Cooker cable routing in very old flat

[zumba]

I'm having my kitchen done up with a new fitted kitchen. The cooker needs to be moved from one side of the room to the other and is now way too short.

I've been trying to do a lot of the prep work myself to save on cost. The building is an old flat from the 1800's. There is no ceiling space to use, directly above the ceiling are joists and floor boards of the flat above with joists running the wrong way.

The consumer unit is a few rooms away. Previously the cable had been boxed in across the hall and then run along the top of the wall buried in the plaster.

I cannot see how the wires leave the consumer unit for the cables going under the floor. Would it be allowed to run the cable along the top of the wall at the about 50mm from the ceiling?

Alternatively, if it crosses the top of the hall in a boxed in section, through a wall at the corner, would it be allowed to turn down the inside corner to get access to the floor boards?

What are the rules for covering cables buried in plaster? I gather they are ok in safe zones, and what if not in a safe zone?

I'm just trying to find options that avoid ripping the entire flat apart.

 

[wingcoax]

As you are in Scotland the rules are slightly different to ours. But the main requirement would be RCD protection to that circuit as a minimum.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

This link will help
//www.diynot.com/wiki/electrics:installation_techniques:walls
and maybe this too
//www.diynot.com/wiki/electrics:installation_techniques:route

 

[zumba]

It's all pre-RCD. I've been told most of the old flats don't have RCDs fitted without a complete rewire.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

It's all pre-RCD. I've been told most of the old flats don't have RCDs fitted without a complete rewire.

You can still fit a RCD or RCBO to that circuit, there are ways and means of doing this.
What type of consumer unit is it?

 

[zumba]

It's an older fuse unit, not the wire type fuse. They look like big fuses that are in plugs.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

Fitting a RCD external of the fuse box to that circuit should do the job.

 

[zumba]

Does the RCD need to go on the cooker circuit? I was looking at a friend's fairly new house with MCBs and RCD, his RCD was only on the socket supply. That's why I hoped it would not need any further change.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

It really depends on the way the installation has been wired, there are ways of avoiding the use of RCDs on power circuits when using the permitted wiring techniques, but in most cases is it easier to install the RCD.

 

[skenk]

I've been told most of the old flats don't have RCDs fitted without a complete rewire.

You only have to rewire if the cabling is shot. If it is PVC twin and earth and was installed correctly at the time it may well be fine to upgrade the CU to current standards although it is likely that bonding will need upgraded and there will probably be some defects in the existing wiring that need sorted.

If there is already a cooker supply to the room can this not be extended? What kind of flooring do you have? Usually it is easier to go under the floor with carpet or bare boards in a middle/bottom flat.

Cables in plaster need to be in safe zones and RCD protected but that includes internal corners and the top of walls - see links above

 

[zumba]

Ok, could be a pain at the consumer unit due to space.

On the cooker wiring, there's some confusion about how the cable is run from the switch to the cooker following the safe zones. The connection is below the counter and it wouldn't be possible to have the switch above with the hob there. There seems to be some rule about a 45 degree diagonal path, is no longer allowed?, if not, how should it be routed?

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Would it be allowed to run the cable along the top of the wall at the about 50mm from the ceiling?

Ask the electrician who will be doing the final wiring and issuing an EIC.

Alternatively, if it crosses the top of the hall in a boxed in section, through a wall at the corner, would it be allowed to turn down the inside corner to get access to the floor boards?

Ask the electrician who will be doing the final wiring and issuing an EIC.

What are the rules for covering cables buried in plaster? I gather they are ok in safe zones, and what if not in a safe zone?

Ask the electrician who will be doing the final wiring and issuing an EIC.

Does the RCD need to go on the cooker circuit?

Ask the electrician who will be doing the final wiring and issuing an EIC.

On the cooker wiring, there's some confusion about how the cable is run from the switch to the cooker following the safe zones.

Not in the mind of the electrician who will be doing the final wiring and issuing an EIC.

There seems to be some rule about a 45 degree diagonal path, is no longer allowed?,

A rule with which the electrician who will be doing the final wiring and issuing an EIC will be very familiar, which is why, if you want him to do the final wiring and issue an EIC you'd better be doing what he tells you to do.

if not, how should it be routed?

Ask the electrician who will be doing the final wiring and issuing an EIC.

 

[zumba]

I'm not sure, there may be a hidden message there

 

[ban-all-sheds]

FOR DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION, INSPECTION & TESTING
I being the person responsible for the Design, Construction, Inspection & Testing of the electrical installation (as indicated by my signature below), particulars of which are described above, having exercised reasonable skill and care when carrying out the Design, Construction, Inspection & Testing, hereby CERTIFY that the said work for which I have been responsible is to the best of my knowledge and belief in accordance with BS 7671:2008 amended to .......... (date) except for the departures, if any, detailed as follows:

 

[zumba]

please stop spamming if you dont know the answer