fitting a double gang socket to a desk back panel

[Paul205]

Hi All,

I am installing a desk with drawer unit in a bedroom.

The desk and drawer unit are bespoke and will be permanently secured against a wall which has skirting board at the base. Between the desk and the floor, there will be an 18mm MDF back panel. However, as I cannot remove the skirting board, I propose to leave the skirting board in place and space the 18mm MDF back panel away from the wall by 15mm where it meets the underside of the desk. There will therefore be a 15mm 'air gap' between the MDF back panel and the wall.

If I wanted to fit a super sleek double gang socket onto the front face of the MDF back panel, how would I typically go about this in terms of what type of backbox to use etc. The double gang socket will be fed by a new 2.5mm T&E run horizontally from an adjacent existing socket. The cabling could be buried in the wall in conduit, buried in the wall without conduit, could be secured to the wall with clips or surface mounted in trunking.

Many thanks

 

[chivers67]

So if I'm reading this correctly you can install a normal back box that's 25mm deep (33mm) or chase out some plaster to use a deeper 35mm box? Bury it as long as it's in an obvious safe zone place it in metal conduit if it's not so it's mechanically protected, surface mounted trunking will look ****.

Cut out the right rectangular size in the MDF and attached the back box to the wall the gap will not be apparent as the socket will be over it.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

If I wanted to fit a super sleek double gang socket onto the front face of the MDF back panel, how would I typically go about this in terms of what type of backbox to use etc. The double gang socket will be fed by a new 2.5mm T&E run horizontally from an adjacent existing socket. The cabling could be buried in the wall in conduit, buried in the wall without conduit, could be secured to the wall with clips or surface mounted in trunking.

If you have a nearby wall socket already, why not just install a multi-outlet extension, fixed to that MDF, and plugged into the socket?

 

[EFLImpudence]

Bury it as long as it's in an obvious safe zone. Place it in metal conduit if it's not so it's mechanically protected,

Such conduit would need to be earthed so not worth the bother doing it that way.

 

[Paul205]

So if I'm reading this correctly you can install a normal back box that's 25mm deep (33mm) or chase out some plaster to use a deeper 35mm box? Bury it as long as it's in an obvious safe zone place it in metal conduit if it's not so it's mechanically protected, surface mounted trunking will look ****.

I have been considering this yes (but didnt want to lead in the original post).

 

[Paul205]

If you have a nearby wall socket already, why not just install a multi-outlet extension, fixed to that MDF, and plugged into the socket?

I am beginning to think this will be easiest, perhaps with the multi-outlet extension secured to the backboard close to the underside of the desk

 

[JohnD]

IMO, with furniture that is movable, plugging a multiway into the wall is the best option.

When you want to move the desk, just unplug it.

 

[Paul205]

the furniture wont be moveable, it will be secured to the wall

 

[JohnD]

Oh yes.

 

[plugwash]

Does the back panel need to be *exactly* 15mm from the wall? I'd be tempted to space it out just a little bit more so a 35mm box would fit flush with the panell surface without digging into the wall.

Given the nature of the materials involved I would want to keep any gap between socket front and back box to an absolute minimum.

 

[Paul205]

Does the back panel need to be *exactly* 15mm from the wall? I'd be tempted to space it out just a little bit more so a 35mm box would fit without digging into the wall.

Nope it doesnt have to be exactly 15mm. I could space it a bit more to use a 35mm box surface mounted to the wall.

On the subject of cable routing from the existing socket to the new sockets, I assume I have two options which are I could bury the cabling in the wall bringing the cable into the backbox through a knockout in the rear of the backbox or alternatively, tack the cable to the wall (in the void between the back panel and the wall) bringing the cable into the backbox through the a knockout in the side of the backbox?

On a slightly different issue, the existing socket and the new socket are at the same height from the floor but on a different wall (both being 120mm from the same corner). Bearing in mind they are on different walls are they still within a 'safe zone'

 

[EFLImpudence]

On a slightly different issue, the existing socket and the new socket are at the same height from the floor but on a different wall (both being 120mm from the same corner). Bearing in mind they are on different walls are they still within a 'safe zone'

Yes, because each cable is horizontal from a socket on a wall and also because within 150mm from a corner is also a (so-called) safe zone.

 

[Paul205]

OK people so I am getting there, if I can summarise I believe I can either:-

1. Fit an extension lead to the existing socket and sit back and have a cup of tea or

2. From the existing socket, run a new 2.5mm T&E buried in the wall horizontally into the corner, run horizontally out of the same corner and buried in the other wall where it can exit the wall. It can then pass through a knockout in the rear of the new backbox. The new backbox can be surface mounted and the backbox can protrude forwards through the air gap created by the skirting board and spacing piece, through the thickness of the backboard where I can then screw the socket front into the backbox