Extend supply cable very short amount

htchmn

I am moving skirting boards upwards by 1 inch. Sockets are set in the wall just above the skirting, so they must be moved up by 1 inch too. I am hoping there will be enough slack in the existing cables (which are buried in the concrete floor) to allow for this. If not, what do I do? Can I make a short extension to the cable tails within the mounting box? If so, what is the recommended method? Thanks for your help!

davy_owen_88 · Posted: Fri Mar 30, 2007 11:34 am Post Subject:

The best method for making connections in a confined space where the joint will not be easily accessible would be crimping or soldering. A good quality ratchet crimper is a must if you intend of making sound connections.

Use one of these with some of these for the bare earth conductor and some of these for the live conductors. Then cover the joint with this.

htchmn · Posted: Fri Mar 30, 2007 1:52 pm Post Subject:

That looks the business! Thanks a lot for giving such great help.

ColJack · Posted: Fri Mar 30, 2007 2:11 pm Post Subject:

please do not use terms such as "bare earth conductor" when talking to DIY'ers..

we know you mean "the green and yellow sleeved earth wire", but they will probably just crimp the bare conductors and forget the sleeving...

I don't mean to imply that all DIY'ers are idiots, but lets be honest, if it isn't written in black and white then some of them couldn't open a tin of paint...

bernardgreen · Posted: Fri Mar 30, 2007 2:31 pm Post Subject:

davy_owen_88 wrote:

Then cover the joint with this.

But BEFORE you start crimping you need to slide the heat shrink sleeve over the cable one side of the joint area. Essential if the other ends of the cable are in-accessible or are connected to something too big for the sleeving to slide over.

Seems obvious but it still happens that the crimps are crimped and then it is found impossible to sleeve the joint.

davy_owen_88 · Posted: Fri Mar 30, 2007 3:19 pm Post Subject:

Good point, I forgot to put the link to the sleeving.

bernardgreen · Posted: Fri Mar 30, 2007 3:24 pm Post Subject:

davy_owen_88 wrote:

Good point, I forgot to put the link to the sleeving.

I would also consider 3 individual heat shrinks over the crimps to guard against a short due to damaged insulation on a crimp when they are pressed against each other under pressure of the shrunken overall sleeve.

htchmn · Posted: Fri Mar 30, 2007 3:27 pm Post Subject:

Thanks ColJack, I'll try not to take that personally!!

Just to clarify for the rest of us DIY idiots: the earth conductor on a supply cable is a bare conductor, but a green/yellow striped sleeving should be slipped over the whole of its exposed length (including both sides of any crimp) before connecting it to the earth terminals of the socket.

Now I can go back to my job in astrophysics...

htchmn · Posted: Fri Mar 30, 2007 3:28 pm Post Subject:

ok, the sleeving goes over the crimp too!!