Ease of Moving Plug Socket
- Thread starter AndyJ88
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Depends on a lot of things. Is it your house/flat to start with- if you're renting then don't even think about doing something like that.
And then your skill level and tools possessed come into play.
Assuming it is your place, the council method would be minitrunking round that buttress and spur off from the existing socket (assuming the socket is not already spurred from somewhere) to a surface mount socket in your new location. It'll look horrible but is easy.
Better method would be to get an SDS drill and a nice long 15mm masonry bit (500mm will be fine) and drill through from the back of the existing socket to where you want the new socket. Then either cut in a flush metal backbox or use a plastic surface box and again spur off the existing socket (assuming as above the socket isn't already spurred from somewhere).
Possible snag would be if that buttress is hiding a steel goalpost supporting the upper floors (that buttress looks typical for what is left when you take a dividing wall away) or if there's any pipework (unlikely) and/or other cabling in there- are there any lightswitches on the face where you want the new socket?
And then your skill level and tools possessed come into play.
Assuming it is your place, the council method would be minitrunking round that buttress and spur off from the existing socket (assuming the socket is not already spurred from somewhere) to a surface mount socket in your new location. It'll look horrible but is easy.
Better method would be to get an SDS drill and a nice long 15mm masonry bit (500mm will be fine) and drill through from the back of the existing socket to where you want the new socket. Then either cut in a flush metal backbox or use a plastic surface box and again spur off the existing socket (assuming as above the socket isn't already spurred from somewhere).
Possible snag would be if that buttress is hiding a steel goalpost supporting the upper floors (that buttress looks typical for what is left when you take a dividing wall away) or if there's any pipework (unlikely) and/or other cabling in there- are there any lightswitches on the face where you want the new socket?
Probably not trivial, primarily because of the need to find an acceptable route for the cable.
Is that laminate flooring? My real question is whether you can get under the floorboards (if, that is, it's not a solid floor), since that's probably where the cables to the existing socket come from.
Is the circuit in question protected by an RCD?
Kind Regards, John
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I definitely don't want to do any minitrunking, in my view it looks rubbish. SDS drill sounds like a good idea. How would I determine if there is a steel goalpost in the buttress? There are no light switches near the area.
You'd think someone with the cash to spare for tarty engineered flooring (or very thick laminate) AND the good taste to move the skirting boards up the wall rather than litter the place with nasty scotia fillets would have been less shabby with the AV cabling. All that stuff down in the gap looks like CAT5, coax and speaker cable- not the best place to put them but not dangerous.
Easiest way to see what's in your wall is to chip off a bit of the plaster (behind the skirting board)- if all you see is brick then you're pretty safe. Also have a look round the corner, see if there are any cables coming up from under the floor in line with where you want your new socket (in one of your pics of the existing socket I think you can see some white T & E coming up- presumably serving that socket).
The RCD question is important- is that circuit fed via an RCD or RCBO? If not then you aren't allowed to add any buried cabling to that circuit.
You also need to determine whether the circuit feeding that socket is a radial or ring final- if ring final then you need to determine whether that socket is part of the ring or a spur off the ring.
Easiest way to see what's in your wall is to chip off a bit of the plaster (behind the skirting board)- if all you see is brick then you're pretty safe. Also have a look round the corner, see if there are any cables coming up from under the floor in line with where you want your new socket (in one of your pics of the existing socket I think you can see some white T & E coming up- presumably serving that socket).
The RCD question is important- is that circuit fed via an RCD or RCBO? If not then you aren't allowed to add any buried cabling to that circuit.
You also need to determine whether the circuit feeding that socket is a radial or ring final- if ring final then you need to determine whether that socket is part of the ring or a spur off the ring.
.. and nor are you allowed to add a 'new' socket, which I suspect this moved one would qualify as.
Indeed - but even if it is a spur off a ring final, the situation would become no different if the cable were extended to the new socket (the old one being removed) - although, strictly speaking, one should confirm that the existing socket is not already 'a spur from a spur' (which it should not have been in the first place).
Kind Regards, John
Also true, especially as I would not get rid of the old one- can never have too many 13A sockets
Ah yes, you're quite right if he does move the existing socket. I had it in my head to add a new one. Soz for causing confusion
Just to confirm I intend on putting a fireplace where the old one is, so would be moving rather than placing a new one. As I am just moving I assume this is just about figuring out how to get the exiting wiring to the new location.
Good suggestion with the drill through the wall. I assume for that to walk the existing wires would have to be long enough otherwise I’d have to extend?
Good suggestion with the drill through the wall. I assume for that to walk the existing wires would have to be long enough otherwise I’d have to extend?
It's extremely unlikely that the existing cable(s) (there could be two) would be long enough to reach the new position, so 'extension' (or renewal) would undoubtedly be necessary. However, that could be a problem if you are going to install a fireplace right up to the wall where the present socket is - is that the plan? If so, your only course might be to get the floor up and re-route the cable(s) from there, since any joint at the location of the present socket would probably have to remain 'accessible'.
Kind Regards, John
Moving or adding - buried cables still need RCD protection.
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I thought the rcd protection to the wires was only needed if less than 50mm? But I may have got confused with the requirement to be in safe zones if less than 50mm deep.
Either way the socket needs.
Either way the socket needs.
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Nothing is ever as easy as you expect! But with the right approach you can learn a lot. Just don't take any risks with electricity (or gas)
It does, but cables buried 50mm or more deep are so rare that when people talk about "buried cables", they almost always mean "<50mm".
I think you're slightly confused. In order to avoid the need for earthed armour/sheath (or mechanical protection, like steel conduit), a cable buried <50mm has to have RCD protection AND be in a safe zone. Ordinary unprotected cables buried <50mm are not allowed at all outside of 'safe zones', even if RCD protected.
Indeed. As I said, even if one 'moved' the socket (removing the existing one), I think that many/most people would feel that had to be regarded as a 'new socket' (hence needing RCD protection).
Kind Regards, John
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