cables behind skirtings

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Unless you missed an important fact such as your skirting boards run along the top of the wall, or the cables are running more than 50mm deep, or the cables in question don't come under bs7671, your installation does not comply with modern regs.
I wonder what he is going on about?

I think that the rest of us (and maybe even he) can probably agree that, in the absence of accessories at that level, 'horizontal' cables behind a skirting board which are above finished floor level are not in a 'safe zone', so if they are T+E etc., they are not compliant - so I wonder what he is talking about?

I have already suggested that if they are below FFL (i.e. just beside the edge of the flooring, and probably actually below the skirting) they may well not strictly count as being "in a wall", and hence may not be subject to regs about cables concealed in walls. As I've said, the paucity of regs about "cables in floors" may mean that some people would argue that such an arrangement would be compliant (although, in my opinion, poor/iffy practice!) - so is that perhaps what he is thinking about?

Kind Regards, John
 
I wonder what he is going on about?
My theory is that he is being, as usual, a pointless, destructive, time wasting little troll, probably because he is sad, and riven by (justifiable) feelings of inadequacy.
 
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Alright Watson, what makes you so sure you can run (t+e for example) horizontally behind skirting boards?

We all know it may be tempting or convenient, and it may SEEM unlikely anyone could nail there once the place is built. Skirting boards may even look like some sort of trunking/boxing/capping. But is this acceptable practice?

Why do you persist in thinking this is acceptable?
 
Alright Watson, what makes you so sure you can run (t+e for example) horizontally behind skirting boards?

We all know it may be tempting or convenient, and it may SEEM unlikely anyone could nail there once the place is built. Skirting boards may even look like some sort of trunking/boxing/capping. But is this acceptable practice?

Why do you persist in thinking this is acceptable?

Because non of you can explain whats wrong with doing it, except for continually saying the regs don't allow it, and remember it is quite common to drop down from a socket to the under floor by passing behind the skirting.

I am not for accepting regulations that make no sense especially when dreamt up buy a group of people that seem mainly interested in creating new regs in order to sell more books. Whilst ignoring gaping inadequacies in materials used in domestic work.

This from an earlier post -First you have to accept that the UK has a crap domestic T&E wiring system. The only reliable method of terminating cables in metal boxes is to rely on the plaster holding the cables in place. In the absense of plaster in a partition wall there are no cable fixings, in fact the only fixed part is the cable L N and E connections. So there is a great possibility of the steel box cutting into the inner and outer cable sheath, and that is why the boxes should be permanently connected to earth with flying leads to face plates.

Also, if the main earth connection is made to the face plate, the connection to the steel box (and remaining parts of the circuit) will be broken when the plate is removed. And that is how the live steel box could kill someone.

Fixing screws used as earth connections are a dangerous nonsense.

Read more: https://www.diynot.com/diy/threads/metal-light-switch.496027/page-2#ixzz54ZHL8HfA
 
Because non of you can explain whats wrong with doing it, except for continually saying the regs don't allow it, and remember it is quite common to drop down from a socket to the under floor by passing behind the skirting.

I am not for accepting regulations that make no sense especially when dreamt up buy a group of people that seem mainly interested in creating new regs in order to sell more books. Whilst ignoring gaping inadequacies in materials used in domestic work.

This from an earlier post -First you have to accept that the UK has a crap domestic T&E wiring system. The only reliable method of terminating cables in metal boxes is to rely on the plaster holding the cables in place. In the absense of plaster in a partition wall there are no cable fixings, in fact the only fixed part is the cable L N and E connections. So there is a great possibility of the steel box cutting into the inner and outer cable sheath, and that is why the boxes should be permanently connected to earth with flying leads to face plates.

Also, if the main earth connection is made to the face plate, the connection to the steel box (and remaining parts of the circuit) will be broken when the plate is removed. And that is how the live steel box could kill someone.

Fixing screws used as earth connections are a dangerous nonsense.

Read more: https://www.diynot.com/diy/threads/metal-light-switch.496027/page-2#ixzz54ZHL8HfA

None of that tells us why it's acceptable to run t+e horizontally behind a skirting board.
 
None of that tells us why it's acceptable to run t+e horizontally behind a skirting board.
Indeed. There seems to be a lack of understanding of the difference between 'horizontal' and 'vertical', and also of the 'safe zones' created by accessories.

Kind Regards, John
 
I can help clear that up if there's anyone in doubt.

Cables can be run behind skirting boards where they pass THROUGH a safe zone.
 
And second you have to accept that the UK has a crap expert evaluator of domestic T&E wiring system.

Agreed, but the situation has been around since the decline in use of lead sheathed cabling, about 80 years ago. Do you think it's the same bloke?
 
I can help clear that up if there's anyone in doubt.
Only one person, I think, but nevertheless I'm grateful to you ...
Cables can be run behind skirting boards where they pass THROUGH a safe zone.

I have brought this thread to the attention of the mods. Whilst a lot which comes from the same source is just annoying, I think that, in this DIY forum, it is totally inappropriate for someone to be advocating a wiring practice which is clearly non-compliant with BS7671 and also potentially dangerous, since at least some DIYers would not know any better.

Kind Regards, John
 
I think that, in this DIY forum, it is totally inappropriate for someone to be advocating a wiring practice which is clearly non-compliant with BS7671 and also potentially dangerous, since at least some DIYers would not know any better.

I'm not advocating anything, I'm asking why it is so, and the only response I get is "because the regs say so". None of you are able to give a reasonable explanation as to why.

Seems you're too used to telling your argumentative kids "because I say so" without any other explanation.
 

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