Buried wiring

[fatty]

What are the rules on burying electrical cables behind plasterboard and skirting boards?

1) Are you allowed to have cables running horizontally behind plasterboard?
2) Are you allowed to run cables at floor level behind skirting boards?
3) Are you allowed to run cables vertically from both floor up and ceiling down in the same room?

Thanks very much.

 

[Adam_151]

http://www.niceic.org.uk/downloads/concealedcables.pdf

 

[fatty]

Thanks for the quick response. So, as I understand this link, cables can be run either horizontally or vertically to a point (but with no direction change). Cables can run from the top down or the bottom up.

It doesn't mention anything about cables behind skirting boards. Does that mean your not allowed?

Cheers.

 

[EddieCurrent]

Hi Fatty !

'Protection' is required if the cables are less than 50mm from surface,(eg: earthed metal capping)
There are various 'zones' that can be used, I dont have a 'link' to show you these. ( maybe somebody here does ! ).

Cabling can run horizontally within 150mm of the top of the wall or partition, or vertically within 150mm of the angle formed between two walls.
Cabling can also run horizontally or vertically to an accessory etc.

Behind the skirting is not in a 'zone'.

Yes , you can run cables vertically, ( so long as they are within the above 'zones', from both floor up, and ceiling down in the same room.

I do hope this helps.

Maybe someone here will give you a 'link' to a diagram which will make it clearer !!!

Cheers.

 

[EddieCurrent]

Doh, Ad beat me to it !!!
sorry,

 

[fatty]

Thanks guys. Your comments are very much appreciated.

I'm asking because I have a new flat screen LCD telly and want it to hang on the wall with no evidence of cables.

My initial plan was to change an existing socket for a fused switch and run the TV power cable behind the plasterboard from the TV down the wall, along the floor behind the skirting board and then up the wall to the new fused switch. I'm guessing that's bad.

What if I install the fused switch and then run an extended TV cable from the fused switch up the wall then across the wall within 150 mm of the ceiling and then down the wall to the telly? Would that be allowed?

Are there any other suggestions on how to do this?

 

[Welstead]

ttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt

 

[EddieCurrent]

Welstead,

For what its worth, can you not spend £17.00 (amazon) on an 'On Site Guide' IEE Regs ?????

I am sure that it will cover most of the subjects that you need, and will prove invaluable to you.

No unwanted book tokens, or left over beer tokens from x-mas ????

 

[fatty]

Any other thoughts on how I might wire up my telly?

 

[JohnD]

I think you've had all the information. However many times you ask you will not get any more.

If you have a visible wiring accessory in the wall (such as a switch or FCU) you can run cables directly vertically or horizontally to it.

You can't run cables behind a skirting board. But you can run them in the safe zones.

You can run cables buried in a wall anywhere you like as long as they are at least 50mm below both surfaces (but the wall may fall down) or if they are protected by an earthed metalic barrier.

So basically you can run the cables up from the floor or down from the ceiling provided you are going to and/or from a visible accessory.

 

[fatty]

Wonderful. Thank you.