Electrical outlets under the floor?

[jmwhooper]

Under my house is a void about 4ft high, accessible through a trapdoor and some steps down.

I'm looking to relocate some electrical equipment currently in a cupboard in a spareroom (which soon won't be spare for much longer) and I'm struggling for a new location.

So I wondered if it's allowed for me to construct a cabinet in this void and get some electrical outlets run on their own circuit from the consumer unit located a few metres away.

All the wiring to the current cupboard (low voltage network, speaker cables, coaxial, telephone) runs past the corner under the floor where I could build the new cabinet, so the location would be ideal and accessible through the trapdoor.

The equipment is a network switch & patch panel, couple of pc's, an 8 way tv ariel box and a multiroom amplifier. I rarely need to physically touch them now so from that point of view hiding them away isn't too much of an issue, I can always go under the floor if i need to access them.

So is this against any regs?

 

[rebuke]

I don't know specifically of any regulations it would be against, the only thing that would come to mind as possible is the fire regulations, since if the equipment caught fire, you might not know about it until the house collapses.

A way of mitigating this would be to install a mains linked smoke alarm, the regulations might require something a bit more strict though (I've done work in a theatre where we keep electrical equipment in similar style voids, but they have a full fire alarm system, and are regularly inspected by the fire officer etc).

In terms of putting them on their own mains circuit, note that adding a new circuit is notifiable under Part P, so if you are going to do it yourself you would have to notify your LABC in advance - alternatively if you get an electrician in to do it, as long as they're a member of a Part P competent person scheme they should be able to self certify. See the wiki for more info...

 

[oharaf]

A good question this one.

There is clearly access for 'Inspection' I would be looking to have a point of Isolation in the room above the 'void' as well.

Rebukes Idea of a linked smoke alarm I think is an excellent idea, I would also be thinking about emergency lighting under there as well.

It may be pertinent to consult your LABC and determine what they require in such a case.

 

[jmwhooper]

Ah good, I wasn't sure if I'd be laughed at for such a crazy idea but it sounds like it's worth investigating further.

I was thinking while down there of adding some lighting anyway and a smoke alarm is a good idea. I could isolate the sockets from the consumer unit by tripping the breaker, or would it be an idea to add a further isolation point, the CU is only a few meters away under the stairs?

At least my electrician won't laugh at me and tell me it's impossible

I'll see what I can find out and post back here when I discover what needs to be done.

 

[JohnD]

I would have thought a 20A radial would be suitable. Then you could have a 20A DP isolator in the plant room, near the access hatch, to cut off everything (in which case you need an emergency lamp under there as well). You could also have one upstairs so you could turn it all off if the smoke detector went off. Have neons and clear labelling.

It would be a good idea to put the circuit on its own RCBO in the CU so that some faults will trip it and cut the power (including water or rodent damage)

You might also consider putting the stuff in the loft. People often put furniture, carpets and laminated floors over access traps in floors.