Safe zones

councillor · 13 Feb 2007

Just a query about safe zones round walls. Can I pass the cable shown in Red as I have drawn? I am concerned about 2 areas. Think I am ok with the internal corner but not the external.

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u213/rewire_bucket/Slide1.jpg

Thanks for any advice

P.S is this the right way to use photobucket?

Mighty Quinn · 13 Feb 2007

councillor said:
Just a query about safe zones round walls. Can I pass the cable shown in Red as I have drawn? I am concerned about 2 areas. Think I am ok with the internal corner but not the external.

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u213/rewire_bucket/Slide1.jpg

Thanks for any advice

P.S is this the right way to use photobucket?

The 'not sure about this' bit is fine, as the cables are on a direct path between two accessories.
The 'think this is bad' bit is definitely wrong. Is there no way that socket can be put on the small wall ?

davy_owen_88 · 13 Feb 2007

If you are totally rewiring that room do this:

If you are just adding that last spur do this:

councillor · 13 Feb 2007

Yes I could pull the socket on the small wall. I suppose by doing that I can take the cable horizontally to the Green safe zone(corner) then up so its parallel with the double socket then across to connect to the double socket. Right?
See revised drawing

i suppose what I am saying is that cables passing from one accecssory to another round corners (which are safe zones) is ok so long as the cable from the accessory passes horizontally straight into the Green safe zone.

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u213/rewire_bucket/Safezonesver2.jpg

Mighty Quinn · 13 Feb 2007

councillor said:
Yes I could pull the socket on the small wall. I suppose by doing that I can take the cable horizontally to the Green safe zone(corner) then up so its parallel with the double socket then across to connect to the double socket. Right?
See revised drawing

i suppose what I am saying is that cables passing from one accecssory to another round corners (which are safe zones) is ok so long as the cable from the accessory passes horizontally straight into the Green safe zone.

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u213/rewire_bucket/Safezonesver2.jpg[/QUOTE]

Aye

Or you could go horizontally from the double socket, and if you are really clever and have a long drill bit, start drilling a few inches before the corner, aiming for the safe zone in the return wall

councillor · 13 Feb 2007

davy_owen_88 said:
If you are totally rewiring that room do this:

Davy: Is that just your option of how you would do it? or is my way minus the bad bit ok so far as the regs go.

davy_owen_88 · 13 Feb 2007

It's my opinion, but I don't think creating a maze of 'safe zones' is a very good way of doing things. According to the regs your way is fine but remember not everyone has a detailed understanding of the way safe zones work and I for one have never liked the safe zone in the corners.

I'm a horizontally or vertically from an accessory kind of guy,

If you can make one compromise on your plan I would drop down vertically to the socket on the left wall as per my first diagram.

Davy

councillor · 13 Feb 2007

Davy

Thanks for the reply. The only reason the single socket on the left wall connected like that is there will be a kitchen unit covering it. Im just thinking outloud here but if joe public cant see the socket they will not suspect and cables are present in that wall and potentially stick nails in the wall. I dont think the regs caters for this at all, but correct me if Im wrong

davy_owen_88 · 13 Feb 2007

The regs don't cater for a lot of things, but sockets are assumed to be visable and accessible. If the socket is going to be hidden from view then your plan is probably the safest route to take, but it still isn't the route most people would expect you to take when planning to knock in a few nails if they knew the socket was there. Most people don't know that the corner of a wall is a safe zone and wouldn't think twice about knocking some nails in for a corner cabinet.

By the way, electrical work in a kitchen is notifiable so you should either contact your BCO and let them know you are doing the work and ask them for their take on it (since they will be the ones inspecting it) or get a qualified sparky in and let him deal with it. Oh and consider having more sockets, you can never have too many sockets in a kitchen.

Davy

councillor · 13 Feb 2007

Davy, I have notified the council. I take your point about corners being not the safest of safe zones. Going back to that single socket again Its actually a washing machine not a kitchen cabinet. So you would think that connecting the cable as you say "striaght up the wall" would be ok as you would expect a socket to be behind the washer.

What Im getting at is do safe zones for accessories only apply if you can see the acccessory or can this be satisfied due to an appliance (and hence a socket) being below the cable.

JohnD · 13 Feb 2007

If it is for a washing machine, then why not run your cables in a horizontal row, with the sockets 150mm above the worktop, and run the spur horizontally to a switch above the washer outlet, then vertically down to an unswitched socket. It is much better to have the switch where you can see it so you can isolate the appliance without having to pull it out, for example if it is leaking water or on fire.

This is a very straightforward way to wire a kitchen.

Kitchens need lots of outlets (more than you have drawn) and having them in a row makes the cable runs very obvious. It also save you having to go up or down to ceiling or floor except (sometimes) at the end of the run and to get round doorways. This is very economical on labour and materials as well as making the cable runs obvious.

Wherever you thjink you may one day have an under-counter appliance, put a switch in the row to feed a socket below.

Where you have a high-level appliance like a cooker hood or extractor, put an FCU in the row feeding a flex outlet above.

councillor · 13 Feb 2007

Thanks John D would be a great idea if the kitchen sink wasnt next to the washer

Think I will do a combination of my way and Davys way. Like the idea of having a switch above the counter to turn the washer off, so long as its 30cm form the edge of the sink right

Dont worry about socket outlets theres loads of others on the other side of the kitchen all linked into the ring.

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Safe zones

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