kitchen rewire issues

theflyingpig · 18 Jan 2007

Hi all,

I had a spark come around the other day to quote on re-wiring my kitchen. Currently there is only one double socket, and I want 4 doubles added, a single for washing machine with switch above the work surface and the oven outlet relocating. the kitchen is currently totally gutted and will be plastered after the wiring is done.
Anyhow, before he hit me with what sounded like a totally unreasonable quote he said a few things that sounded like they might be a bit dodgy . .

that all the wiring could be done in conduit around the walls under the level of the worksurface, with chasing necessary only above the worksurface level. Can you do this, and if so what kind of conduit (gold plated according to his quote?

)

that he could feed all the new sockets off the exisitng double socket - but when I looked behind this socket I just see lives, neutrals and earths feeding this socket - if its in a ring shouldn't i see wires leaving the socket as well?

I mentioned earthing, which he seemed to shrug off? This guy claimed he was fully registered etc. He reckoned it was a days work, but i can't see how if only about a metre of cable chasing was necessary . .

despite numerous phone calls I've not been able to pursuade anyone else to come and quote - maybe the job is too small?

anyone got any advice?

thanks

stem · 18 Jan 2007

1. Wiring in conduit or trunking behind units is OK provided it's done properly.
2. Maybe he'll convert the socket you refer to as a spur by joining it into the ring.
3. Earth bonding in Kitchens not required now. Only bathrooms.
4. To do a job properly takes time. Don't forget there's not only the actual work, but all of the testing and paper work as well (Part P).

oharaf · 18 Jan 2007

I agree with STEM, i'm only training at the moment, but, if your kitchen is less than 50m sqr then he could continue a radial circuit as long as there are no major loads, your wassher and cooker are however, personally I would be either: connecting the kitchen in to the final ring circuit or if there is space in the consumer unit and access is reasonable then I would be giving it its own ring, safety is paramount. I would also say it is best to chase cable in whenever possible, your kitchen sounds ideal.

For one man I would say it is probably at least 2 days work if including the testing.

Ask to see his NICEIC card/registration or contact them yourself, if in doubt sack him off!!!

theflyingpig · 18 Jan 2007

thanks - agreed that good work takes time . . and I hadn't taken paperwork into account . . . .

Was wonderng about fixing conduit to walls and doing the chasing myself in an effort to bring the cost down . .

what kind of conduit would I need to use?

thanks

oharaf · 18 Jan 2007

If you chase out everything there is no need to waste money on conduit, by the way cable should be clipped every 400mm horizontally and every 250mm vertically, it is best to then cover the cables with sheild, plastic or aluminium, but not wholey essential as you will be plastering.

Make sure your channels are true VERTICAL AND HORIZONTAL and it would be best to draw a diagram with measurements for future reference as you would not want to spike a cable later!!

theflyingpig · 18 Jan 2007

is conduit expensive? (should I be uisng metal or that plastic trunking stuff?) I ask because I've tried chasing with my angle grinder and it makes a hell of a mess, and without hiring a tool its that or a cordless hammer drill . . . . there is about 10mm of plaster and behind that brick . . .

cheers

oharaf · 18 Jan 2007

Plastic conduit is fine for your needs, by the way be a man get your lump hammer and chisel(bolster and coal) and get cracking it is really satisfying.

bolster for mark out, coal chisel for the brick!!

Angle grinder will be very messy, you can hire chasers

Best of luck roughen your hands up and watch your knuckles

theflyingpig · 18 Jan 2007

so is a bolster a sharper chisel then? how deep/wide do I need to make the chases? like, one socket is to the left of where the feed will be coming from, and all the others are around the other side of the room - do I have to chase out enough space for double cables to crate a loop?

thanks for ongoing advice!

rlc · 18 Jan 2007

....get yourself a wall chaser off ebay - (£50 or something like that) - don't let the missus catch you but use the hoover - hose over your shoulder to catch the dust - quick, neat lines, easy to make good - do it when shes out shopping

~rlc

DJM · 18 Jan 2007

Or if you are trying to save every penny then mark the parallel edges of teh chase, use the angle grinder (which you already have) to run up the lines (incorporating the hoover over the shoulder trick to catch dust) and then use a cold chisel to chop out the bit between. Not too difficult.

so is a bolster a sharper chisel then?

No in simplest terms a bolster is a wide head chisel see http://www.machinemart.co.uk/search.asp?q=bolster

theflyingpig · 18 Jan 2007

yep - I think I'll go for the angle grinding method, but this time use a hoover and also get a sheet or something over the dorrway - last time I fiulled the entire place with dust !

how deep/wide should i be going for?

cheers

oharaf · 18 Jan 2007

WARNING!!!!

dON'T USE THE BLOODY dyson, i DID AND IT BLOCKED THE CYCLONES, SCREWED THE FILTERS AND CAUSED THE MOTOR TO OVER HEAT, didn't tell the wife Dyson came out and refused to fix it as it had been used for industrial activities.

Cost me 2 months beer money and a very cold shoulder!!!

Buy a chaser, keep it in the wardrobe or the loft

According to the OSG unless the cable is 50mm under the wall surface it should be enclosed in trunking or ducting.

stem · 18 Jan 2007

I had same problem with our Dyson. I ruined some non return valves in the cyclone and now it won't suck. They can't be got at to be repaired and so we are now awaiting whole new cyclone.........

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kitchen rewire issues

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