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[Jeffmo]

HI sparks amongst you . Strange one this , we are moving house and have had to sign a 'rider ' for liability of electrics if picked up on by new surveyor. On inspection it seems that all my lights are on one circuit .All my sockets are on one radial circuit for the whole house ( small 3 Bedroom semi) The house was built in the late sixties . On investigation ie ripping all the sockets open there is one socket that supplies everything (upstairs bedroom) Now the lights arent a problem i have split those by adding a new circuit wire to upstairs. but the sockets , question do the sockets upstairs and downstairs have to be seperated , cos its a bitch of a job .Cheers Jeff ( Before you all tell me what i have done so far has been checked by a part p spark )

[sparx]

regs in 1960's reqd one ring per 1000 sq. ft or if more then 2 rings with sockets balanced across the circuits
easiest way was to install one up & one down.
this now equates to 1 per 100 sq mtrs, very similar.
you say radial but that is unlikely, how many wires in fuse way at C.U.?
one lighting circuit was not unusual as regs suggested up to 10 lighting points per circuit, which was prob. all there was.
don't follow abt. upstairs skt. supplying everything, how many cables at it etc.
Sparx

[Jeffmo]

Thanks sparks , i am not quite following your end of reply , i have four live wires in my one socket . Wires into consumer unit is one hence my theory about radial circuit appossed to ring . My main concern before i try to split the up and down is do i have to ? Cheers once again

[Jeffmo]

Sparks have split all the reds in the socket and found the main live , connected them all to this seperately and worked out which is which , whoever wired this house had a very weird sense of humour . (laugh)

[sparx]

can you tell from looking at wire size what the cable from C.U. to first socket is?
could have been done in 7/.036 (equiv. to 4mm) as a radial or tree circuit, I know it is not easy to tell as stranded conducters look bigger than single core.
Not everyone used ring circuits then (and there is a move away from them now)
we quite often install radials 2.5mm @ 20A,
or 4mm @ 32A
particularly in kitchens, one on each side to avoid trying to get past doorways, etc.
Times change & in the 60's not many white goods in use. sorry can't be more help but possibilities endless, maybe you can run from far end socket back to C.U.
regards SPARX

[Jeffmo]

sparks , thanks for that but it looks like 2.5 mm to me perhaps i am mistaken . My main ? again is , is it legal to have all sockets on one circuit ?

[sparx]

yes! all other comments are only recommendations,
but if only single 2.5 radial/tree circuit then fuse/mcb size must not be more than 20A to prevent overloading cable!
regards SPARX