How To Wire A Radial Socket Circuit

The theory much argued at the time was that less materials copper were used by running a ring around a room or rooms than running a long radial or radials around the room s due to the reduced conductor csa that could be safely used.

How to wire a radial socket circuit. Electrical radial circuit wiring including the size of cable and mcb that should be used. Faults on radial circuits are easy to locate. The other type of circuit used to power your home is a radial circuit. See pictures for how to connect the back of each socket.

They are not so common in the uk but are used extensively abroad as the ring main or final ring circuit does have it s drawbacks. Socket wiring as described above a radial circuit starts at the consumer unit connects to each socket outlet in turn and ends at the final socket outlet. All of the socket outlets will have two cables. Repeat step 3 for each additional socket in the radial circuit.

The ring circuit is made up of two radial circuits connected to the same series of accessories within the circuit. If there is a break anywhere along the cable all of the socket outlets after the break will no longer work. Both brown wires connect to the live or l terminal. The final socket outlet can be identified easily as it will only have one cable connected to it.

Wiring is the same as for the radial circuit. A radial circuit must follow these rules in general. I bought a small garage type consumer unit intending to use this for all the electrics to this extension rather than mess with the existing wiring. When you reach the final socket this should have.

On a historical note ring final circuits were introduced in 1947 in the uk to save on materials in post war reconstruction. As described previously a ring circuit starts at the consumer unit connects to each socket outlet in turn and then returns to the consumer unit. The electrical power supply to these bedrooms is a radial circuit in 2 5 twin and earth supplying 9 socket outlets. Within the electrical industry the ring main circuit sometimes ring main or ring final circuit is an electrical wiring technique that is most commonly used in the uk.

At the first socket the cable should run into the back of the socket here a separate link comes out the back of the same socket and runs onto the next socket in the circuit.