be double pole switching).

Presumably then a DP switched socket would be just as good?

In theory yes. In practice no, as the CORGI installer
probably won't understand why the rule is there, nor
be able to tell if the socket is DP switched.


Ooh good. I'm looking forward to that argument then :-)

Hwyl!

M.

--
Martin Angove: http://www.tridwr.demon.co.uk/
Two free issues: http://www.livtech.co.uk/ Living With Technology
.... If there's one thing I can't stand, it's intolerance.

"Martin Angove" wrote in message
...
In message ,
(Andrew Gabriel) wrote:

In article ,
Martin Angove writes:
In message ,
(Andrew Gabriel) wrote:


Incidently, if you fit a socket for the boiler, it should be
an unswitched socket. Alternatively, install a switched fused
connection unit (which will be double pole switching).

Presumably then a DP switched socket would be just as good?

In theory yes. In practice no, as the CORGI installer
probably won't understand why the rule is there, nor
be able to tell if the socket is DP switched.


Ooh good. I'm looking forward to that argument then :-)


I can just visualise the sudden leap in Dymo tape sales for all the "This
socket is double pole switched" labels that are going to be "required"

John wrote:

I can just visualise the sudden leap in Dymo tape sales for all the "This
socket is double pole switched" labels that are going to be "required"

Bear in mind though that there's no requirement in BS 7671 for any
'means of isolation' to interrupt the neutral conductor, *except* (a)
for the main switch in a household installation, and (b) for any
isolator in a TT-earthed installation. (If the main switch doesn't
isolate the neutral there should be a removable neutral link, and this
is common practice in industrial 3-ph installations.) [OSG sect. 5.1, p.34]

I doubt that the switch on /any/ 13A socket, whether SP or DP, could be
classed as an isolator, due to its not meeting the requirements for "the
position of the contacts to be externally visible or be clearly,
positively and reliably indicated." [476-02-02]

--
Andy

In message ,
Andy Wade wrote:

[re. isolation of a central heating system]

I doubt that the switch on /any/ 13A socket, whether SP or DP, could be
classed as an isolator, due to its not meeting the requirements for "the
position of the contacts to be externally visible or be clearly,
positively and reliably indicated." [476-02-02]


Why not? What does the rocker switch do (a modern one with red splash)
if not "clearly, positively and reliably" indicate the state of the
switch?

These switches are also designed to interrupt the full load current of
the socket, which implies that their contact gaps must be the same as
for SFUs which are usually classed as isolators I think, and are
certainly allowed for isolating central heating systems AIUI.

Hwyl!

M.

--
Martin Angove: http://www.tridwr.demon.co.uk/
Two free issues: http://www.livtech.co.uk/ Living With Technology
.... There is no gravity--The earth sucks!

On Mon, 09 May 2005 19:30:14 +0100, OldBill
wrote:

wrote:
I am to install central heating in my house and need a single socket
for the boiler to be close to it.

Can anyone advise which is the better option -

1) To take a spur from an existing socket on a ring to this additional
socket or

2) To take a spur from a junction box intercepting the ring main. I
understand from this that I need to remove the sheathing on the cable
and strip away some casing to leave about 1/2" of the neutral and live
exposed and connect this without cutting the 2 wires. The only wire
that needs to be cut in 2 is the earth wire and then linked to the
spur.

One advantage of a socket is that you have the capability to run the
CH system during a power blackout if you are in a rural area.

Aldi sell small petrol generators occasionally for about £75.
Can also get invertor units which run off a 12v battery.
Bill H
Derby
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