4 storey terraced house rewire

[electric will]

Obviously you'd have to comply with part a, just don't like the idea of the rcd for upstairs being in the down stairs board, after all we normally stagger upstairs and downstairs lights on a dual board

 

[Guest55]

Obviously you'd have to comply with part a, just don't like the idea of the rcd for upstairs being in the down stairs board, after all we normally stagger upstairs and downstairs lights on a dual board

eh ?
you can have lighting for 4 floors split across 3 rcds
floors 3+4 - submains rcbo
floor 2- CU rcd 1
floor 1- CU rcd 2

 

[electric will]

So if the rcbo for top floors trip the stairs between 3 and 4 would be in the dark. Still think itd be best to have hi integ board down stairs, dual rcd to run top 2 floors

 

[Guest55]

so would i , just thinking of ways not to use expensive swa cable lol.

 

[electric will]

I think with a bit of though it could be done with twin and earth, must be a cupboard or something on the 1st floor that you could hide a length of trunking in, same we don't have airing cupboards anymore

 

[Plonker 3]

Regardless of another DB or not a domestic house is never realistically going to have such a demand too require several power and lighting circuits on each floor. Worse case scenario would be one power and one lighting circuit on each floor surely?

 

[electric will]

The reason for 2nd cu wasn't to do with demand just a way of making the install easier, saves pulling the ring finals and lighting circuits all the way to ground floor.

 

[Plonker 3]

Regardless, you could probably do one RFC and 2 lighting circuits for the whole house (Excluding kitchen). Now what is cheaper?

 

[electric will]

Yeah prob would be, even go to 4mm radials, 1 on each floor or 1 between 2 floors, actually radials sound like a much better idea.

 

[telectrix]

for floors 3 and 4, bedrooms, i assume, a 16A radial to each floor for sockets would be more than adequate.

 

[wildgoose]

Nice to see that this discussion is working it's way around to Radial​ power circuits - thank goodness!! Is it only us Brits that are obsessed with RFC's?

Stick with radials wherever possible - simpler, quicker, easier to test, easier to fix and often cheaper to install!

 

[telectrix]

yeah. i fail to see the point of installing a 32A RFC for a couple of tellys and a digital alarm clock.

 

[imago]

I think I'd be recommending two boards with RCBOs to the customer. That would give the most flexibility for future changes, easiest installation, and the lowest nuisance in the event of anything tripping. I'd definately go for radials on a job like this too, and discuss neutrals to light switches with them because you wouldn't want to be trying to alter it on four floors at a later date.

All of which depends on the budget available of course.

 

[telectrix]

if money's tight , i've got a couple of wylex CUs complete with 3036 nail holders going cheap to a good home.

 

[sparks1973]

the issue isnt circuit / rcd division , but the work involved in cabling all circuits to one point that can be 4 floors away.
if this was a commercial install , say a 4 floor office , would you run all circuits back to the mains room ? of course not , db on each floor.
the design theory is the just the same.

eh?....just get em up in one corner of the house....get some rods....tie em all on and get some one at the top of the house to pull em up.....break of the ones thats going to floors 1 & 2 ....whats hard about that.....ho, and dont pull em up individually either as you risk burnin em....

 

[telectrix]

nah, we leave burning cables to mr. wet-head with his blowlamp and hot pipes.

 

[electric will]

for floors 3 and 4, bedrooms, i assume, a 16A radial to each floor for sockets would be more than adequate.

Might as well use 20amp breaker, as long as 2.5mm cable not going through insulation.

 

[DurhamSparky]

I would go for rcbo's. And for work involved I would get the local know it all in and he will be able to complete in 1 day with equiptment bought from eBay.

 

[Guest55]

eh?....just get em up in one corner of the house....get some rods....tie em all on and get some one at the top of the house to pull em up.....break of the ones thats going to floors 1 & 2 ....whats hard about that.....ho, and dont pull em up individually either as you risk burnin em....

you have completely and utterly missed the point of my post.
well done.
and i know how to pull in cables thanks , nice of you to offer some tips though :-/

 

[sparks1973]

you have completely and utterly missed the point of my post.
well done.

oh....you mean volt drop n diversity...doh!!...silly ,me...got it all wrong didn`t i biff...lolffs
so you think volt drop will be an issue here do you..lol...the footprint of a 4 storey terrace will be small..(hence 4 storeys)....so think about it....