New kitchen, power tripping

Hi,

My parents are currently in the process of getting a new kitchen fitted and yesterday after the plasterer had been they could not get no power. The night before when I popped in I noticed the electrician had put some of them quick release choc block things on the wires where the old sockets are with no electrical tape wrapped around and on the wall a note to the plasterer to fill in.

I thought at the time surly he must be wrapping them up and is that even allowed? Well I thought he knows what he is doing so will not say anything. Then last night I got a call from my parents that the electricity was tripping and they couldn't get anything to work. Obviously I knew straight away it is the plaster so talked them through the consumer unit and lo and behold it was the downstairs sockets tripping everything.

This to me has already raised a red flag that the electrician is a cowboy, red flag number two is he was supposed to come back last night to have a look but did not turn up so if it was not for them doing the box they would have had no electricity at all and been in the dark all night. Red flag number 3 is he told my parents this morning that this is a normal occurrence at houses like this. What on earth does that matter how old the house is, what stone it is made from etc. To me this is a cowboy.

Can anyone correct me or am I correct? Also is this normal practise to just plaster over live cables and cause tripping? As I highly doubt this is up to code.

Oh, all this was sorted out by B and Q, maybe that was their first mistake.

Thanks.

Yes you are correct.

Burying such joints in plaster is wrong - and wrapping in tape would not be the answer.

EFLImpudence said:

Yes you are correct.

Burying such joints in plaster is wrong - and wrapping in tape would not be the answer.

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Thanks for the reply.

What would be the proper way around this so I know what I am talking about.

To not remove the old socket.

If it was absolutely necessary to remove the socket, it should just have been replaced with a blank plate; leaving the connections in free air in the back box.

If the 'electrician' has left the back box in place then dig out the plaster before it gets really hard and fit a blank plate.

This from Wiki shows the safe zones, being able to see where a socket, switch, or blanking plate is defines the zones so to hide wires behind plaster normally means no longer in safe zone, normally a back box and a blanking plate is used so you can see likely route of cables.

Every installation shall be divided into circuits, as necessary, to:
(iii) take account of danger that may arise from the failure of a single circuit such as a lighting circuit
(iv) reduce the possibility of unwanted tripping of RCDs due to excessive protective conductor currents produced by equipment in normal operation

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If it is likely to trip, then the installation needs dividing more. In the main we get away with just two RCD's, but if the electrician admits it is likely to trip, then he is saying it needs splinting into more circuits. He has shot himself in the foot with that statement.

Any joint must need a tool or key to access, (except for ceiling rose) and two layers or reinforced insulation, but clearly it does need a tool to remove plaster, so not sure if one can pull him up on that.

Or - if extensive work has been done then new cables which could be buried should have been fitted, negating the need for joints, or if impossible then joints which can be buried used - soldered(properly) and insulated.

This, though, may leave the cable "not in a safe zone", i.e. in a position not indicated by the accessory(socket or blank plate).

dazzy1984 said:

Can anyone correct me or am I correct? Also is this normal practise to just plaster over live cables and cause tripping?

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You are correct.
Age of the property is irrelevant, plastering connectors directly into a wall isn't permitted and never was.
If the connections remain vertically or horizontally in line with another socket/switch, they could be placed into a suitable box/enclosure and plastered over but only if they are maintenance free. However far better to not have concealed connections, and in a kitchen refit with walls being replastered there is no reason for any concealed connections.

Tell the 'electrician' to never return and make a compliant to B&Q in writing.
Unfortunately you will have to find someone else to redo it properly, and that will involve checking everything, as it's entirely possible other work they have already done is wrong as well.

I'm afraid this person is not an electrician or an incompetent one if they are. There are only two ways of dealing with a socket that is no longer required: 1. Join through the cables with suitable connectors and fit a blank plate, if this isn't aesthetically pleasing then we move to option two. 2. The cables feeing the socket will need to be disconnected, assuming they go up the wall into the ceiling void the floor above will need to be lifted to access the cables, pull them back up (cut them if they wont pull up) and join back together with a suitable maintenance free joint, if lifting the floor isn't an option due to furniture or flooring then a hole will need to be cut in the ceiling directly above the socket to access the cables and cut/join them. That will leave some minor redecoration work but as you've already mentioned a plasterer is on site I really don't see why the "electrician" couldn't have done this, probably lazy and cutting corners by the sounds of it. The problem now is how confident in the work he's carried out are you? I'd suggest contacting B&Q and asking them to send another electrician or get them to agree covering the cost of your own electrician to check the standard of work and more importantly that it's safe!