Choc Bloc and Insulation tape

[STI]

Am i right that you can no longer wrap a choc box terminal in insulation tape.
I have a light fitting which has become disconnected. It is in a loft void less than 6" deep so not accessable at all from anywhere but the ceiling hole and i cant get any excess cable down to rewire the connections. The cable must either have been cut to exact lenght or clipped in place before the ceiling went up. The light is being used as a loop through connection so i have about 3 sets of t&e cables, all tight and the light fitting doesnt have enough space to house choc box's.
So i want to connect the cable into a choc push this up through the void and run some new cable from the choc to the light fitting. The hole in the ceiling isnt big enough to take one of the choc enclosure boxes, so can i wrap it in insulation tape and push it up through the hole like that.

If this isnt allowed any other suggestions.
Thanks

 

[mikhailfaradayski]

taped choccies=rough as a badger's

would anything like this help?
http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/MTMDLB6.html

it would be hidden when you put the new fitting up

 

[STI]

Thanks, So this would go up into the void and the choc blocs housed in this ? without tape. I will need to check the position of the joists as there is really only about 1/2 inch of movement on the most "relaxed cable"

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

Insulation tape is not advised.
Choc box covers are used to stop accidental contact to the terminals, http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Images/Products/size_3/CHOCBOXA.JPG
but in your instance, if your using the dry-line box a connection strip will do, without addition cover.

 

[mikhailfaradayski]

Thanks, So this would go up into the void and the choc blocs housed in this ? without tape. I will need to check the position of the joists as there is really only about 1/2 inch of movement on the most "relaxed cable"

yep, thats right. When you cut out for the box, you might find that you can work a bit easier as the cables will end up having a bit more slack on them and the hole through which you are working will be easier to get your fingers in

 

[STI]

Insulation tape is not advised.
Choc box covers are used to stop accidental contact to the terminals, http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Images/Products/size_3/CHOCBOXA.JPG
but in your instance, if your using the dry-line box a connection strip will do, without addition cover.

Thanks for this, i have used these before and unfortunately the ones i got are just too big to go through the ceiling hole, and the lightfitting is only about 3" diameter, with a metal securing bar so options are very limited.

 

[ColJack]

odds are you won't get one of those in.. the cables will be next to a joist.. that's what the light screws into to hold it up..

 

[Spark123]

Any good?

http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Main_Index/Boxes_and_Enclosures_Index/Connector_Strips/index.html

 

[LoveRocket]

Erm, why can't you just use a piece of choc-block? There's no need to cover it in tape. (and there never is)

 

[flyingsparks]

Erm, why can't you just use a piece of choc-block?

What and push that up into the loft space??

 

[LoveRocket]

Erm, why can't you just use a piece of choc-block?

What and push that up into the loft space??

Yes. Push it up in to the SIX INCHES of loft space. (or 'ceiling void' as I would call it) I think it should be safe up there. Choc-bloc is insulated you know - do you wrap tape around ever terminal in a ceiling rose of on the back of a socket?

 

[ColJack]

Choc-bloc is insulated you know

is it? so those 2 screws and 2 open sides that you can get a little finger into are insulated are they?

do you wrap tape around ever terminal in a ceiling rose or on the back of a socket?

no because they are in enclosures once the rose cover is on, or the socket is screwed back to the wall..

while I agree that chock blocks are ok in a ceiling / floor void ( as once up there you can't get at the connections, they are in an enclosure formed by the building structure ), connections in a loft space that may be accessible from one side need to be in chock boxes..

I'd need to see a copy of BS 467-4 to see what constitutes as non-combustible for that standard though.. ( ie paper is more combustible than a floor joist, it takes a lot of heat to get one burning etc.... )

 

[Taylortwocities]

And where is the strain-relief to prevent the wires being pulled out of the terminations with our choc-block solution?

All of the solutions provided are designed to do the job. They enclose the termination and provide a method of clamping the cables. These features are both requirements of wiring regulations and (IMHO) just plain common sense.

 

[LoveRocket]

I will admit that there's no strain relief on this fixed wiring going to a fixed accessory.

 

[JohnnyG]

Wago do a good range of alternative connectors http://www.wago.com/cps/rde/xchg/SID-73BA9279-14F34155/wago/style.xsl/gle-325.htm