What cable and sockets in your dedicated radial?

[MVV]

I had one put in with a dedicated earth spike. I used cooker wire. Several years later in that gap between Christmas and new year I daisy chained an extension from the hall and plugged it all into a B&Q 4 gang. It honestly didn’t sound any different. However I sold the house last year and the electrician who gave me a safety certificate said that there was something strange about the sockets. I explained and he then understood. I never asked what his measuring thing said. Either way it was safe but his measuring thing said something was different but I couldn’t hear it.

 

[Beobloke]

My car's suspension is properly designed. I still.know when I've driven through a pot hole.

I drive an air-suspended Range Rover and I barely notice pot holes. This suggests that there is, in fact, room for improvement in your car’s suspension.

As an aside, we had a power cut on Friday and our lights have been flickering slightly all weekend so I suspect there are issues at the local substation again.

However, my hi-fi sounded as wonderful as always when I was listening on Saturday, so it seems that it wasn’t at all bothered by this. Funny, that.

 

[Mike Reed]

How did you have no sockets?

Not sure why you said 'how'?' Similar to number of Naim owning friends with separate radial systems (one a practising sparks with his own company), I simply didn't put any in. Leads are hard-wired; one to each radial with its appropriate RCBO. Okay for IEC socket enabled kit (if wanting to move/remove) but awkward for captive leads but I didn't know I was going to run two old valved monoblocs then.

 

[Curtis]

Not sure why you said 'how'?' Similar to number of Naim owning friends with separate radial systems (one a practising sparks with his own company), I simply didn't put any in. Leads are hard-wired; one to each radial with its appropriate RCBO. Okay for IEC socket enabled kit (if wanting to move/remove) but awkward for captive leads but I didn't know I was going to run two old valved monoblocs then.

Wow.

 

[RXH2]

Wow Indeed! That's dedication...mains radial dedication of course.

 

[Ian G]

Wow.

More appropriately; bonkers.
with no offence to Captain Puntastic.

 

[Whizzy]

If someone is going to the (probably unnecessary) trouble of wiring a dedicated radial supply then it might be worth considering installing radial circuits using 15amp unstitched socket outlets with a separate circuit for each socket. This would allow the normal 13a plug-top fuse and socket switch (*considered a problem by some) to be eliminated simplifying the circuit still further but still providing protection via the consumer unit breaker.

* Currently on another forum the merits of 'special QSA' 13amp fuses costing up to nearly £4000 (not a misprint) are being discussed

 

[Mike Reed]

Wow.

Wow Indeed! That's dedication...mains radial dedication of course.

Hey! Hold on; that was at the height of Naim mania; it's of little significance now, and I still think it benefits kit (maybe not all) with toroidal trannies as opposed to the other type (forgotten the name). It brought not only benefits but convenience, inasmuch as every circuit was able to be individually isolated. I also had an earth spike installed, but that's another matter and depends entirely upon domestic earthing and safety considerations.

The impetus at the time was to lower the impedance as much as possible. Total overkill in retrospect but if a job's worth doing.......

 

[Pterodactyl]

Leads are hard-wired; one to each radial with its appropriate RCBO.

To clarify, does that mean the 8 wires from your dedicated CU have IECs on the end of them that you plugged directly into the Naim boxes?

 

[Pterodactyl]

all R.A. stranded 8 core twisted power leads

Please say more about these R.A. stranded 8 core twisted power leads.

What is R.A?

Why 8 cores?

 

[gavreid]

If someone is going to the (probably unnecessary) trouble of wiring a dedicated radial supply then it might be worth considering installing radial circuits using 15amp unstitched socket outlets with a separate circuit for each socket. This would allow the normal 13a plug-top fuse and socket switch (*considered a problem by some) to be eliminated simplifying the circuit still further but still providing protection via the consumer unit breaker.

* Currently on another forum the merits of 'special QSA' 13amp fuses costing up to nearly £4000 (not a misprint) are being discussed

The fuse protects the flex though. So you'd need to rate that at 15A but then you can't run it all directly to a 32A rcbo so you'd have to downrate that, which might defeat the object of it all. I think you might also need a method of local isolation depending on who is inspecting the work.

 

[Curtis]

The fuse protects the flex though. So you'd need to rate that at 15A but then you can't run it all directly to a 32A rcbo so you'd have to downrate that, which might to defeat the object of it all. I think you might also need a method of local isolation depending on who is inspecting the work.

It’s utter madness that is inspired by the doolally manufacturer.
If you read the utter bollox about the naim power leads they supply you may understand the nonsense.
Their are situations where noise can become a problem on your mains but you need to identify the source.
A dedicated radial may be of no benefit whatsoever.
As far as using anything other than 2.5 T&E is also utter nonsense as is running a dedicated radial for each piece of equipment & hard wiring it to each component.
These people must have fairy’s living at the bottom of their garden.

 

[Steven Toy]

I drive an air-suspended Range Rover and I barely notice pot holes. This suggests that there is, in fact, room for improvement in your car’s suspension.

As an aside, we had a power cut on Friday and our lights have been flickering slightly all weekend so I suspect there are issues at the local substation again.

However, my hi-fi sounded as wonderful as always when I was listening on Saturday, so it seems that it wasn’t at all bothered by this. Funny, that.

There is always room for improvement, even with 'properly designed' components. That's the point!

 

[Whizzy]

The fuse protects the flex though. So you'd need to rate that at 15A but then you can't run it all directly to a 32A rcbo so you'd have to downrate that, which might defeat the object of it all. I think you might also need a method of local isolation depending on who is inspecting the work.

1.5 flex, 16a RCBO (or Less) and local isolation via unplugging.

 

[gavreid]

1.5 flex, 16a RCBO (or Less) and local isolation via unplugging.

but that would probably be viewed as modification to the manufacturers spec of the piece of gear (the iec socket would be 10A), which isn't allowed either. You might not know until there was an 'issue'. Sorry to be pedantic but I'm just speaking as someone who has had a fire recently - luckily I was on hand.

Wiring a new circuit is 'notifiable' work so must, at least, be inspected by a registered electrician or building control at the local council. You're in their hands at that point.

 

[S_J]

Please say more about these R.A. stranded 8 core twisted power leads.

What is R.A?

Why 8 cores?

I believe R.A. are the initials of the manufacturer, a certain Mr. Russ Abbot.

 

[Mike Reed]

To clarify, does that mean the 8 wires from your dedicated CU have IECs on the end of them that you plugged directly into the Naim boxes?

Please say more about these R.A. stranded 8 core twisted power leads. What is R.A? Why 8 cores?

The 8 t & e cables are hard-wired to the mains leads, which are Russ Andrews' 16 core (my error) twisted design in different lengths to suit reach to different kit. If I move stuff around, I'll always have the required mains lead length.

A dedicated radial may be of no benefit whatsoever.
Using anything other than 2.5 T&E is also utter nonsense as is running a dedicated radial for each piece of equipment & hard wiring it to each component. These people must have fairIES living at the bottom of their garden.

Each to his own and of course I beg to differ, speaking from experience rather than (flawed?) theory, though I don't really give a toss nowadays. My first dedicated radial system, for what it was worth (pre c.u.) did use 2.5 mm2 but it was a very big house with big rooms and considerable underfloor space for routing. I've had a few.

I believe R.A. are the initials of the manufacturer, a certain Mr. Russ Abbot.

Ho ho!

 

[Pterodactyl]

I'm a bit confused here but maybe you mean that your consumer unit is full. Also, assuming your existing meter and c.u. is inside (garage maybe?) why not simply get another multi-way c.u., install a few radials with RCBOs (as I mentioned on page 1)? Dunno; maybe you have a strange supply which is outside, in which case an armoured cable, as mentioned, is necessary. Maybe it's for more convenient routing to your hifi room. In this case, I've known others take the cable straight from the meter (vis junction box) and put the c.u. inside adjacent to the hifi.

Installation date is the 20th July.

I have Naim ND5XS2, nDAC/555, 52, 135s - and it says in the old manuals that the system will benefit from a dedicated mains supply.

The 2 racks will be in the right corner of the long (5.4 metre) wall.

The electric meter and earth connection are in a box that is built into the outside of the same wall at the left corner.

That left corner on the inside also has 2 BT boxes, an in-wall HDMI cable, a TV aerial socket, a phone socket and 2 double mains sockets, so I'd rather keep the racks away from all of that.

That electric meter box is full so I cannot fit a CU in it.

I have decided to put a (small Hagar) CU in a box screwed to the wall outside near the electric meter and run one or more cables outside along the wall and in to the socket(s).

These cables will have to go low on the wall below the render and pass between the bricks and a gas pipe in trunking that comes down from a gas meter in a similar meter box that is built-into the wall.

Options:
A. 6 cables hard-wired to 6 IEC leads. I would love to do this. It would probably sound great - but rule-abiding electrician types keep telling me this is dangerous because the cable could electrocute someone if it gets chewed by a dog or chopped by a Flymo.
B. 6 cables to 6 single sockets and 6 IEC leads. Requires more basic parts, more labour cost, but may sound excellent.
C. 3 cables to 3 double sockets and 6 IEC leads.
D. 2 cables to 2 double sockets. Experiment with hydra and/or extension block.
E. 1 cable to 1 double socket. Experiment with hydra and/or extension block.
F. 1 cable to 1 single socket. Experiment with hydra and/or extension block. Possible star earthing benefit. Naim/JV used to like hydras.

 

[Curtis]

The 8 t & e cables are hard-wired to the mains leads, which are Russ Andrews' 16 core (my error) twisted design in different lengths to suit reach to different kit. If I move stuff around, I'll always have the required mains lead length.




Each to his own and of course I beg to differ, speaking from experience rather than (flawed?) theory, though I don't really give a toss nowadays. My first dedicated radial system, for what it was worth (pre c.u.) did use 2.5 mm2 but it was a very big house with big rooms and considerable underfloor space for routing. I've had a few.



Ho ho!

Flawed theory, you are of course quite right Naimies know more than electricians obvs!

 

[Pterodactyl]

I don't really give a toss nowadays

But you gave a toss all those years ago when you first installed a dedicated radial in your house.

I give a toss about trying dedicated radial because over half of the 100s of posts I've read about it admitted (often grudgingly) that it made either a small or large positive difference to SQ.

Finally, aged 58, I moved house - and it was not an enjoyable process, so I suspect my next move will be to the madhouse or the morgue.

Now is the time to give it a shot, before I go deaf and stop giving a toss.

If it works, it's a gift that keeps on giving.

If it doesn't work, I can plug the telly into it and kid myself that the picture is more brilliant and entertaining.

If it doesn't work and I used thin cable and cheap parts I'll always wonder whether...