Fcu with flex outlet at the top

[newrick1962]

Anyone know where I might find one of these?
I only see ones with flex outlet at the bottom or front.
Or do I just stick one upside down?

 

[Taylortwocities]

I never did see such a thing. I would not mount the FCU upside down. Why not run your flex into the back box itself from the top?

As an aside, why do you need to do this? Just curious as there may be another solution.

 

[JohnW2]

Why not run your flex into the back box itself from the top?

If it's a 'sunken' box, it might be difficult to make a neat job of getting the flex out of the wall. There might also be some difficulty with strain relief for the flex.

Indeed, if one were going to have to address the strain relief issue, anyway, and if one were not too frightened of working with that wretched material, one could theoretically create a 'top outlet' hole oneself.

Kind Regards, John

 

[newrick1962]

Thank you both for the replies.
I'm going to install led strips under the kitchen wall cabinets.
There's a double socket I can spur from to the fcu but the flex to connect to the led driver needs to go up from the fcu.
Just neater than going down and around.

I think creating my own outlet hole sounds like a good option.

 

[JohnW2]

I think creating my own outlet hole sounds like a good option.

If you are very careful and use sharp tools, it's quite easy - but the problem is that the material (some sort of urea-formaldehyde resin, I think) is very brittle and cracks/shatters very easily. The best method is with a very high speed rotary tool but, with care, it can be done with a hacksaw and file(s) (or just files).

However, as I've said, if you do this you will have to find some way of providing strain relief for the flex.

Kind Regards, John

 

[securespark]

Installing from scratch would not be an issue as you could fit a stuffing gland.

But I appreciate, if it is already plastered, tiled etc, that presents eine kleine problem!

 

[JohnW2]

Installing from scratch would not be an issue as you could fit a stuffing gland. But I appreciate, if it is already plastered, tiled etc, that presents eine kleine problem!

I have been assuming (perhaps wrongly) that we're talking about a flush-mounted FCU and that the OP is proposing to form an additional flex exit provision in the top edge of the faceplate - which, if true, offers no opportunities to use a stuffing gland.

To achieve strain relief, he will presumable either have to clamp something around the flex within the box or (dare I suggest), if the flex is thin enough, knot it within the box!

Kind Regards, John

 

[JohnW2]

Deleted - quoted instead of edited again!

 

[AndyPRK]

My solution as I didn't want a loop of cable.



A file. Hard work though.

 

[securespark]

I was going to say, depending on the design of the FCU, it may be possible to enter the flex at the top and still use the cable clamp on the unit.

 

[JohnW2]

I was going to say, depending on the design of the FCU, it may be possible to enter the flex at the top and still use the cable clamp on the unit.

Conceivably - but with virtually all I've seen, the flex would have do do a rather violent U-turn - which would have some people shouting about 'bending radius'

Kind Regards, John

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Just neater than going down and around.

And nowhere near as neat as not having any visible cables.