Why are we still using ring final circuits?

I'm in the same boat as you with running more dedicated circuits!

Before you go too far down that route - have a look at what the French need for a domestic DB (tableau electrique) - never mind one or two rows, it's usually 3 or even 4.

had a black, sticky residue seeping from all 3 terminals of each outlet.

Does sound more like a variation of the "green goo" problem (a result of dodgy PVC recipe and time) - overheating PVC insulation more usually produces dry deformation, discolouration and charring. I've seen several instances of entire kitchens being fed from a single 2.5mm² T&E - without the slightest sign of distress.

if this kind of fault occurs on a radial circuit then some points - at the very least one - will cease to work and give the user of the system an indication that something is wrong. 

Swings and roundabouts - a c.p.c. break in a radial can go unnoticed too leaving everything apparently working but hazardous - whereas in a ring its likely everything remains earthed, significantly mitigating the risk.

I don't believe that we currently have controls over who can freely alter and work on electrical installations in domestic premises here in the UK.

There are some controls - via Part P of the building regulations in England/Wales for instance. Minor works are exempted from notification though. Overall there seems to be little evidence that strict licensing makes any significant improvement though. Those that don't care will carry on as before and ignore the new rules just as they ignored the old ones. Some of those with the appropriate badge will not always do a proper job. My own experience with "closed shop" trades almost ended tragically - a fully qualified Corgi (as it was then) gas fitter (from a well known national company) had left the fireplace closure plate around my parent's gas fire so badly fitted that most of the flue gasses were floating into the room rather than up the chimney - if my Mum hadn't mentioned feeling unusually sleepy in the front room when the gas fire was on, leading me to have a closer look, it could have easily have been lethal. There is a lot to be said for someone doing the work to have a vested interest in the safety of their own family. Education is the key, I think.  On a wider scale, the classic example was Australia and New Zealand - which had practically identical wiring codes, and practically identical electrical accident rates - despite Australia having a very strict licensed electrician system and New Zealand having almost a DIY free for all. 

but I feel that more should be done to encourage radial circuit use with dedicated circuits for different electrical items. The fridge/freezer is the best example I can think of - who wants their fridge/freezer to be knocked off due to a fault somewhere else on the circuit

That's a more interesting one. Partly the problem as arisen from the "fashion" for MCBs and RCDs in the CU. With the original ring circuit design - 13A fuse in the plug, 30A fuse for the circuit and 60A cut-out fuse there was pretty much total discrimination - so a fault in any appliance (or lead after the plug) disconnected just that appliance and left the rest of the circuit functional. We could have gone down the route of putting RCDs at the socket (as is much more common in the US with their GFCI receptacles), or even in plugs, but alas, up-front cost considerations prevailed.

   - Andy.

In what sense?

In the sense that it is not green and yellow.

Well. of course - it would obviously be identified as an earth conductor using green and yellow sleeving throughout it's length.

David Berry said:

I couldn't imagine why that would be required,

I think partly due to very strict regs about the number of sockets permitted per circuit - hence more socket circuits, but also the lack of the equivalent of a BS 1362 fuse (they like their protective devices to disconnect N as well as they're almost universally TT) - so no FCUs. Fan in the bathroom? - separate C2 MCB - it soon adds up.

  - Andy.

It's OK to oversleeve another colour with G/Y at terminations (commonly done with 3-core SWA after all) - it's just a G/Y can't be oversleeved with anything else.

   - Andy.

I think that 514.4.2 clearly reserves the use of G/Y for a protective conductor and no amount of oversleeving changes that.

The word, "exclusively" troubles me a bit, inasmuch as it is not unambiguous.

Hopefully, GK will be along soon.

Ah, I see. I know very little about the French set-up but that makes sense when they don't use fused plugs and socket numbers are limited. What size of cabling do they use there, do you know?

Chris, I feel you may be misinterpreting that regulation, or misunderstanding what I was intending. We are allowed to use the black, and sleeve it with green & yellow.

French standard NF C 15-100 limits for socket circuits are a maximum of 8 sockets on a 16A circuit breaker (minimum cross-section 1.5 mm²) or  a maximum of 12 sockets on a 20A circuit breaker (minimum cross-section 2.5 mm²) A double socket outlet, counts as 2 sockets, unlike UK practice where a double counts as 13A. Recent practice is for separate lighting circuits on 10 or 16A, but there are plenty of combined light and power systems in use. 
By UK and German standards, despite the seemingly vast no of circuits, incoming supply ratings are quite low, so some of the kit mounted within the board can be to monitor and load-shed to limit the total demand, and also transformers and relay based 2 way lighting controls. 

Edit a few years ago our moderator, Lisa had some pics of a place in France being re-wired, to UK eyes it was quite something. 
Mike

mapj1 said:

By UK and German standards, despite the seemingly vast no of circuits, incoming supply ratings are quite low, so some of the kit mounted within the board can be to monitor and load-shed to limit the total demand, and also transformers and relay based 2 way lighting controls

Yes I understand the French have much better defined arrangements for household supply capacity, households have a contracted capacity and if they exceed it their supply trips, their standing charges are based on the supply capacity with a number of set tiers, soif they want a higher supply capacity they pay a higher standing charge.

Quite logical and as you mention re. load management, encourages efficient use of that supply capacity.

The French smart metering scheme, the Linky smart meter, has some well thought out local communications facilities to support dynamic load management so control loads like EV chargers etc

It would be interesting to see whether this approach pays off by reducing their distribution network costs, if households use their supply capacity more efficiently than British households, with less need for upgrades.

mapj1 said:

By UK and German standards, despite the seemingly vast no of circuits, incoming supply ratings are quite low, so some of the kit mounted within the board can be to monitor and load-shed to limit the total demand, and also transformers and relay based 2 way lighting controls

Yes I understand the French have much better defined arrangements for household supply capacity, households have a contracted capacity and if they exceed it their supply trips, their standing charges are based on the supply capacity with a number of set tiers, soif they want a higher supply capacity they pay a higher standing charge.

Quite logical and as you mention re. load management, encourages efficient use of that supply capacity.

The French smart metering scheme, the Linky smart meter, has some well thought out local communications facilities to support dynamic load management so control loads like EV chargers etc

It would be interesting to see whether this approach pays off by reducing their distribution network costs, if households use their supply capacity more efficiently than British households, with less need for upgrades.