Socket Outlets Wiring

[swordfish]

Can someone please help me with the requirements in South Africa for correct wiring of Socket Outlets and Lighting Circuits.

Are we supposed to use the British Closed Ring Circuit wiring for sockets Ring Open Circuit or allowed to use other methods?

E.g. A star configuration, where one central feed for the circuit comes from the DB CB to a junction box in the ceiling and a separate cable runs from there to each socket?

Or one central feed for the circuit comes from the DB CB and goes along the ceiling, then via multiple junction boxes gets spliced to each socket outlet?

Are there any other restriction, than not exceeding 5kW on each socket circuit?


What are the requirements and standards for for Lighting Circuits as well?



The is tons of information on the net for the other countries but very little regarding the latest SA standards.

[GCE]

South African standards are based on the IEC
If you are looking for the standards it is SANS 10142-1 and the latest being edition3 and can be bought on the SABS web store

All the methods you described above would be acceptable subject to the regulations

[swordfish]

South African standards are based on the IEC
If you are looking for the standards it is SANS 10142-1 and the latest being edition3 and can be bought on the SABS web store

All the methods you described above would be acceptable subject to the regulations

I have looked through SANS 10142-1 but I haven't seen anywhere a required method for wiring of plug sockets described. Hence I started this thread. SA complies to IEC standards but that is a very broad term. UK, Germany and France, all compy to IEC standard but all 3 have different methods of wiring for plug sockets.

So, if all methods described before are acceptable in SA, is there preferred vs non-preferred methods and the reasons for that?

[GCE]

I cannot remember every coming across a ring circuit in an installation.

Some contractors like wiring to a joint box in the roof and then dropping down to each point and the reason is normally to save the cost of the wiring vs a loop in system where you will need to wire down and up the wall.

To me the loop in system is easier to maintain and fault find -

Most specifications done by electrical consultants will insist on a loop in system.

[Justloadit]

A loop system also manages the currents flowing in the wire. It is like doubling the copper area.

[AndyD]

You almost never come across ring final circuits in SA although they're not forbidden. Usually in a domestic installation you'll find straight 20Amp radial socket circuits and 10A or 15A straight radial light circuits with the supply run to each switch and out to the next switch (sometimes called the 2-plate method).