6.3.2 - The ring final circuit The arrangement of a typical ring circuit is shown in {Fig 6.
5} and must comply with the following requirements.
Fig 6.5 Ring circuit feeding socket outlets to BS 1363 1. - The floor area served by each ring must not exceed 100 m for domestic situations, Where ring circuits are used elsewhere (such as in commerce or industry) the diversity must be assessed to ensure that maximum demand will not exceed the rating of the protective device. 2. - Consideration should be given to the provision of a separate ring (or radial) circuit in a kitchen. 3. -Where there is more than one ring circuit in the same building, the installed sockets should be shared approximately evenly between them. 4. -Cable sizes for standard circuits are as follows:
a) p.v.c. insulated cable are 2.5 mm for live (phase and neutral) conductors and --- 1.5mm for the CPC. b) mineral insulated: 1.5mmfor all conductors.
These sizes assume that sheathed cables are clipped direct, are embedded in plaster, or have one side in contact with thermally insulating material. Single core cables are assumed to be enclosed in conduit or trunking. No allowance has been made for circuits which are bunched, and the ambient temperature is assumed not to exceed 30C. 5. - The number of unfused spurs fed from the ring circuit must not exceed the number of sockets or fixed appliances connected directly in the ring. 6. -Each non-fused spur may feed no more than one single or one twin socket, or no more than one fixed appliance. 7. -Fixed loads fed by the ring must be locally protected by a fuse of rating no greater than 13 A or by a circuit breaker of maximum rating 16 A. 8. - Fixed equipment such as space heaters, water heaters of capacity greater than 15 litres, and immersion heaters, should not be fed by a ring, but provided with their own circuits.
6.3.3 - The radial circuit Two types of radial circuit are permitted for socket outlets. In neither case is the number of sockets to be supplied specified, so the number will be subject to the constraints of load and diversity. The two standard circuits are: 1. - 20 A fuse or miniature circuit breaker protection with 2.5 mm live and 1.5mm protective conductors (or 1.5 mm if m.i. cable) feeding a floor area of not more than 50 m. If the circuit feeds a kitchen or utility room, it must be remembered that a 3 kW device such as a washing machine or a tumble dryer takes 12.5 A at 240 V and that this leaves little capacity for the rest of the sockets. 2. - 32 A cartridge fuse to B888 or miniature circuit breaker feeding through 4 mm live and 2.5 mm protective conductors (or 2.5 mm and 1.5 mm if m.i. Cable) to supply a floor area no greater than 75m. The arrangement of the circuits is shown in (Fig 6.6). 4mm may seem to be a large cable size in a circuit feeding 13 A sockets. It must be remembered, however, that the 2.5 mm ring circuit allows current to be fed both ways round the ring, so that two conductors are effectively in parallel, whereas the 4 mm cable in a radial circuit must carry all the current.
Fig 6.6 - Radial circuits Radial circuits can be especially economic in a long building where the completion of a ring to the far end could effectively double the length of cable used. As for ring circuits, danger can occur if flexible cords are too small in cross-section, or are too long, or if 3 A fuses are not used where appropriate. The minimum cross-sectional area for flexible cords should be: 0.5mm where the radial circuit is protected by a 16 A fuse, 0.75mm for a 20 A fuse, or 1.0mm for a 30 A or 32 A fuse.
