I wish to extend a ring main into a new conservatory.

I have a socket on the existing ring that I can extend from.
Obviously one end of the old ring and 1 new wire from the conservatory
will be connected into the original socket.
The other pair of wires thus need to be connected together to complete
the ring.
I know that ideally I would use a 30A junction box to connect them
together, but I don't have any spare cable on the old ring. Is it OK
to connect the wires inside the existing back box using choclate block
or is this a big No No?

If not what are my options?

Thanks

Paul.

In message ,
(Paul Draper) wrote:

I wish to extend a ring main into a new conservatory.

I have a socket on the existing ring that I can extend from.
Obviously one end of the old ring and 1 new wire from the conservatory
will be connected into the original socket.
The other pair of wires thus need to be connected together to complete
the ring.
I know that ideally I would use a 30A junction box to connect them
together, but I don't have any spare cable on the old ring. Is it OK
to connect the wires inside the existing back box using choclate block
or is this a big No No?

I don't think chocolate block would be *dangerous*, but it's not ideal,
and I don't think you'd have much luck fitting it all into a standard
depth backbox.

Do you *need* the ring in the conservatory, or could you get away with
one (double) socket spurred from your existing ring? If you need more
than one then a fused spur can be used, but the total loading on all the
spur sockets would then need to be kept below 13A (abt 3kW).

There are those here who would recommend crimp connectors, and they
would certainly take up less space than a chocolate block and probably
be safer, but this would also be a bit "non standard".

The other option is to find out where the ring goes from the existing
socket. If it just goes down under a suspended floor (for example), have
you thought about doing the wiring under the floor where you'd have a
bit more slack to play with?

Don't know if any of that is likely to be of help, but it was worth a
shot anyway :-)

Hwyl!

M.

--
Martin Angove (it's Cornish for "Smith") - ARM/Digital SA110 RPC
See the Aber Valley -- http://www.tridwr.demon.co.uk/abervalley.html
.... Monday is the root of all evil!

Paul Draper wrote:
I wish to extend a ring main into a new conservatory.

I have a socket on the existing ring that I can extend from.
Obviously one end of the old ring and 1 new wire from the conservatory
will be connected into the original socket.
The other pair of wires thus need to be connected together to complete
the ring.
I know that ideally I would use a 30A junction box to connect them
together, but I don't have any spare cable on the old ring. Is it OK
to connect the wires inside the existing back box using choclate block
or is this a big No No?

If not what are my options?
Join the new cable to the old one with proper crimp connectors.

On 3 Jul 2003 05:10:41 -0700, (Paul Draper)
wrote:

I know that ideally I would use a 30A junction box to connect them
together, but I don't have any spare cable on the old ring. Is it OK
to connect the wires inside the existing back box using choclate block
or is this a big No No?

I recall from my 16th edition course a short time ago that if wires
are to be joined and the joint isn't easily accessible (e.g. the joint
is buried without an access cover) then a terminal block isn't
acceptable.

The reason I happen to remember that little gem is that about 20 years
ago I joined some ring main with a heavy-duty terminal block, wrapped
it up and then plastered over it.

I know, I shouldn't have done that. But at the time it seemed the
right way. And the 16th edition wasn't out then.....

Andrew

Do you need a handyman service? Check out our
web site at http://www.handymac.co.uk

A little more info:

I've already run the ring with 4 sockets in the conservatory, and have
the ends of the new ring run to the back of the existing socket (not
connected yet).

The metal back box is a deep one (about 50 mm) so there is easily room
to fit the choccy block behind the socket.

The choccy block I have is rated at 30A.

The choccy block will be accessible by unscrewing the socket.

I don't have spare cable in the existing socket to put a junction box
on.

I don't have access to a crimper & crimps (without buying one!)

Given these circumstances does anyone see any problems with using the
choccy block?

Thanks Paul.

In article ,
Paul Draper wrote:
Given these circumstances does anyone see any problems with using the
choccy block?

None.

--
*He's not dead - he's electroencephalographically challenged

Dave Plowman London SW 12
RIP Acorn

In article ,
wrote:
To be really professional (and fulfil the 'good
practice' requirement of the regulations) I think ideally the
chocolate block connector should be fixed somehow but I don't think
it's too important.

A self tapper into the back of the box? Don't think it matters, though.

--
*They call it PMS because Mad Cow Disease was already taken.

Dave Plowman London SW 12
RIP Acorn

In message ,
Dave Plowman wrote:

In article ,
wrote:
To be really professional (and fulfil the 'good
practice' requirement of the regulations) I think ideally the
chocolate block connector should be fixed somehow but I don't think
it's too important.

A self tapper into the back of the box? Don't think it matters, though.


Might also be worth putting a bit of tape around it... but if you've
stripped the wires correctly (i.e. no bare bits showing which might
short on the back box) and given that the screws are sheathed anyway,
what the heck? As you've got 50mm to play with, the number of wires and
connections doesn't seem too bad either :-) Rather deep for a backbox
though - wonder why it was done like this?

Hwyl!

M.

--
Martin Angove (it's Cornish for "Smith") - ARM/Digital SA110 RPC
See the Aber Valley -- http://www.tridwr.demon.co.uk/abervalley.html
.... Complaints? Write them here legibly [] -