Extending Heated Towel Rail Element Flex

[pertinky]

Hey guys,

Titles probably a bit misleading...but I've attached a few pictures to move things along

For some unfathomable reason we asked the sparky to put the spur for the towel rail behind the door. After tiling its painfully obvious there is no way to fit it there. I probably should have realised before I grouted, but cest la vie twas my first attempt at a bathroom.

IMG_20151026_072158820

• pertinky
• 26 Oct 2015

I'd like to move it to the other side of the door but the element flex is nowhere near long enough. What I thought would be better, would be to leave the existing spur, run some new flex under the door, and locate a new spur outside the bathroom on the otherside of the wall where the rail would be located. Fortunately I havent replaced the threshold yet so taking it up will give me access.

IMG_20151026_072143958

• pertinky
• 26 Oct 2015

Sounds like a reasonable plan. Any precautions with regards to zoning, and how I run the cable? As I've tiled and grouted it would have to go across to the door frame, down and under.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

Well you have to route the cables within the permitted safety zones.
//www.diynot.com/wiki/Electrics:walls

And the cable in floor void would require to be routed, so to prevent damage and also comply to building regulation part A, as will any chases within walls,
//www.diynot.com/wiki/Electrics:route

I assume everything else complies to the related regulations?

 

[EFLImpudence]

Under the threshold is a bad idea.

What are the walls made of? Is loft above?

 

[pertinky]

Well you have to route the cables within the permitted safety zones.
//www.diynot.com/wiki/Electrics:walls

And the cable in floor void would require to be routed, so to prevent damage and also comply to building regulation part A, as will any chases within walls,
//www.diynot.com/wiki/Electrics:route

I assume everything else complies to the related regulations?

Yup its all certified - it just needs moving without tearing our tiles!

 

[pertinky]

Under the threshold is a bad idea.

What are the walls made of? Is loft above?

Where the current spur is, dot and dab onto blockwork, other side of the door is the rubbish council house egg box walls. Yup theres a space up there.

 

[EFLImpudence]

other side of the door is the rubbish council house egg box walls. Yup theres a space up there.

There you go. Straight down to new Position.

 

[pertinky]

other side of the door is the rubbish council house egg box walls. Yup theres a space up there.

There you go. Straight down to new Position.

Definitely seems like a more sensible option, although it'll mean chasing out and plastering over afterwards. What about the existing spur - just go straight up the wall?

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

Definitely seems like a more sensible option, although it'll mean chasing out and plastering over afterwards. What about the existing spur - just go straight up the wall?

Straight up, yes! If they are paramount boards, then it would be possible to route cable with little chasing and damage to walls.

 

[sparkwright]

Out of interest, is the 'spur' contolled by a switch or timer somewhere, perhaps outside of the bathroom?

Just making sure, as you don't want that 'spur' to be live all the time, as it means the towel rail will always be on.

It's never a good idea to have a switch in the bathroom if you can help it, even if it is allowed, and it's not in a particularly convenient place to have to reach to turn it on and off.

 

[sparkwright]

Is there space to move the towel rail to the left of where the spur currently is? I'm guessing not.

 

[sparkwright]

If you can lengthen the flex, it may save a lot of effort to use trunking all round the door frame. D line trunking is curved and quite nice looking and could blend in with architrave reasonably well. Would save the threshold problem.

If you use flex from the current spur, when you get to the other side you may be able to flush another box into the wall for another spur or flex outlet. This would solve the short flex problem.

The new spur could be placed on the landing to save cutting a square hole in the tiles. With it on the landing, this may make a good place to fit a switch or timer if you don't already have one.

I think some nice trunking would save a lot of work, and could be painted to match the architrave more.

Looking at your pictures, there's not much room for trunking on the bathroom side - so landing may be easier - however this isn't going to match your other door frames well, is it? So perhaps not a good idea...

 

[securespark]

What's on the other side of the wall where the existing outlet is?

You could take a cable through the box to the other side then up the wall into the loft, across then down into the Paramount.

The only FITO is that you'd need to put a box in line with the cable on the other side of the wall to show its presence.


You could drill through the RHS of the box through to the landing and do as above.

Depends which wall would be easier to patch up.


Alternatively, is the cable to the outlet in the bathroom accessible from under the landing floor?

Cut it off there, extend it to the LHS of the bathroom door (on landing side) put switch/ timer there then drill through for flex outlet on the other side.

 

[sparkwright]

Any other power sources on the landing just the other side of where you now want to put the towel rail?

Looks like the stairs are there.

Is there a light switch there, which may assist in your cable route?

Any power at the bottom of stairs?

A trunking on the top of that diagonal skirting board where the stairs are (can't remember the proper name, is it the strings/stringer?) may not look so bad.

 

[pertinky]

Out of interest, is the 'spur' contolled by a switch or timer somewhere, perhaps outside of the bathroom?

Just making sure, as you don't want that 'spur' to be live all the time, as it means the towel rail will always be on.

It's never a good idea to have a switch in the bathroom if you can help it, even if it is allowed, and it's not in a particularly convenient place to have to reach to turn it on and off.

It's a switched spur

Is there space to move the towel rail to the left of where the spur currently is? I'm guessing not.

Nah theres not enough depth between the tile surface and the back of the door. Wouldnt be convenient

The new spur could be placed on the landing to save cutting a square hole in the tiles. With it on the landing, this may make a good place to fit a switch or timer if you don't already have one.

I think this is definately what I should be aiming for, putting a spur on the landing. It's figuring out how best to get it there form the current spur position!

What's on the other side of the wall where the existing outlet is?

You could take a cable through the box to the other side then up the wall into the loft, across then down into the Paramount.

The only FITO is that you'd need to put a box in line with the cable on the other side of the wall to show its presence.


You could drill through the RHS of the box through to the landing and do as above.

Depends which wall would be easier to patch up.


Alternatively, is the cable to the outlet in the bathroom accessible from under the landing floor?

Cut it off there, extend it to the LHS of the bathroom door (on landing side) put switch/ timer there then drill through for flex outlet on the other side.

4 inch blockwork into the other bedroom!

Think patching up the ceiling would be more hassle than its worth, although routing it would be *easier* if I had access. Straight up to the loft would be more practical I think

Any other power sources on the landing just the other side of where you now want to put the towel rail?

Looks like the stairs are there.

Is there a light switch there, which may assist in your cable route?

Any power at the bottom of stairs?

A trunking on the top of that diagonal skirting board where the stairs are (can't remember the proper name, is it the strings/stringer?) may not look so bad.

Theres a light switch for the bathroom so its already partially *channelled*

Funnily enough directly underneath the top of the stairs is a set of sockets. I would say its pretty much inline with where the light switch is

 

[sparkwright]

How easy to lift a floorboard or two on the landing and get a cable from somewhere and fit the spur on the landing?