chase along wall (not up or down)??

[andy2k7]

I have one double socket in my living room, 40cm from floor. The wall is brick. I don't want to chase down the wall or up the wall. Can i chase along the wall 2 metres to my new socket that will also be set at 40cm from floor?

 

[JohnD]

yes, you can run horizontaly, in a straight line, between two accessories at the same hight.

no curves or diagonals.

 

[DESL]

Horizontal chases should be no deeper than one-sixth of the wall thickness

 

[andy2k7]

Another question. On my kitchen worktop i only have one socket. I want to put one other side of my worktop 3 metres away at same height but don't want to chase up or down. Can i do that?

 

[JohnD]

It's the same question and the same answer(s)

 

[Spark123]

Please note that adding a socket in a kitchen is notifiable to your LABC under part P of the building regs.

 

[andy2k7]

what does LABC mean?

 

[Spark123]

Local area building control.

 

[DESL]

Local Authority Building Control - sorry to be a pedant!!

 

[andy2k7]

Does that mean the council?

 

[Spark123]

Yeah, basically the part of your council which looks after building regs etc. You can either notify them, pay a fee and let them oversee compliance with the building regs or get someone who is a member of a competent person scheme such as NAPIT, ELECSA, BSI, ECA, NICEIC etc to do the work and self certify compliance with the building regs.

 

[andy2k7]

its my own house and ive been told that i shouldnt need to contact the council because im within the zones?

 

[Kes]

Another question. On my kitchen worktop i only have one socket. I want to put one other side of my worktop 3 metres away at same height but don't want to chase up or down. Can i do that?

Yes, but you have to weigh up the odds that anyone in the future could attempt to make a fixture to the wall (quite common in kitchens) which could be four or five feet away from the sockets, and consider it quite safe to do so. Anyone fixing a rack to the wall is not expected, and cannot be assumed, to know any electrical regs.

Personally I would always go the up and down route where there's any significant gap, despite the additional effort, as I think that this would be more 'obvious' to the average DIYer. But then I'm not an electrician, but I do care about people suffering.

Rgds.

 

[Spark123]

Adding a socket in a kitchen is a notifiable activity, have a read here: "Guidance to Approved Document P.

 

[jezstix]

also words of more warnings your'e new socket cannot be within 300mm of the sink that includes the draining board jez