CircuitWise UK
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Guides and tutorials for UK DIY electrical work, grounded in BS 7671 and Part P.

Fundamentals

  • How UK home electrics are laid out
  • Inside the consumer unit
  • Cable types, sizes & colour codes
  • Old vs new cable colours (pre/post 2006)
  • 2-core vs 3-core T&E — when & why
  • Part P — what DIYers can & can't do

Sockets

  • Ring final circuits
  • Adding a spur socket
  • Radial socket circuits
  • Fused Connection Units (FCUs)
  • Outdoor sockets

Lighting

  • Lighting circuit basics
  • 1-way switching
  • 2-way switching
  • Intermediate switching (3+ locations)
  • Loop-in (3-plate) method
  • 2-plate ceiling rose method
  • Junction box wiring method
  • Identifying which wiring method you have
  • Inside a 3-plate ceiling rose
  • Inside a 2-plate ceiling rose
  • Inside a 4-terminal junction box
  • Adding a light or switch to an existing circuit
  • Downlights (recessed spotlights)
  • Dimmer switches

Safety & Regs

  • Safe isolation procedure
  • Testing your work
  • Bathroom & kitchen zones
  • Outdoor electrical installations
  • When to call a registered electrician