DIY electrical work?

JAMAL

JAMAL

JAMAL

Soldato
Joined
19 Oct 2002
Posts
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Location
Stoke on trent
I need to add a socket in my kitchen for a wall mounted tv, currently there is a junction box next to where i need the socket so was thinking this could be pretty easy just spurring off it? its a supply from a 16amp mcb with goes directly to my boiler via choc block behind the cover which i'm thinking should have a 3amp spur anyway?

Expert drawings below to show visually what i'm after, can i DIY this or do i need to get a sparky involved?

Thanks guys :)



change to..
 
ah i had a feeling there was a possibilty, i read something about newish part p rules that adding a socket was ok though :)
 
Just to note, you dont *need* to sign anything off in a private dwelling whatsoever. Its your house, you can ultimately do whatever you like to it.

So yeah, i would go ahead and do it, if you need the socket.
 
Theoretically you could depending on a few factors, being 16a and a boiler I'm guessing it's a radial circuit.

You need to know firstly the type of cable running to boiler and the amperage rating. Then you can work out the capacity of the circuit using amps x voltage (240v in UK) = power

Once you know the capacity remove the draw of the boiler from the capacity and see what you're left with to see if you can add a branch safely.

It's probably 2.5mm, I'd be very surprised if it isn't, you should be fine in other words. Or that's my understanding of it.
 
pitchfork said:
Theoretically you could depending on a few factors, being 16a and a boiler I'm guessing it's a radial circuit.

You need to know firstly the type of cable running to boiler and the amperage rating. Then you can work out the capacity of the circuit using amps x voltage (240v in UK) = power

Once you know the capacity remove the draw of the boiler from the capacity and see what you're left with to see if you can add a branch safely.

It's probably 2.5mm, I'd be very surprised if it isn't, you should be fine in other words. Or that's my understanding of it.
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Think you will find its 230V in the UK.
 
Jez said:
Just to note, you dont *need* to sign anything off in a private dwelling whatsoever. Its your house, you can ultimately do whatever you like to it.

So yeah, i would go ahead and do it, if you need the socket.
Click to expand...

Indeed.

If you know what you're doing and you're confident, then do it. If not, then just get a sparky to do it.
 
Abyss said:
My understand is as it is in a kitchen you can't do it yourself.
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I believe you can do it yourself unless it's a new cooker circuit. The same with bathrooms i think, then it should need "notifying".

But for pretty much everything else, i'd just do it if you know how and are confident in doing so. It's when you're branching a new circuit from the fuse box or changing the fuse box that should "require part p" right?
 
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Cheers for your help guys I'm tempted put everything in place and get a sparky do the wiring :)
 
As long as you don't run a new circuit in for it you're fine.

It's bad drills to have no segregation between a boiler circuit and the sockets though, it's possible a fault on the skt or wiring to it will leave you with no heat or hot water.
 
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If you are in England, no longer notifiable, the last amendment to part P made extra points within kitchens no longer notifiable. However for some reason the amendment did not get applied to wales :confused:

You need to ensure that there is RCD protection to the boiler circuit (it may or may not - your new socket should be RCD protected) and that the circuit is in 2.5mm² (it should be - but needs to be checked).

You need to make sure that the labeling on the con-unit now says boiler spur and SSO for TV
 
There's nothing fundamentally wrong with taking a branch off the heating circuit, not for running a small telly anyway.

It's no different to having a radial circuit with sockets trailing off it, it's just that one of them happens to have the boiler plugged in.
 
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pitchfork said:
There's nothing fundamentally wrong with taking a branch off the heating circuit, not for running a small telly anyway.

It's no different to having a radial circuit with sockets trailing off it, it's just that one of them happens to have the boiler plugged in.
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Exactly, my boiler has a 13Amp plug on it and is actually plugged into a socket on the kitchen ring main not common I'll grant you but also totally within the regs and safe. I've no idea why people think the boiler need to be on it's own circuit probably more garbage being spread by misinformed electricians like the one who recently told me you can only put 12V lighting in a bathroom!
 
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