DIY Doctor UK DIY Forums

I'm currently installing a recording studio in my living room which will be used for my own projects ie non-commercial, so no public liability to consider. I need to install a clean mains supply for the Audio equipment and would be grateful for some advice - especially regarding building regs and part p.

What I intend to do is run 2 new spurs from the CU (each with its own 16A MCB) to a broom cupboard where each cable will be terminated with a 16A Commando/C-Form angled socket and mounted on the wall. Theses 2 sockets will power 2x 3000VA UPS's (un-interruptable power supply's) racked together in the cupboard.

The 8 outputs from each UPS are IEC 320 C13 sockets (Euro/Kettle type) and I want to run the cables under the floorboards to various floor & wall mounted twin 13A sockets. Each output will connect to just the one twin 13A socket so I will have 16 in total.

I was going to use 2.5mm Twin & Earth for all the wiring and I also have lots of 25mm diameter flexible trunking I can also use. Work will be completed before July 1st.

So, is this going to be a part p nightmare? As the 16 twin sockets are not coming directly from the CU, does this effect things? Any comments will be gratefully received. Thanks.

Hi Beepex, I feel that some of what you want is part_p able but much is not.
your two radial circuits from consumer unit to the ceeform outlets would be new circuits so are reportable, after that I would claim all are 'appliances' ie UPS's plus 'extension leads' to sockets just like using multiway units.
this is similar to the office I'm in now, there are 2 UPS's running to various PC's & related bits and pieces fed via 13A outlets screwed to walls but fed by flexes!
regards SPARX

I was hoping that would be the case!

Thanks very much for your reply.

Sounds all OK. But the spurs into the cupboard would be part p. I don't know if you have ever tried to pull twin and earth though conduit but it jams and is a real pig. Singles are OK. And flex not too bad, But twin and earth is real hard to pull. Some Yellow 77 may help. Don't use washing up liquid it can explode has benzine in it. Also kettle type plugs only rated 10 amp. Not sure how we can use them on 3 Kw kettle. But you must be careful not to overload. There is a link to Part P on Projects area still set to 16th Edition. I would consider fusing as in a cupboard you are not likely to notice any faults until too late and so easy to plug too much into one circuit.