Exposed cables

benbo · 31 Jan 2010

I have recently bought a house and noticed exposed mains cables coming from the floorboards in corner of bedroom, running up the wall for a foot or so before passing through under the landing floorboards.
My first thought was that it was a complete bodge job but upon inspection realized that if the wires had been routed otherwise they would have come through the wall below the ceiling downstairs as the landing is above level of bedroom.

Why would an electrician route cables in this way as I feel there must have been an alternative

bhm1712 · 31 Jan 2010

probably they couldnt be bothered, or were told not to chase out the wall by the previous owners.

i am not part p so i dont do work in peoples houses but it doesnt stop folk asking me to.....a couple once asked me to put a new double socket in the kitchen and hide the cables but also told me i couldnt upset the wallpaper or tiles because they had only just had it done...... what are electricians supposed to do in a situation like this other than turn down the work!!

Spark123 · 31 Jan 2010

It might have been nicer if they had put some plastic trunking over it, what is the likelyhood of the cable being damaged?

Johnmelad502 · 31 Jan 2010

bhm1712 said:
i am not part p so i dont do work in peoples houses but it doesnt stop folk asking me to.....a couple once asked me to put a new double socket in the kitchen and hide the cables but also told me i couldnt upset the wallpaper or tiles because they had only just had it done...... what are electricians supposed to do in a situation like this other than turn down the work!!

bhm1712 · 31 Jan 2010

i suggested trunking or plastic conduit, but they wanted it hidden as in no sign or trace of the cables at all. They were even more worried about their wallpaper when i said they would HAVE to have a recess cut out in the wall if they wanted it flush!!!!

needless to say the next time i saw them they were using a 4gang extension...but you could still see the cable!!!

benbo · 31 Jan 2010

Spark123 said:
It might have been nicer if they had put some plastic trunking over it, what is the likelyhood of the cable being damaged?

There is always a chance the cables could get damaged although not by children, the electrician would not have know this and I find it frankly a dangerours situation to leave a job in.

I am thinking of getting the cables chased in the wall as it is would make an unsightly job putting them in conduit because they run up the side of a six inch skirting. Is it okay to do this or perhaps I could remove a section of the skirting and then use conduit on top after I replace it.

Spark123 · 31 Jan 2010

If they are chased in then they will need to be in a safe zone and RCD protected (if less than 50mm from the surface.)

benbo · 31 Jan 2010

Spark123 said:
If they are chased in then they will need to be in a safe zone and RCD protected (if less than 50mm from the surface.)

The cables are within about 4 inches of a corner about 18 inches from floor level. The ring main is protected by a 63amp RCD. I take your point regarding depth of chase though. Would you say at the moment based on what I said, that they are in a safe zone?

Spark123 · 31 Jan 2010

Technically 150mm from the corner is classed as a safe zone (not that I like it) //www.diynot.com/wiki/electrics:walls
If the RCD is 30mA then that side is covered.

benbo · 31 Jan 2010

Spark123 said:
Technically 150mm from the corner is classed as a safe zone (not that I like it) //www.diynot.com/wiki/electrics:walls
If the RCD is 30mA then that side is covered.

The RCD is 30mA so thats one prob out of the way.

We are only talking about 50mm error on the save zone ... would they be that picky?
Think I will get them put behind the skirting and box them in and do a paint job on it!

skenk · 1 Feb 2010

You have the problem of someone coming along later who knows where the safe zones are so drills in at, say 200mm from the corner smack into the middle of your cable! It's a bodge and not to regs. Is there any slack in the cables to allow them to be moved? A good electrician may have some bright ideas.

ban-all-sheds · 1 Feb 2010

And at least one person has died, and left small children with no mother, because a cable not where it should be got drilled into.

benbo said:
We are only talking about 50mm error on the save zone ... would they be that picky?

"Picky"? If I had my way you'd be in the dock if you did that.

But it's academic - we just don't know, do we? First you said "the cables are within about 4 inches of a corner", and now you're saying they're nearly 8 inches away. Perhaps you could measure how far away they are so that you know where you stand.

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Exposed cables

Johnmelad502

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