Running cable through stud wall

[jon92]

I want to add a new double socket on a RCD-protected ring, ideally extending the ring, rather than a spur. There is an existing socket in the same room but on an adjoining wall, from which the cables could run horizontally and round the corner if that's allowed. Both walls are wooden studs.
I'm hoping by now someone has invented a miracle tool that avoids having to break large areas of plaster and magically threads the cable through the studs and wherever it needs to go. If there is such a thing, please tell me what it's called. If not, what is the tidiest way to do this please? There is no easy access from above or below as it's ground floor with ceramic tiles.

 

[Taylortwocities]

I'm hoping by now someone has invented a miracle tool that avoids having to break large areas of plaster and magically threads the cable through the studs and wherever it needs to go. If there is such a thing, please tell me what it's called..

Ha ha, if only.....

If there is such a thing, please tell me what it's called. If not, what is the tidiest way to do this please? There is no easy access from above or below as it's ground floor with ceramic tiles.

I'm afraid its chopping holes round the wall (the cables can go horizontally between the two sockets). Start at the fist socket and probe horizontally with a flexy stick until you find the next vertical. cut out a square of plasterboard, notch teh joist for teh cable and move on to the next.

Replace the cut out squares and make good. Its time consuming, but do-able.

 

[SimonH2]

Don't suppose there's an outside (both ways) you can get to on the corner ? If so, then you could use a long drill to drill in from the outside of the corner. Obviously, you need to determine that there's no cables or pipes that you'll drill through first !
If you can carefully remove the back box, that should give you enough gap to work through to fish the ends of the cable - but thinking about it, you won't be able to go round the square corner the drill holes make so may have to cut a bit more out.

If it's a "tee" wall joint, then you would have to work along one wall (the head of the tee, opposite side to the upright) as previously described, but might be able to drill into the other wall with a long drill.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I'm hoping by now someone has invented a miracle tool that avoids having to break large areas of plaster

Yes.

It's called "an electrician who knows how to install MICC".

That could be run around the very base of the wall, and would be less than plasterboard thickness.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

I want to add a new double socket on a RCD-protected ring, ideally extending the ring, rather than a spur. There is an existing socket in the same room but on an adjoining wall, from which the cables could run horizontally and round the corner if that's allowed.

providing cable routes follow the permitted safe zones, it would be allowed.
link
//www.diynot.com/wiki/electrics:installation_techniques:walls

I'm hoping by now someone has invented a miracle tool that avoids having to break large areas of plaster and magically threads the cable through the studs and wherever it needs to go. If there is such a thing, please tell me what it's called.

Unfortunately not such a tool, as timbers will require drilling for cable to be routed, it is impossible to do this without gaining access to the timbers and allowing space for the drill to perform the task.

If not, what is the tidiest way to do this please? There is no easy access from above or below as it's ground floor with ceramic tiles.

The best method would be to locate your upright studs and cut a section that would allow timbers to be holed and cables routed, the section removed is easier to repair if the hole is square or rectangle.
If you have cable rods, this may help threading the cable through the holed stud work. This could depend on distance between studs though.

 

[jon92]

Thanks all, really helpful advice as always from this forum. At least if I keep the cable runs horizontal then I am legal, even if untidy.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Seriously, if you want to DIY, start looking into pyro and looking for materials and tools on fleabay - you could run that around the base of the wall with no chopping into studs.

TBF though, that might all end up costing you more than a plasterer - you have to assign a value to the satisfaction of learning new skills and acquiring new tools to make it positive.

 

[sparkwright]

If you have access above the ceiling, you may be able to run the cables vertically in the wall, which will mean less obstructions to overcome.

 

[Taylortwocities]

There is no easy access from above

 

[bernardgreen]

cut out a square of plasterboard, notch teh joist for teh cable and move on to the next.

Somewhere in a different thread suggested using a round hole saw to remove a circle of the plaster board to access the stud work. Would be quicker than using a saw blade and make a cleaner cut.

 

[jon92]

I like the idea of a hole saw, might even be able to pop the cut out bit back in the hole when the cabling is finished. I had a look at the pyro stuff but it seems very expensive, assuming I found the right thing.
A second problem has presented itself - I said in an earlier post I wanted to extend the ring rather than spur from the existing socket. But to do that would mean joining one of the cables from the existing socket to a new length running to the new socket. Is there an accepted way to do this? I know that you're not allowed to hide junction boxes behind the plaster. Or should I just spur instead?

 

[Adam_151]

It's called "an electrician who knows how to install MICC".

That could be run around the very base of the wall, and would be less than plasterboard thickness.

Would be very difficult I imagine to make it off into the K/O box with plasterboard in place, granted the first point would be just about do-able with some difficultly but when you need to do the next end and the cable is no longer free to move i'd imagine its damn near impossible