building regs and burying cable in plaster.

[alscho]

hi everyone,

i'm looking to confirm whether or not cable needs to be in conduit before it's plastered over. my parents have just had a disability grant carried out for a downstairs wetroom and the electrician has run part of the cable from the electric shower to the shower switch buried in plaster behind some polystyrene coving and then just ran the remainder directly behind the polystyrene coving up to the shower switch where it enters through the side of the plastic box. where it enters the box the cable is split and you can see the individual cores inside including a bare copper wire which i'm assuming is the earth. looks a mess to me and i just want to make sure of my facts before i complain to the council. i've read through a few of the posts but can't seem to find a definative answer in regard to whether it needs protecting with conduit before being plastered over.


thanks for any advice

 

[riveralt]

Provided the new cable is run in safe zones and is additionally protected by RCD it can be buried in plaster without the need of any conduit.

//www.diynot.com/wiki/electrics:installation_techniques:walls

Polysterene and twin and earth cable don't mix too well when next to each other.
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Why_does_...tact_with_plastic_electrical_cable_insulation

Are you sure the coving is polysterene?

 

[sparkiemike]

If the cable has a sheath like twin an earth see pic ( http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/CA10Gslash50.html ) then it won't need to be in conduit when burried in plaster.

The outer sheath of the cable should enter any enclosure it goes into, so you should not be able to see the blue and brown cores of the cable, let alone any copper.

Also the holes of the enclosure should be small enough to prevent you putting in fingers into it

EDIT Ditto the bit about the RCD and safe zones

 

[alscho]

That was quick. Thanks for the help.

It would seem to be okay from what you have described. From what my father's told me he's buried it in the plaster along one wall and replaced the coving, and then when the cable has turned an internal corner he's just clipped it to the wall until it's exit at the pull switch and replaced the coving over the top. the cable then exits through a hole in the coving and goes in through a hole in the side of the box that seems to have been chipped out with a chisel or something. where it enters the box the inner wires are visible and the copper one is visible. they've put a splodge of of plaster over this to hide it but it's cracked and fallen off. looks a right mess.

so it seems the burying in the wall is okay but the exposed bit isn't. i thought myself they could have used a grommit or something. it's not a big job to put right by the sounds of things.

i'm not being picky, here. it's just the contractor has done an appalling job and i'm just making a little snag list for the fella from the council. the spark's probably done the best job. the floorlayers who did the vinyl flooring didn't weld any of the corners and have just thumbed in a bit of silicone - white on a grey floor. where the flooring turns up the wall has already come away and flaps around. the waste from the shower runs backward and doesn't drain off, leaves the floor flooded etc. etc. the job cost £4700 and the contractor got £3800 of that. he said it would take five days and surprise surprise did it in three not a bad wage. pure greed. couldn't get away quick enough to get to the next job. this was paid by the council disability grant not my father. worked for 50 years and the first time he ever receives anything a bunch of cowboys show up and bodge the job. typical.

anyway, thanks for the advice. it's much appreciated.