As your local Electrician in and around Cuffley, we often find ourselves quoting for extra sockets as peoples living styles change and the demand to charge and power devices grows. Below is a quick insight into extra sockets.
Can I have extra sockets
In brief the answer is YES, as long as the existing installation is in a good state of repair to take the extra demand and we are able to get the cables to the point required, we can install the extra sockets for you.
What are the different ways you can add extra sockets to your circuit?
1. Spurs
A spur can be added to an existing socket on a circuit this can only be done if it has not been spurred off already. Adding a spur is the most common and least disruptive way to add an extra socket, it’s perfectly fine to be done this way long as it meets current regulations.
If more than one spur needs to be added, the socket would need to be fed from a fused spur. This would be connected via a separate fuse that would protect the cable.
2. Radial circuits
Radial circuits are circuits that carry the power from your consumer unit to a socket. Radial circuits tend to be used to supply mains power to sockets and lighting points. Other common uses for radial circuits are to power one particular electrical item on a circuit, for example, boilers, ovens, hobs, or immersion heaters.
The key thing to remember about a radial circuit is that it needs to end. It does not carry on back to the consumer unit like a ring main or ring final circuit would do. And can not carry as much current as a ring final circuit can
3. Extending the ring final circuits
The best method of adding extra sockets is to extend the ring. This keeps the entire circuit as a ring and avoids overloading.
Although there is no real limit to the amount of extra sockets that can be added to a ring final circuit. Do remember that even with more socket outlets, the maximum total load on the circuit is the same.
It’s important that when adding extra sockets the person carrying out the work knows what type of circuit the potential new socket will be connected to.
How do you get the cables to the new sockets
There are a few ways we can install the cables for the extra sockets, the cables can be run underneath the floor boards and a chase will be required above or below the socket in the wall. See our other blog for wall chasing https://www.jjb-electrical.com/blog/what-expect-when-chasing-out-walls .Alternatively we can run the cables in trunking along the base of the walls to conceal the cables, this is a quickest and least disruptive way to add extra sockets but some may find it less appealing to the eye.
If you need extra sockets, give us a call today on 07742485307
