13amp sockets, height above floor.. No 10

[Harry Bloomfield]

Has anyone noticed - during the daily Corona Virus updates from No 10, as they walk into the room where the three podiums are, the wide shot? It shows a series of brass faced 13amp sockets, set in the skirting and awfully close to the floor.

 

[AndyPRK]

That’s normal for old buildings.
And permitted for existing sockets. Afaik

 

[Taylortwocities]

During those briefings, I am too busy concentrating on the wise words being presented by our leaders and their advisors. The quality of number 10’s electrics is not a concern

 

[plugwash]

It used to be common to mount sockets in or on skirting boards, The part M guidelines say sockets should be higher in new properties but for rewires of existing properties it's ok to replace the sockets in the original locations.

I found a high-res picture at https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/71df...at&fit=max&s=bd72a9692d0363d7291966ea463493cc and they don't look all that close to the floor to me. It certainly looks like you would get a regular rewirable 13A plug in there without undue stress on the cable, though you may have problems with some moulded plugs with oversized strain reliefs.

I remember my paternal grandparents had the sockets mounted upside down, because with the size of their skirting boards sockets the right way up you wouldn't have enough room for the cables.

 

[SUNRAY]

It used to be common to mount sockets in or on skirting boards, The part M guidelines say sockets should be higher in new properties but for rewires of existing properties it's ok to replace the sockets in the original locations.

I found a high-res picture at https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/71df...at&fit=max&s=bd72a9692d0363d7291966ea463493cc and they don't look all that close to the floor to me. It certainly looks like you would get a regular rewirable 13A plug in there without undue stress on the cable, though you may have problems with some moulded plugs with oversized strain reliefs.

I remember my paternal grandparents had the sockets mounted upside down, because with the size of their skirting boards sockets the right way up you wouldn't have enough room for the cables.

Now there's a novelty... Earth at the bottom.

To match most of Europe and America.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

That’s normal for old buildings.
And permitted for existing sockets. Afaik

Back in the midst of time (late 60/early 70's), when it was maybe acceptable to have sockets on skirtings - as a favour I did a rewire for a friend of his new to him home, which had the power isolated at the cut out. The local electricity board engineer inspected and refused to connect, unless the sockets were moved to above the skirtings.

 

[crystal ball]

I rewired a house in the mid eighties and the brief was all sockets (5 & 13 amp) to be flushed into skirtings, real PITA

 

[OwainDIYer]

I have skirting trunking in my lounge, it was easier than cutting out the wall for about 10 doubles, 3 quad data points, two phone points and 4 table light points. It'll be a bastard if I ever change the carpet though - the skirting went on over the existing carpet and gripper.

 

[securespark]

Back in the midst of time (late 60/early 70's),.....The local electricity board engineer inspected and refused to connect, unless the sockets were moved to above the skirtings.

In the North West, Norweb were still refusing to connect for obscure reasons in the 80's.

Many times they insisted on upgrading "undersized" bonding despite the fact that their own supply cables were "undersized".

 

[wundaboy]

I found a high-res picture at https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/71df...at&fit=max&s=bd72a9692d0363d7291966ea463493cc and they don't look all that close to the floor to me. It certainly looks like you would get a regular rewirable 13A plug in there without undue stress on the cable, though you may have problems with some moulded plugs with oversized strain reliefs.

At first glance I thought they were Crabtree flat plate but looking more closely I think it's something cheaper and nastier, like what you'd have found at Woolworths about 20 years ago.

 

[bernardgreen]

I remember my paternal grandparents had the sockets mounted upside down, because with the size of their skirting boards sockets the right way up you wouldn't have enough room for the cables.

A friend's house has the same arrangement in two of her rooms

 

[Tigercubrider]

My brother's house has sockets in the skirting. Victorian terrace- quite large. Loads of original features.
The plaster doesn't come down as afar as it does in my 50's house.

Presumably, like number 10, it started with surface mount switches and sockets, the sockets on the skirting.
Over time these will have been replaced with flush. Probably before the building was listed.

 

[JP_]

I've still got skirting boards with the faceplates on where sockets used to be.

 

[Risteard]

but for rewires of existing properties it's ok to replace the sockets in the original locations.

Not strictly true. The Wiring Regulations requires that the height be sufficient to prevent damage to the plug/flex from excess strain. They can't just go at existing heights if those heights are appallingly low.