Power up to alcove shelves

[Skoob]

Hello, so basically we have some floating alcove shelves. We'd like to get some power up to them for some lights, and maybe even stick a mesh wifi router up on one but main thing we want to do is to get some kind of lighting up there and we don't want visible cables running up the wall. I'm a bit confused as to what is and isn't allowed.. so for example, is it OK to just channel out the wall (which is brick), stick in a plastic conduit, plaster it over and have an extension cable going up that and sitting on a shelf? I think if it's removable it's OK to do this? It would be about 2m of extension cable. If it's not a good idea to do this, if I still had a conduit can I put some LED lights up there, ie. usb powered ones and just feed them down, or would that also be a no-no? Or would it be best to just bite the bullet and have proper plug sockets put into the walls at the respective shelf heights?

Cheers!

 

[thomp1983]

Cheap and simple would be some surface mount conduit stuck in the least obvious corner and painted the same colour as the wall.

Totally hidden would require a chase as you said, it would need to be on an rcd protected circuit which shouldn't be an issue in most houses these days. And finally it would have to run vertically or horizontal from the supplying source.

 

[FrodoOne]

is it OK to just channel out the wall (which is brick), stick in a plastic conduit, plaster it over and have an extension cable going up that and sitting on a shelf?
I think if it's removable it's OK to do this? It would be about 2m of extension cable.

In the above "scenario", the "plastic conduit" would need to be of a cross sectional area large enough to accommodate either the plug or socket on either end of the "extension cable" being inserted in and withdrawn from the "conduit" (without disconnecting and reconnecting) for it to be considered "removable" (without the use of a tool.)

Your "plastic conduit" would then be a "duct" and require "Cable Entry Wall-Plates" both top and bottom. (e. g. https://cpc.farnell.com/c/plates/wall-plates/cable-entry-wall-plate )

 

[ericmark]

For surface I have used D-Line PVC White Mini Trunking. Even for buried 25 x 16 mm trunking is about thickness of plaster so plastered to edge so not obvious it was cables, specially if in the corners. I painted over it, main reason was cables were surface and did not want to renew or disconnect this allowed me to hide them.

Oval conduit again allows cables at plaster depth, without removing as much plaster as required for capping, but be warned renewing a twin and earth in capping or oval conduit is hard as the cable snags, flex is easier, remember the current rating for flex is in free air, so buried it is slightly less than rating for twin and earth as rated at 60°C not 70°C.

 

[plugwash]

If you run a cable in conduit then unless the conduit is comically oversized*, you won't be removing said cable without the use of tools, regardless of whether it is fed from a plug or not.

While I'm not aware of any specific provision in the UK (unlike some other countries) that would prohibit the use of an extension lead as fixed wiring, doing so would at best be considered "rough".

Adding a new socket properly should not be beyond the scope of what is reasonable to DIY.

* and a comicallly oversized conduit would likely run into other issues like maximum chase depths.

 

[FrodoOne]

If you run a cable in conduit then unless the conduit is comically oversized*, you won't be removing said cable without the use of tools, regardless of whether it is fed from a plug or not.

While I'm not aware of any specific provision in the UK (unlike some other countries) that would prohibit the use of an extension lead as fixed wiring, doing so would at best be considered "rough".

Adding a new socket properly should not be beyond the scope of what is reasonable to DIY.

* and a comicallly oversized conduit would likely run into other issues like maximum chase depths.

Your comment illustrates why I wrote my earlier comment.

Putting a suitable "duct" in a masonry wall is not an easy option.
However, putting an even larger "duct" in a Plaster-Board faced "stud" wall is quite easy and is often done when mounting TV displays on walls above "cabinets" in which various associated devices are placed.

 

[securespark]

As for where to run the cables, 150mm from external or internal corners is a prescribed zone for running cables.

 

[Skoob]

Thanks everyone... so comically oversized conduits it is!

I tried out a conduit on wall surface but it hasn't passed the internal home approval board haha. It's not too bad so we can live with it for a while. It feels then that my best long term option is to add a plug up on shelf level, and I suppose I'd have to chase the wall out anyway to hide a conduit so I may as well do it properly. I can put in a conduit at the same time for data or audio cables should I ever want them so that will help future proof things. I haven't checked the lower sockets yet, hopefully they are on the ring and not already spurs though I think they'll be fine.

So out of interest... is what this guy is doing here a bit... dodgy then, because it's not removable? He seems to think it's fine

 

[Sureitsoff?]

Why does the bloke in the video not put a proper socket in??

 

[Sureitsoff?]

Your comment illustrates why I wrote my earlier comment.

Putting a suitable "duct" in a masonry wall is not an easy option.
However, putting an even larger "duct" in a Plaster-Board faced "stud" wall is quite easy and is often done when mounting TV displays on walls above "cabinets" in which various associated devices are placed.

but a stud wall is just a big duct so why put another duct inside??

 

[FrodoOne]

but a stud wall is just a big duct so why put another duct inside??

A "Stud Wall" may be filled with "insulation" material, especially if the "studs" are adjacent to an outside wall.
Also, there would (usually) be a "noggin" in the way.

The installation of a "duct" allows the (relatively) easy insertion (dropping and guiding) of additional cables, if/when required, in the future.

My "duct of choice" (in several such situations) has been Australian PVC "downpipe", of 100 mm x 50 mm in "Cross Section".
This fits "nicely" in "Stud Walls" - when any existing noggins have been suitably "slotted", to take allow for its installation.

Such "ducts" do need to have a "stop" or blockage of some sort fitted, just below their lower access point, so that any "items" will not be dropped into the "void" below and lost.
It may be necessary also to provide such a "stop" at the top of the duct, but this might be left "open" to allow the feeding of additional cables from the roof space at a later date, if required.