I wrote to you last year regarding the article Ringing the changes and stated that I do not use ring main circuits for various reasons.

Therefore, I was interested to read Malcolm Mullins’ article Ring of truth, in the September issue.

Mullins left out one of the common faults that made me decide to stop using ring mains wherever possible. While testing installations, I’ve found I have not got continuity across the two lives. Eventually, I discovered a live wire in the back of the socket had come out of the terminal, maybe due to people pulling the socket forward to wallpaper behind it. If that live doesn’t touch anything, the fault remains with no indication to the resident that there’s anything wrong, and you have a single 2.5 protected by a 32 A fuse. If the installation was radial, any socket past that point and perhaps also that particular socket, would stop working, indicating a fault, which would have to be immediately rectified. And, if it was not, it would not alter the fuse rating.

Malcolm also mentions the British plug protecting the flex but everyone knows (and this shows up on appliance testing) that if an appliance has the correct fuse in when it blows it is likely to be replaced with a 13 A fuse and even moulded plugs will not stop that.

P Knowles, RJ Engineering, Folkestone, Kent

Source

Electrical and Mechanical Contractor