My Complete DIY Rewire

scousespark · 26 Jan 2015

PreferNotToDieOrBurn said:
EFLImpudence said:

You seem to have overlooked the second reply to your original question.

Click to expand...

No I responded to this - I'm installing the new cables whilst the old system is still live. Then taking out the old cabling once the new is connected.

The way you are doing the job has no bearing on the legal requirement for you to notify it to your LABC. The second option in the post did not say "You have to notify, unless you are only taking out the old cable at the end of the job".

You are legally required to notify BEFORE work starts. The LABC will then tell you what testing they require. As a diyer, they will most likely appoint an electrician and his/her costs will be passed on to you.

In your first post you said you had read up on Part P and were going to comply. Did you actually notify your LABC before you started?

PreferNotToDieOrBurn · 26 Jan 2015

Practically since it became apparent the inspection/testing costs would be passed on at the whim of the LABC I decided I couldn't take on the financial risk.

At the moment I'm just redecorating by embedding cables in walls and putting up decorative sockets.

I don't like the situation, I don't like being in the situation, but it's sink or swim and I'm swimming. Please accept I don't have a choice here.

I'll stick a 13A plug on the end and treat it like an appliance/extension lead if I have to.

flameport · 26 Jan 2015

PreferNotToDieOrBurn said:
Practically since it became apparent the inspection/testing costs would be passed on at the whim of the LABC I decided I couldn't take on the financial risk.

What risk?
You tell them what work you intend to do, they tell you the fee. That's all there is to it.

PreferNotToDieOrBurn said:
At the moment I'm just redecorating by embedding cables in walls and putting up decorative sockets.

No one believes that. Including you.

As for choices - you can either do this properly by notifying LABC as the law requires, or carry on regardless and do whatever you think is suitable.

JohnW2 · 26 Jan 2015

flameport said:
PreferNotToDieOrBurn said:

Practically since it became apparent the inspection/testing costs would be passed on at the whim of the LABC I decided I couldn't take on the financial risk.

Click to expand...

What risk? .. You tell them what work you intend to do, they tell you the fee. That's all there is to it.

Indeed so - but I think I may understand what the OP perceives as a 'financial risk'. The answer he would get from LABC would probably be along the lines of "£xyz plus the passed-through fees of the contracted inspector(s)". I suspect that the OP is considering the possibility that multiple inspections might be required, in which case he would potentially be facing an open-ended and unknown financial commitment. However, none of that alters the fact that, as you go on to say:

flameport said:
... you can either do this properly by notifying LABC as the law requires, or carry on regardless and do whatever you think is suitable.

Kind Regards, John

PreferNotToDieOrBurn · 28 Jan 2015

Quick question:

Do I need to calculate voltage drop on a per-junction box basis?

I'm planning to have 11 junction boxes for a ring main with 10 double sockets on an approx 70m ring. The idea being I can isolate any part of the circuit or turn one ring main into two ring mains if needs be.

Thanks again for all the helpful responses.

stillp · 28 Jan 2015

That's a terrible idea. Why on earth would you add 11 junction boxes?

PreferNotToDieOrBurn · 28 Jan 2015

stillp said:
That's a terrible idea. Why on earth would you add 11 junction boxes?

In context it makes sense - I can't get away with fewer than 8, adding 3 extra gives flexibility.

Why is it such a terrible idea?

stillp · 28 Jan 2015

You shouldn't have any.
They are a potential point of failure and of overheating, and make circuit tracing more difficult.

PreferNotToDieOrBurn · 28 Jan 2015

stillp said:
You shouldn't have any.
They are a potential point of failure and of overheating, and make circuit tracing more difficult.

Ok thank you for your response, do you have any recommendations for reducing these risks? In a new property it may be possible to install a circuit without junction boxes however this is a 180yr-old property with a lot of quirks.

All junction boxes will be permanently accessible and sufficiently rated.

stillp · 28 Jan 2015

It is always possible to install without JBs, the age of the property has nothing to do with it. If you're determined to make an amateurish bodge, at least use maintenance-free JBs.

bernardgreen · 28 Jan 2015

PreferNotToDieOrBurn said:
In a new property it may be possible to install a circuit without junction boxes however this is a 180yr-old property with a lot of quirks..

My cottage is 500 years old, Grade II listed so some real headaches.

I have re-wired it and there are no junction boxes anywhere. They are totally un-necessary if the project and method of working is designed properly.

RF Lighting · 28 Jan 2015

I've rewired hundreds of houses from 1980s bungalows to a manor house built in 1786. Never needed a junction box on any of them.

Just because you don't know how to do the job without, does not mean that it isn't possible. 11 joints on one circuit is criminal, even for a circuit bodged and altered over many years.

PreferNotToDieOrBurn · 28 Jan 2015

I'm not a pro, I've held my hands up to this. Not being a pro doesn't mean I can't do a good job of the work. It might not be up to professional standard but it will be up to regs standards and it will be safe. It will also be a massive improvement on the current situation. If you would like to volunteer to come and do the job gratis then I will welcome you with open arms and I'd love to see how a pro would eliminate the need for junction boxes.

In theory the same risk applies for every socket in the circuit as applies to every junction box in the circuit. Due to my inexperience I'm taking extra care with every aspect of this job including ensuring connections are very solid. To a degree I'm sure the extra time and attention I'll give to these connections would result in a higher success rate than some pro's who are a little over-confident or blaze about securing connections.

I've asked a question about voltage drop calculations for junction boxes. Is there something I need to factor in here?

stillp · 28 Jan 2015

PreferNotToDieOrBurn said:
In theory the same risk applies for every socket in the circuit as applies to every junction box in the circuit.

Yes, but the sockets serve a useful function. Junction boxes don't.

JohnW2 · 28 Jan 2015

PreferNotToDieOrBurn said:
In theory the same risk applies for every socket in the circuit as applies to every junction box in the circuit.

Very true - but you are proposing to add umpteen unnecessary screw-terminal joints into a circuit that already, and unavoidably, has quite a lot (at the sockets) - you would therefore be (unnecessarily) considerably increasing the total risk. Probably only a very small risk, I accept, but nevertheless one which wouldn't exist if you did it properly.

Can you explain to us why you feel the need for all these JBs?

Kind Regards, John

diynot

If you need to find a tradesperson to get your job done, please try our local search below, or if you are doing it yourself you can find suppliers local to you.

Select the supplier or trade you require, enter your location to begin your search.

Are you a trade or supplier? You can create your listing free at DIYnot Local

My Complete DIY Rewire

Similar threads