Crimping and heat shrink

[wired]

Hi, I need to move a consumer unit and so extend all the cables by about 2 metres. Is crimping and heat shrinking the acceptable way to do this rather than using junction boxes?

I'm assuming I need to heat shrink over the crimp and inner insulation and then heat shrink the outer insulation as well??

Any advice would be welcome.

 

[ricicle]

Properly made crimp joints with heat shrink over is the way to go when extending cables that are likely to be inaccessible eventually.

 

[plugwash]

If you use insulated crimps then there is no need to heatshrink the individual conductors, just one layer of heatshrink over the whole joint to restore the sheath.

 

[briwire]

You could ask 10 electricians this question and get 10 different answers.

My own personal view is to avoid joints if possible, but if I had to, I would use the standard junction boxes of the correct rating. My reason is that the two conductors to be joined are in direct contact with each other along approximately 10mm where they are clamped in the screw terminal, whereas with a crimp you have two mating surfaces and the two conductors don't actually touch.

Also if I could avoid a joint, I would pull the cable back, add extra sockets and then wire from them to the new CU.

There's nothing wrong with crimps if they are done properly with a rachet type crimper NOT the cheapo type bought for about £2.

Thats my personal view anyway.

 

[RF Lighting]

The few CUs that I have had to move where rewiring / rerouting the outgoing cables was not feasable, I installed an adaptable box fitted with a length of DIN rail, and apropriatly rated DIN rail connectors.

 

[briwire]

Thats a good alternative. If there is an RS trade counter nearby I would recommend the Entrelec range. You can get a variety of sizes and things like spacers. If you know an industrial electrician, ask him, he will probably have loads of them knocking around.

 

[Lectrician]

Heat shrink and crimps in my opinion is a complete bodge.

I hate seeing one joint done like this, let alone a dozen.

I few JB's in a bungalows loft is what I would prefer to see.......I know this may not be a bungalow.........but TBH I would still prefer to JB's under a floor!

 

[DESL]

The few CUs that I have had to move where rewiring / rerouting the outgoing cables was not feasable, I installed an adaptable box fitted with a length of DIN rail, and apropriatly rated DIN rail connectors.

By far the neatest and most professional way of extending cabling.
All joints in one location and numbered to coincide with cct numbering on CU & cct schedule.

 

[festa]

few JB's in a bungalows loft is what I would prefer to see.......I know this may not be a bungalow.........but TBH I would still prefer to JB's under a floor!

JB`s under a floor?

 

[GaryMo]

few JB's in a bungalows loft is what I would prefer to see.......I know this may not be a bungalow.........but TBH I would still prefer to JB's under a floor!

JB`s under a floor?

The void between the ground floor ceiling and first floor.

Either way, inaccessible junction boxes with screwed terminals are not acceptable under BS7671.
I know what you're saying though