Breaking into ring main to add FCU

Discussion in 'Electricians' Talk' started by Christopher Woolley, Jul 27, 2019.

  1. Christopher Woolley

    Christopher Woolley New Member

    Hi all, been searching through the forums but can't seem to find a scenario to match mine.

    Basically I need to get power to a wall mounted tv on a chimney breast and a virgin box in the void where the fire would normally be. I've added a socket for the TV and run a length of 2.5mm t&e from this. I then plan on breaking into the ring main, which is located a few feet away, and using some Wago connectors and a Wago junction box under the floorboards run a length of t&e to an FCU. That FCU will then be connected to the TV socket and another socket for the virgin box.

    Does this sound ok?
     
  2. gas monkey

    gas monkey Well-Known Member

    no spur of a spur no run two seperate yes
     
  3. Christopher Woolley

    Christopher Woolley New Member

    Thanks. To confirm there will be no spur off a spur. There will be in effect a spur from the ring main but that will be into an FCU and as per my understanding I can then have as many sockets as I like from the FCU (even though there would not be more than 2 in this instance).
     
  4. Use an Ashley J803 junction box to break into the ring, then cable to the fcu, you can then come off the load side of the fcu for your sockets.
     
  5. gas monkey

    gas monkey Well-Known Member

    ok then sorry for the missunderstanding no work to day and its after friday if you know what i mean should have a few more coffees
     
    Christopher Woolley likes this.
  6. Christopher Woolley

    Christopher Woolley New Member

    Thanks Deleted member 11267. Just out of interest, is there a reason why you'd use an Ashley junction box over a Wago?
     
  7. Christopher Woolley

    Christopher Woolley New Member

    Haha no worries. Thanks for the reply anyway
     
  8. Built for the job and rated at 32 amp,plenty of room to make connections has screw down cable clamps and of course maintenance free.
     
  9. Christopher Woolley

    Christopher Woolley New Member

    Ok thanks Deleted member 11267! So my plan sounds reasonable then? No glaringly obvious things that are wrong based on what I've said?
     
  10. peter palmer

    peter palmer Screwfix Select

    I know rules are rules and all that but if it was me and my own house and I was feeling a bit lazy, I wouldn't even blink at running a spur off a spur for something like a TV, granted the lower one may be used for a fire in the future but what would a socket half way up a chimney ever get used for that is likely to draw a lot of current? I certainly wouldn't **** about putting a fused spur in, I'd either do it the lazy way or extend the ring.
     
  11. Christopher Woolley

    Christopher Woolley New Member

    I have gone back and forth Peter but in the end I've settled with the FCU for piece of mind and if I ever come to sell the house I don't want any issues etc. Also I'm going for a switched FCU so I can knock off the TV, virgin box etc with one switch (especially handy as the TV socket switch won't be within easy reach being behind the TV). Adding in the FCU won't be that much more work anyway so I thought I'd chuck it in whilst I'm there.
     
  12. Pete Jones

    Pete Jones Active Member

    Run from the nearest point on the existing RFC via a switched fuse spur, you can run as many 13 A sockets as you like from that FCU as they will all be protected by the 13A fuse in the FCU, as described in Appendix 15 BS7671
     
    Christopher Woolley likes this.
  13. Christopher Woolley

    Christopher Woolley New Member

    Cheers Pete! I'll come off the RFC using a Wago junction box and into an FCU. Then run from that FCU into 2 separate sockets. All sounds good, cheers for the advice all!
     
  14. Pete Jones

    Pete Jones Active Member

    Come off the nearest socket to the place you want the extra sockets straight into a 13Am- FCU do away with the JB less connections, less places for something to go awry
     
  15. Anthony Bragg

    Anthony Bragg Member

    Pete's way of coming off the nearest socket would be a better idea as no joints as he said everything accessible even if it would be maintenance-free
     
    Pete Jones likes this.

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