BIGGEST DIY Mistakes Adding a New Socket

Common mistakes when adding a new socket to an existing circuit.

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[craigomalley]

If you're not an electrician and are planning to add any socket, or light switch. Listen to this firstly!!!! It will give you the confidence to add the electrical circuit and be certain you're doing it correctly. The advice he gives is absolutely correctly pitched AND ■(surprisingly)■ is even backed up with mathematical proof. Well done video poster!!!

[mrfarts]

Wow... fantastic explanation. I have a PhD in electrical engineering, and this guy just hit you all with a hotdog in the bum!!!!

[shumble]

As an electrician of 44 years and approved NICEIC contractor, you are pretty spot on with this video, but would remind anyone watching that the provision of a new circuit from CCU would require to be Part P notified and an installation certificate issued. But still one of the more accurate diy videos I’ve seen. 👍

[CriticalEducationSD]

Very effective and clear explanation here. Genuine depth of knowledge illustrated by ability to provide analytical and critical commentary on regs…Is what I’d say if this was a university assessment submission! 😅 But seriously, it’s this level of understanding our subjects, to which we should all aspire. Kudus!

[quirkygreece]

Excellent video.
I’ve been in the construction industry for over 50 years and this is the clearest explanation of domestic circuitry that I have ever heard, thank you.

[WorldSoundSystem]

I knew most of that, but I've never come across safe-plates before. Such a simple idea.

[stevegray]

Excellent video young man. Clear and concise. Also made me feel good about all the electrical extensions and other work I did in my 70's house back in the 80's (they really didn't cater for a future power hungry world). It would appear I did it all correctly. House is still here along with me!!

[Bananaskin]

Great video, my favourite expression when I don't understand something is 'explain it to me like I'm a 2 year old'. You achieved that in spades, thanks.

[gman]

Two 13A appliances into a double socket is a bad idea - most are only tested at 20A across both. Washing machines & tumble dryers are a favourite for cooked double sockets.

[johnburns]

Ring circuits have been widespread in the UK for 75 years. They have been found to be *very safe.* The British G Type fuse-in-plug was to protect appliance flexes, however became an _enabler_ to use final ring circuits. The final ring circuit is ingenious in its simplicity. When used with the British G Type plug the ring is a busbar run around the house with distributed fuses at each appliance.

There are many *advantages* to rings:
▪️ Cheapness, as smaller easier to install wires can be used;
▪️ A large number of sockets can be off one cheap to install ring;
▪️ Having the same number of sockets using radials would mean multiple radials and multiple extra breakers at the main panel. Far more cable, expense, labour and hassle;
▪️ The 32A breaker and 13A fuse in the plug ensures safety;
▪️ Portable plug-in appliances on a ring cannot exceed approx 3kW. Some plug-in ovens are on rings;
▪️ Rings usually have a 32A breaker at the main panel - can be a lower value;
▪️ Using push-fit *maintenance free* Wago type connectors to connect up the ring adds safety, as not being screwed connections they do not work loose. The ring's current does not run through the socket terminals (this applies to radials);
▪️ The British plugs enable rings having a _max_ 13A fuse in them - can be as low as a 1A fuse in the plug to suit the appliance and flex/cable. Small flex and appliance? Then a smaller fuse;
▪️ Rings in the UK are limited by square metres of floor space, with no limit to the number of sockets on the ring. 100 square metres of floor space with 2.5mm cable for a 32 amp final ring. The cable can be 4mm, which is advisable in an unbalanced ring drawing high current loads;
▪️Less voltage drop on long cable lengths as voltage comes from two ways;
▪️Two ways for the earth wire back to the main panel, increasing safety levels.

Radials are also used in the UK. Rings are not mandatory, but used because they have proved to be generally trouble free and safe. They can be installed using *rule-of-thumb.* These days a ring will be on an RCD, RCBO or AFDD - these now are becoming DP, so safer again. AFDDs are now mandatory in some socket installations and _recommended_ in all installations. AFDDs raise the safety level. If an office wants more socket outlets for extra desk computers. It is a simple matter of extending the existing ring with the extra sockets as the current draw is low. Cheap and easy. If radials are used many radial circuits would be needed, which may mean an extra consumer unit, breakers, wire etc, then far more labour. Some *disadvantages* are:

▪️ Rings are more difficult to fault find. But electricians have no problem once the ring is fully understood. The ring can be split at a socket then tested as two radials;

▪️ Another is that if a number of high current drawing appliances are on one side of the ring, say nearer to the main panel, most of the current draw may be down one cable leg of the ring with the cable rated below the main 32A breaker. An unbalanced ring. 2.5mm cable is rated at 27A max. Although tests have proven the cables do not exceed their current capacity in the vast majority of cases, just an imbalance in distribution of the two cables from the main panel (consumer unit). *Good circuit design will prevent this, negating this* *_disadvantage._* Balanced rings can be installed by daisy chaining to _alternative_ socket outlets on the ring. That is the first appliance will draw from one side of the ring, the second socket will draw from the other side, and so on round-robin. Or use 4mm cable to the point where heavy current drawing appliances are, then 2.5mm for the rest, if it is that troubling for some. Using 4mm cable on one side of a ring and 2.5mm on the other, is still cheaper than a bunch of radial circuits.

Overall one ring is superior to a bunch of radials needing their own breakers at the main panel. They are simpler, cheaper, being proven to be safe and worked well over the past 75 years. Using the new AFDDs on rings, which are _recommended_ and mandatory on some installations, gives a *far higher* safety level.

You will have to give a very convincing argument against rings. I have not heard of one yet.

[woodysmodellingdiary]

Thank you for demystifying the issue of adding sockets. Your explanation was very clear and once again a very beneficial few minutes that sees me a little more knowledgeable and less likely to put me and others in danger!

[tomsmith]

I've never heard an explanation for ring circuits before! The war makes perfect sense. Thank you! Never legal in the US. Ring configurations were used in some communications systems, though, and with the same issue. Without a failure detect mechanism, you wouldn't know you lost your redundancy.

[colinelliott]

The explanation for the ring main system given to me many years ago was that it was used in warships for additional resilience, and then adopted after a methodical review of the wiring for homes. Before that, the radial system was used, with 3 sizes of plug and socket for different ratings.
He was a physicist who had served in the navy during the war.

[MrUtube]

Hit that subscribed button purely for this video! 👏🏻 I'm a DIYer and done electrics in the past before getting a friend to sign it off, I knew the basics but you've cemented my knowledge! Thanks

[getyerspn]

Sparky here .. strangely a lot of homes here (Ipswich Suffolk) built 1945-1952 ish have 4mm radials for they're sockets .. I've always thought this strange for the 'after the war period'... you'd think that'd be smack in the saving metal period.... Anyway It's nightmare if you try to fit anything other than MK sockets as a lot of cheap sockets have small cable clamps that just won't take 2 4mm conductors...as for the safe zones .. kitchen fitters I'm looking at you ...the amount of diagonal cables ..or times I find sockets/ cooker switches in the combustion zone is video for the homeowners dude ..keep it up.

[AlainsIsland]

Here in Malta we used to use ring cables and i always wondered how exactly they save less cable. Really informative thank you

[Baggiolyful]

Great topic. I’m an electrician myself. I agree ring circuits are no longer needed. Most equipment in homes nowadays would happily run on 2.5 radial circuits. 60 years ago 2.5 radial circuits might not have been the perfect solution with alot more resistive loads drawing more current but nowadays everything is much more efficient.

[oakwoodgroup]

Great video really helpful as a home owner to understand the basics of how the electrics are actually run. Keep up the great work.

[chrisholt]

Great explanation, I will watch this film a few time to make sure I understand the content.
Much appreciated, thank you, regards, Chris.

[ShowcaseCreative]

You just prevented me from making a potentially dangerous mistake in my loft. Thank you!