oval conduit - does it have to be buried?

[josh1e]

I've just moved into a house that imo had a very poor standard of work done in a previous kitchen refurb.

In the gaps under the counter where the washer / dryer should be there are 2 single gang sockets, each supplied by a switched fused plate.

the cables are completely concealed within a brick wall behind tiling until they get under the counter. here you can see raised plaster over the vertical section of conduit. it does a right angle & then protrudes from the wall & you can see it clearly, then heads off under plaster again until it reaches the socket. (however the plaster over the horizontal peice of conduit is also raised)

I realise this is under a counter & usually has a washer / dryer etc in front of it, so would never be seen, but is is purely cosmetic or are there regs / issues around how conduit is buried in a brick wall & plastered over?

thanks

 

[SparkyFromTheValley]

the new regs only apply to new builds or major refurbs. the new regs state there is no need for conduit for wires buried 3.5cm or deeper behind the wall (im 90-95% certain it 3.5, if not its only slighty different). Any wires not deeper than this need RCD protection. no conduit is required unless the wires are exposed, the conduit or trunking is required.

the conduit was probably originally surface mounted (ie no plaster on it) then someone has shoddidly plastered over it while putting new units in.

My advice if possible is to pull the sockets and conduit out, and have a socket where the conduit first becomes exposed, or at least have a spur there (just an accesible junction box) from whch u can put some new trunking behind or even inside the new units to where the sockets are required.

 

[ColJack]

if you're going to talk cobblers then please don't bother to answer...

there is no need for conduit at all... the cables can be clipped direct to the surface where there is no likelihood of damage in normal use ( which there isn't under a work surface as the units and appliances are in the way.. )

oval conduit is hardly ever surface mounted.. why would it be when you can use round conduit and the range of accessories for it.?

if it's not buried completely then it's just a shoddy plastering job... another skim coat to level it out could be added if it bothers you that much, but as you say it's behind the cabinets and appliances so why bother?


conduit and capping is not purely cosmetic, it's there to protect the cables from the plasterers trowel ( some of those things have been worked to a knife edge over the years.. ), though you don't HAVE to use it...