It’s knackered either way. Seller is selling as “used” so if anyone bids its going to end up in a refund.
Also on UK mains: I don’t have a ring main. Most modern builds and rewiring goes to spurs and breakers.
Please explain "ring main" 
The cable run is laid in a ring terminating at the supply so that in practice slightly lighter cable could be used as current flows up either leg of the ring.
Never seen one here as mains circuits a starburst wired from a single supply point.
Still don't get it. Must be I need a 2nd cup of coffee to flush out the cob webs. 
Before I have a 2nd bourbon I'd better get this cleared up. 
Starburst wiring I get. Single point from breaker box to a junction box where it may branch to 2 or more strings of outlets/switches/etc. Typically here 14 gauge solid for 15A circuits and 12 gauge solid for 20A circuits.
Ring starts from the breaker/fuse and passes and connects to each outlet to end at the breaker/fuse where it began.
Current is sourced along each leg of the ring.
time for another 
OK, I think I get it now and while I'm not up on all aspects of our electrical code it doesn't sound kosher to me. 
Why ?
Have a look at this pic from the Wiki link Bean offered:
Pretty damn simple IMO.
Correct and this method is still the most popular method of wiring power sockets in most UK and and parts of the world that adopt the British Standards of Wiring. Someone made the comment that it was because of copper shortages and allowed the use of undersized cables. This is incorrect, the standards call for a minimum cable size of 2 x 2.5mm in a typical ring and 2 x 4mm if the ring is particularly long. The ring starts and finishes at the same 32A MCB in the consumer unit and in a domestic property, there generally are 2 such circuits, 1 for each floor.
This method does indeed save on cable, and therefore the cost of the installation is reduced and works like this because of diversity which works on the assumption that not every socket on the ring is going to be loaded to its maximum current. My own house for example is a 4 bed house and each bedroom has 3 twin socket outlets at various locations in the rooms and 1 single outlet on the landing. In each bedroom, the number of socket outlets has been increased via the use extension leads as many of the wall sockets are covered by furniture and in my lab (the smallest bedroom) I have 40 socket outlets available to me so I have sufficient outlets for all my test gear and other devices such as computer, monitors, speakers, fan and task lighting. My 2 sons that are still living at home have around 15 extra outlets for their computers, monitors, games consoles etc and in the 25 years that I've lived here we have never had the MCB trip at all. We have similar arrangement downstairs (slightly fewer outlets on extension leads) and again never had the MCB trip, the kitchen has its own ring circuit and again never any problems with MCB tripping. We have had a few occasions where the RCD has tripped due to leakages being detected on equipment plugged in. Now even if only the actual fixed outlets were wired as radials, we would need to have at least 5 MCB ways to feed the upstairs circuits alone, plus the immersion heater / boiler and lighting adding a further 3 MCB ways in the consumer unit, and that would dramatically increase the cost for cables on its own plus the MCB's and the larger consumer unit.
Home
Help
Search
Login
Register
