Spur from inside to inside

I have a bedroom with a balcony. I wish to install a socket next to bed. I have double gang socket, nine feet away that I can tap into, go outside along wall and back through outside wall directly to side of bed, I believe a spur would suffice.

Alternatively I can rip up wooden floor laid 3 months ago, channel through concrete sub floor and relay wooden floor.

For the curious I had asked for such a socket before all building work was completed but the electrician forgot, but offered to refund the cost!! Such was the standard of his other work I was glad to accept.

What conduit would you suggest for the outside, would plastic be sufficient or is galvanised metal necessary. I have for the last 30 years plus installed circuits, had them passed but due to illness had to rely on the builder and his sub contractors in this instance.

In my mothers house we have some SWA cable on outside wall connecting the main consumer unit (CU) to the kitchen sub CU, however it has two boxes in and out where the SWA glands are connected to the banjo washers and earth, so not very neat.

Since low level in next to drive some physical protection is required, but it may be in your case physical damage is unlikely, so only protection required is from UV light, so any external cable, normally black to resist UV, or some protection from sun light be it trunking, conduit, or capping and any cable.

Twin and earth it states is not suitable for outside, and over time the plasticiser can leach out of the plastic making it brittle, however if not disturbed I have seen it last for 10's of years, but not being round it is hard to get a stuffing gland to seal on it, so I personally would not use it outside.

I went to get some pond pump cable sold by screwfix with the idea flexible and suitable for outside, but I wanted to run it on a catenary wire so always some flexing, but on a wall there is one assumes no flexing, but what used often is dictated by what the supplier has in stock.

Nothing wrong with plastic conduit to stop UV, better if black, but once you understand it is only to stop UV light, then you may find a more appropriate covering, and if the cable will resist UV anyway may be no covering is required.

Of course you could go the whole hog and use mineral insulated cable and hide it completely behind the pointing, but unless a listed building that is going OTT.

Have you got pictures of the route?

We like pictures!

ericmark said:

Of course you could go the whole hog and use mineral insulated cable and hide it completely behind the pointing, but unless a listed building that is going OTT.

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It is - especially as the same can be done with T&E? - as long as in zones and the circuit is covered by an RCD.

Thanks chaps, photos would be difficult it is on fourth floor, but it is basically a straight piece of wire 9 feet long along one wall. For the moment situation has been solved by persuading my son to change position of his bed!! I like the idea of hiding in pointing this would be so much neater, never realised I could do this, you guys are always so helpful, always appreciative of your assistance.

EFLImpudence said:

It is - especially as the same can be done with T&E? - as long as in zones and the circuit is covered by an RCD.

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That's interesting. I'm not sure that I have ever thought of it (probably because I don't think I've ever dealt with 'concealed cables outdoors), but I suppose the 'safe zones' exist just as much on the outside of an outside wall as they do 'indoors'!

Kind Regards, John

But unless there was an accessory on the outside of the wall, the safe zone wouldn't be carried through from the inside.

Yes, apologies. I was thinking the extra socket was to be outside on the balcony.

Have one out there ???