Worldwide ring mains

[KevinS]

Quick question here, does anyone know if any other countries use ring mains
reason I ask, I have made a proto-type socket where you can do your continuity checks and r1+r2 tests WITHOUT taking the socket off.
i don't know how much more money and time to spend on this idea

 

[alarm man]

Not all terminations which could do with "tightening" are actually loose, and not all cables showing signs of heat damage will give you poor readings. Just my observations after 26 years in the profession...

agree,ive seen cables in terminals thats havent even been screwed down and sat there for years making contact.

 

[electric will]

Going back a few posts, does anyone else find when tightening the terminal screws down on Crabtree it try's to push the conductor out?

 

[ExArmy]

Going back a few posts, does anyone else find when tightening the terminal screws down on Crabtree it try's to push the conductor out?

yeah i've found this, you have to hold the conductors in untill they are nipped, then torque them up. happens with more than just crabtree, i've noticed some fronts have the screws angles inwards to stop this, but it just means it's harder to get your driver in when its tight (under cupboards etc)

 

[electric will]

Glad it's not just me, I know it's not a big problem but you do have to watch it, I think it's the rotating movement of the end of the screw which pushes the conductor out.

 

[somersetsparks]

Glad it's not just me, I know it's not a big problem but you do have to watch it, I think it's the rotating movement of the end of the screw which pushes the conductor out.

Crabtree sockets were good until 3 years ago when the live/neutral terminals were round and at the bottom(however these did have a funny angle on the head of the terminals leading to rounding off quite easily), then went to a really crap design with the square terminals all placed at different heights on the back which didn't last long as they were rubbish. Now they have the square terminals which are pretty shallow and push cables out.
After using all 3 I think the first type were the best. Note: they all look the same from the front and the rockers still go yellow fairly quickly!

 

[Guest55]

i find the friction terminal screw tunnels on new mk gear a real chore tbh.

 

[somersetsparks]

so important he said it 4 times lol ^^^

All corrected now mate, sometimes I can repeat myself after I had a few!

 

[electric will]

I've not seen any of the rockers go yellow though, to be honest. I like the Crabtree stuff.

 

[somersetsparks]

I've not seen any of the rockers go yellow though, to be honest. I like the Crabtree stuff.

I'm looking at some 'yellowed' rockers now in my gaff, might have something to do with me smokes though! I imagine they must be made of different material to the rest of the accessory though, as its only the rockers affected!
I still think its the best of the bunch and seems to be the standard accessory range used by most round our way, decent prices, decent quality, decent standard looks etc.

 

[ruston]

A few years ago I had the idea for a invention for car engines, when you first switched on a electric pump would prime the oil ways with oil as a oil brand was claiming most engine wear happens just after first start up while oil pressure is building up. At the time the engine was lasting longer than the body work on cars anyway.

Lol my Dad did that first , it was called a starting handle , he always cranked it from cold before using the electric starter.

 

[PEG]

Keep thinking fella,its nice to see a bit of inventing goin on. Some ideas, although very useful,never convert to wide use or income....keep at it,everybody laughed at my cordless-generator and solar powered sunbed......Good luck.

 

[Engineer54]

According to wiki, the UAE, Singapore and Indonesia use ring final circuits.

Hell of a lot more countries use the British ring main than you have mentioned above. And that's not including the majority of prestige buildings in Saudi and the Middle East as a whole!!

 

[maxfresh]

here in ireland n our latest regs ring circuits are not allowed in kitchens anymore and two radials must be provided

 

[Engineer54]

here in ireland n our latest regs ring circuits are not allowed in kitchens anymore and two radials must be provided

So what's the dumb reason behind that little cracker then??

 

[Knobhead]

It’s the new reg’s, what’s reason or logic got to do with it!

I’ve got to admit that one defies logic!

 

[maxfresh]

So what's the dumb reason behind little cracker then??

God knows ,id say its because more things can go wrong with a ring final cct compared to a radial

 

[Engineer54]

God knows ,id say its because more things can go wrong with a ring final cct compared to a radial

Like what?? These would both be new circuits supposedly installed to the current Regs/codes by, one would hope competent electricians!!!

More like Ireland has the same problem as the UK, to many fast track wanna-be electricians that aren't competent in testing or fault finding anything except on single length's of cable...

 

[maxfresh]

Like what?? These would both be new circuits supposedly installed to the current Regs/codes by, one would hope competent electricians!!!

More like Ireland has the same problem as the UK, to many fast track wanna-be electricians that aren't competent in testing or fault finding anything except on single length's of cable...

If an open circuit occured on the ring and is unnoticed then effectively it is two radial on a 32 amp mcb wired in 2.5
or
mr. d.i.y. could mix up ends into different mcbs (even though d.i.y.ers shouldn't attempt this sort of thing)

All sparks here have to do a 4 year apprenticeship

 

[Guitarist]

i find the friction terminal screw tunnels on new mk gear a real chore tbh.

So do I, along with the fact that if you nip the screws up a bit too tightly, they damage easily.

 

[Engineer54]

If an open circuit occured on the ring and is unnoticed then effectively it is two radial on a 32 amp mcb wired in 2.5
or
mr. d.i.y. could mix up ends into different mcbs (even though d.i.y.ers shouldn't attempt this sort of thing)

All sparks here have to do a 4 year apprenticeship

What's Mr DIY got to do with anything, you can't base electrical Regulations on what they might or might not do...
As i've stated in other threads, there are pro's and con's for every type of circuit!! Designed and installed correctly there shouldn't be any problems with either type of circuit....

This old chestnut of a ring becoming open circuit, in all the years i've been in this industry i've never come across such a scenario.

Now that is good to hear, about the 4 year apprenticeship... Just keep your fingers and toes crossed that it remains that way, and that the powers that be in Ireland, don't allow your standards to fall, allowing the leeches and these fast track training centres in through the back door... lol!!!

 

[Brightspark2]

This old chestnut of a ring becoming open circuit, in all the years i've been in this industry i've never come across such a scenario.

I come across it quite often actually, not in houses but in commercial and industrial premises...

Either a break in just one of the conductors or all of them...

Quite common...the last EICR I did had 2 out of the 4 rings like this...

Sent from my Xperia S using next doors WIFI.

 

[Engineer54]

I come across it quite often actually, not in houses but in commercial and industrial premises...

Either a break in just one of the conductors or all of them...

Quite common...the last EICR I did had 2 out of the 4 rings like this...

Sent from my Xperia S using next doors WIFI.

I can only ask HOW did they become open?? Surely using that analogy, it could also be applied to a Radial circuit.

As i have stated, never seen a ring becoming open circuit. Not saying it can never happen, but i would say that it's a lot rarer than some would have us believe. Can't really grasp how a professionally installed and tested ring circuit can suddenly go open, without someone's intervention...

 

[Knobhead]

without someone's intervention...

I think thats just hit the nail on the head.

 

[Geordie Spark]

Also, car head lamps with a photo cell in the that picked up lights from another car comming towards you and would auto dip. Trouble is I thought it'd react too late, however think Merc are doing it now

I would want it to work the other way round ...... to dazzle those who dazzle me !!! :devil2:

 

[Brightspark2]

I can only ask HOW did they become open?? Surely using that analogy, it could also be applied to a Radial circuit.

Very true...As you mention its mostly down to peoples intervention, extending the ring incorrectly etc and as you rightly say the other faults could happen to a radial such as broken conductors, brunt out etc etc but as is being said with a ring you then theoretically have to radials protected by a 32A OPD...

I'll opt for the horses for courses option they both have there pro's and con's it just depends and the jobs demands as to which is installed...