MegaSack DRAW - This year's winner is user - rgwb
We will be in touch
got a few electrics dilemmas to sort out before i go demolishing our bathroom. hopefully my explanation will make sense!
our bathroom currently has an electric immersion heater in the airing cupboard, which is run off a 10amp fuse on a radial circuit. the immersion heater is the only thing on that circuit.
we're going to get rid of that and install a new combi boiler, which will replace the old water tank and immersion heater. therefore we can (i'm pretty sure) use the 10amp circuit that's already there to power the boiler controls. can someone confirm that this is ok?
I also want to put in an extractor fan and maybe underfloor heating. can these things also be connected to the same circuit as the boiler via a spur?
alternatively i could extend the ring main into the bathroom, but it would make life much easier to use the wiring that is already there if possible
your perfectly ok to use the old immersion radial for the boiler.
as for the extract fan then you might want to take the supply for this off the lighting circuit as usually you would switch this on with the lights.
The underfloor heating will be ok to come off the same circuit as the boiler (dependent on the loading) but i would suggest that you fit an RCD spur to the supply to conform with current regs.
Hope this helps.
cheers donks. using the lighting circuit - didn't occur to me at all! is that standard practice?
Being a bathroom I assume it would have to be signed off by a qualified sparky too?
Yep MF, you'd either need to get a sparky to sign it off, or get the local council building control people involved.
cool, i'll make sure i check the regs and do it properly
whats the typical rating for electric underfloor heating? the floor area is about a 4 sq. m. can this be run off a 10amp breaker?
Under the current regs all [b]new[/b] circuits have to be signed off and reported to building control at your local authority. The test of whether a circuit needs to be notified or not is if you are using the new unified colour wiring. i.e. blue for neutral and brown for live, as opposed to black and red, then you do.
You will not get struck by lightening if you do it yourself, that is until you try to sell the property. Part of the checks that will be done when you do are in respect of wiring. If at that time it is found that you have breached the regs, you will a) not be able to sell the property until, b) you have rectified the wiring and got it registered.
To get the circuit checked you need a qualified NICEIC inspector or equivalent to sign it off. Not all sparks can do this, and if you can find someone who is and who will inspect and sign off for you you can do it yourself.
Clear? ....... Thought not....Nightmare isn't it?
petefromearth - Member
cool, i'll make sure i check the regs and do it properlywhats the typical rating for electric underfloor heating? the floor area is about a 4 sq. m. can this be run off a 10amp breaker?
depends on the underfloor heating, if it's putting out 3kw (3000/230=13amps) it's going to need a 16amp breaker. The other issue is the cable size, but all this depends on the spec for the uf heating.
Just to add to what Berm Bandit was saying... if the work requires signing off, and it is not, then you may find that your in breach of your terms and conditions for house insurance company, which means that you will not be covered in the case of a fire etc...
Ok guys, i specificlly didn't mention the certification and building control submission as if you go down that route you will need to get someone else to do the work. As a NAPIT certified sparks i believe that unless i have done the work my self or anyone under my employment i cannot sign off someone elses work....unless it's as a periodic inspection which will cover more than just this element of the work and possibly cost you as much as someone else doing the work and certifying it. It's what the whole part P thing was introduced for i guess to keeps sparks in work and make people accountable.
Peterfromearth....sorry this has got complicated...but thats DIY electrics for you.