adding a socket

[johnmf]

hi, few pointers please

am wanting to add a new double socket spurred from one on the ring main. the new one will be approx 4 metres away. the walls i have are plasterboard.

questions.

1, can i channel out in this plaster board and then drop the cable in there and replaster/polyfill? if so how deep does the channeling have to be?

2, rather than go straight horizontal to the next socket is it possible to run down from the socket and behind a skirting board with the cable (thus reducing the need to channel behind the skirting board)?

thanks

 

[philrosenberg]

Hi John
Unfortunately you can't run the cable behind the skirting. All hidden cabling must be run in "safe zones" These are areas directly vertical or horizontal from a fitting (socket, switch, etc) or within a certain distance of corners or ceilings (I can't remember the distance offhand I'm afraid). Floors don't count and corners by the way

Basically your options are to run it horizontally or if you have wooden floors and can lift a section you could run it down, under the floor and back up again. Alternatively if you have access above the ceiling you could run round that way instead, but I imagine this would be even more hassle.

 

[johnmf]

hi, the socket is a couple of inch above the skirting board. is it ok for the cable to run directly left (horizontally) onto the new socket then? a bit more channelling out but at least it will be right.

oh and how deep do i have to channel out? is it ok to then plaster the cable back in afterwards?

 

[breezer]

no you cant,

you cant channel out because palster board will be hollow behind it, and you should not paster over a cable.

no one says though you cant mount it in surface trunking, which you can then paint

 

[johnmf]

can it be run behind the plaster board? does it need additional protection if so?

whats the best way to do this then? really want to avoid surface trunking if poss.

 

[breezer]

you would have to remove the plasteboard to run it in the cavity and drill holes in the studwork.

surface tunking is easier and quicker

 

[con1_uk]

Hello sorry to steal the post.

________________________________
lynda, moderator

sorry to remove your post.

Please note forum rule 20. I could not split your post and have it make sense

 

[johnmf]

hi,

can anybody tell me if this cable route is accseptable?

the wall is plaster board with breeze block behind it. the new socket i want to put in is a few metres to the left of the socket on the ring on the same wall.

is it ok if i drop down from the first socket about 10 inch and behind the plaster board. the cable will be covered in capping (behind the plaster board). then out of the plaster board into surface trunking that runs into the next socket?

the reason for dropping down a bit is because doing so allows the surface trunking to go behind some units.

 

[johnmf]

anybody?