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So, we may be about to make an offer on a house in France which, whilst not requiring total renovation is going to get altered quite significantly: Before I start, I'd like to have some idea of how the French wire their houses - ring main or radial, lights, are they loop in or radial? And cooker supplies - all the ovens I have looked at seem to be 16 amp which is the same as a socket outlet. Does anyone in the great ST massif have any knowledge to impart? TIA.
All over the place 😉
If its a really old house it may have to be totally rewired (inc the main supply) as the original owner may have only put in a really low spec supply, eg old French houses sometimes don't have the electrical power to boil a kettle as that sort of thing was done with a pot on a gas cooker (with bottles outside).
I'm not an elctrician but pretty sure its not ring main, all spurs and in older places no earth.
You must make sure you have all the certificates for the property. My wife is French and posting from Paris so if you want a bit more specific advice drop me an email
Bon chance
DIYnot.com forum has a whole section on electrics outside the UK.
Cheers Jamba. Its got newish distribution boards and I think RCD's - going back for another look on Monday so I may be able to glean a bit more info then.
This is a good start for you 😀
No ring circuits in Europe, we "invented" it after WW2 to save copper.
All radial circuits, 16 amp iirc for sockets and 6 or 10 amp for lights.
Does French electrickery have the same flavour as English?
I've brought three French properties up to standard. It's really easy as the normes tell you everything you need to know.
[url= http://www.schema-electrique.net/norme-electrique-NF-C-15-100-normes-installation-electricite-2014-2015.html ]Normes[/url]
Edit, just to correct the Jambyfact. The minimum EDF contract is 3kW which will boil a kettle no problem. We get by with a 6kW contract for our house
@Edukator I have heard a few stories first hand about rural house wiring not being capable also a few expat websites, perhaps exaggerations then.
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Hope its not like the check in area at Perpignan Airport!
I think all of their circuit are on echo. Also they are fuel pole. Probably because there it a greater chance of reverse polarity.
As John said its no real issue as long as you do radial, the main thing is if some tight arse has signed for 3kw on a reasonable house.
I rewired 6 houses/renovation projects for my mother in the Loire & Brittany. Only time I nearly came unstuck was a big barn conversion that I cracked on as if it was in the UK! Thankfully the bloke who checked it for the Part P building regs in Finistere knew UK wiring and signed it off.
As above - only the UK uses ring.
16A for sockets.
6A for lighting
Usually a 32A for cooker/shower
10A can be anything from garage, upstairs sockets, etc.
All on trips and have been for years.
Much better system than here tbh.
Far easier to wire, fault find, etc.
Thanks to all who've replied 😀 especially Edukator with the link to "The Normes".
A lot of older properties will still have 2 pin sockets ie no earth.