# Forum Home Renovation Electrical  Wiring 2 single powerpoints from 1 cable.

## nomad

Hi guys. 
The problem: Being able to have 2 "single" power points, 1 on each side of a wall opposite or almost opposite each other, but connected up to only 1 electrical cable. 
Is this legal & safe? If so, what needs to be used to do this, junction box or something else? 
TIA. I'll check back a bit later.

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## chrisp

It sounds quite normal. 
If you are concerned about the general workmanship or quality of the cable, post a picture or two and we'll comment.

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## nomad

Thanks chrisp. 
This is the presently installed double powerpoint in the bath room. The bath room also doubles as the laundry at the moment. The idea is to have a single powerpoint here to use only for a wall strip or fan heater that will be over the door.   
This is the other side of that wall where I am going to have a laundry-in-a-cupboard. The proposed single powerpoint here will only be used for the washing machine. It will be to the right of this one, on the back wall of the house, not opposite as I said in my 1st post. **I just remembered my proposed door design won't allow the powerpoint to be on this wall.  
Also, that wall is going to be relined & will not be masonite as it is at the moment. 
The wiring throughout the house was renewed about 12 years ago.

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## Pulse

looks more like 112 years ago, that cable is many years old as the earth is not insulated. 
Usually, the next powerpoint is just daisy chained to the previous one with the wire being twisted together and joined in the screw terminal connections on the back. 
Bathrooms have particular regulations with respect to GPO locations away from water vessels and out of reach of showers, new work also needs a RCD, I'd use the opportunity while the walls are stripped to get this done professionally. 
Having the back of a GPO exposed is also illegal, I won't forget when my "mate" took the case off a backup tape drive because the fan stopped working, A month later I reached across my desk to move it and got belted, luckily my hand was earthed on the chassis so the current path was just through my hand! 
Cheers
Pulse

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## nomad

*looks more like 112 years ago, that cable is many years old as the earth is not insulated.* 
Arrr yeah my mistake, Pulse. The main part of the house was rewired. This is the only powerpoint that wasn't, don't know why actually. 
Now, I've just checked the powerboard & found this powerpoint does not come off one of the RCD's, only turns off from an 80amp circuit breaker. 
There's 2 RCD's on the powerboard, this one pictured & another in a separate enclosure directly below. This pictured RCD has 3 powerpoints on it & the one below has the other 5. I found this out after our recent flood when the sparky turned my power back on. He only switched this RCD on & I only had 3 powerpoints in the house working. 
The enclosure below also has 2 circuit breakers labled "Power" next to the RCD & are the same as the one directly to the right of the one I marked in photo. 
Now, if I had this powerpoint rewired, I presume it could have to come off this RCD like the other 3, so any ideas how much this would cost? The wire run would be approx 18 metres from the meter box to where the powerpoint is. If another RCD would be required there is room for one in the enclosure below this one.

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## iconnect

Nomad,
If the PowerPoint is only controlled by the switch you indicated in the pictures I suggest you go nowhere near it and call a sparky as quick as you can. The item you highlighted is only a main switch, not a circuit breaker. It will not trip in the event of a fault and if you were to come in contact with a live portion you will not live to tell the tale. Hopefully who ever put that powerpoint in wired it from the lighting circuit one of the other circuits that does have some sort of protection.
Regardless get an electrician in ASAP and don't let anyone near that outlet.

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## nomad

*If the PowerPoint is only controlled by the switch you indicated in the pictures I suggest you go nowhere near it*   *Hopefully who ever put that powerpoint in wired it from the lighting circuit one of the other circuits that does have some sort of protection* 
I just checked that iconnect & it's wired through the block that is directly to the right of it, which I now presume *is* a circuit breaker. 
I changed the photo above. Is that correct now?

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## Bros

Pretty easy job just to parallel the new GPO with the existing one PROVIDED the current  GPO is RCD protected which I suspect it is.

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## nomad

> Pretty easy job just to parallel the new GPO with the existing one PROVIDED the current GPO is RCD protected *which I suspect it is*.

  
Yeah, you suspect correctly Bros, thank you. I turned off the RCD in this box & the powerpoint didn't work. So I think I'll just call the local sparky & get him to install new wiring for this powerpoint, & put the other one in for me at the same time.

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## spartan

Looking at your board it would seem that you have a 10amp mcb/rcd combo. The C10 indicates 10 AMP. I suspect the only protection you have is on the light circuit.
The 80 amp mains CB will be connected at a 16mm mains cable, red at the top and black to the neutral bar.
The CBs are all fed from the bottom.
You need to have an electrician install a single pole 80 amp RCD and potentially remove the 25amp breaker that you are not using - I would suspect this is for your oven and should have 4mm cable running from it.
I would check your assumption above - unless the powerpoint is run on the light circuit, in which case the 20amp CB you indicated wouldnt switch it off.

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