Crimping 2.5mm T&E for Towel Rail

[tnarg999]

I am installing a heated towel rail in a shower room and need to wire in an FCU off the exisitng ring main to power it. I have the floor removed and can access the 2.5mm ring circuit. I want to break this circuit to add the FCU (in the correct zone).

I have read a lot of the threads on crimping and plan to buy a suitable ratchet crimping tool for fully insulated blocks. (blue crimp for 2.5mm Phase, Neutral, red crimp for 1.5mm Earth, heat shrink after)

My question is, as i am breaking the original ring circuit, and I can't use Junction Boxes in what will become inaccessible, one side of each crimp will have two 2.5mm cores going into it, the other will have one. Do I still use the blue crimps for the 2.5mm, or should I use yellow crimps suitable for 6mm?

Is it even allowable to have two cores going into one crimp?

(Additional earth bonding will be performed as well)


Thanks in advance

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Why not replace the cable(s) leading to the next sockets so that you've got enough to come up the wall and put the FCU directly onto the ring?

It's a better way to do it, and won't make any difference to the notification requirements..

 

[oharaf]

Ban, why do so many people want to crimp and clip cable together?

I can understand that in many cases it can be quick and efficient, but any join is a weakness.

When ever I do these things for my own piece of mind I am happier installing new cable to achieve the mounting of new equipment.

Inexperienced that is probably my problem

 

[tnarg999]

Hi B-A-S, Thanks for the reply. I see what you are getting at, but unfortunately the nearest next socket is in another room and the flooring in my house is a nightmare - T&G chip board that goes under stud walls etc.. - past experience has shown that taking it up and putting back down is a challenge. That is why I thought of cutting, crimping extending.

Any thoughts on two cores into one side of a crimp and what size crimp to use?

cheers

 

[oharaf]

tnarg999

ooooh chip board T&G bloody horrible stuff!!

Come on BAN, I like to know your thoughts on this as well

 

[cleverspark]

well instead of crimping the ring together why not crimp each side of the ring after cutting it, then extending each side into the FCU, therefore keeping the ring and not having to worry about 2 cables into one side of eah crimp.
Obvious you still have connections but it may be a better solution?
Personally I would solder the wires together and heat shrink appropriately, still think this is better then crimping, even if it is more time consuming.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

tnarg999

ooooh chip board T&G b****y horrible stuff!!

Come on BAN, I like to know your thoughts on this as well

 

[tnarg999]

Cleverspark - Thanks - A bit of lateral think there may have solved my problem.

BAN - Do you also think this is the best course of action?

Thanks
Tnarg

 

[oharaf]

ordering one now!!!

i use a circular saw but with my ham fists it never works that well

 

[oharaf]

Has anyone still got one of the foot saws.

When I was a kid the old fella used to use one.

I got it out one day and did my mums carpet with it....

The and mark is still visible on my backside 30 years later

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Personally I would solder the wires together and heat shrink appropriately, still think this is better then crimping, even if it is more time consuming.

You could apply a bit of craftsmanship, and make a knotted tap splice before soldering.

With a bit of thought about what to put where before making the join, you could use 3 lengths of heat-shrink for each side of the joint, then lay the tap cable along the existing circuit cable and slide a larger piece over the whole thing.

 

[JohnD]

You studied Mr Cooke's correspondence course when you were a youngster?

 

[ban-all-sheds]

 

[MikeJ42]

If after using that Armeg solid board cutter, is the joint now technically accessible, and therefore OK to junction box?

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Arguably/arguably not - depends what you put on top of it. There's no definition of "accessible" so it comes down to what someone, having exercised reasonable skill and care, decides what is to the best of their knowledge and belief, "accessible".

My idea with the board cutter was for tnarg to gain access to under the floor so that he can replace cables....