Getting New Wiring Upstairs

[Adam1st]

I'm assisting a qualified electrician to do a complete house re-wire, by pre-lifting floorboards, chasing walls, etc. (all the grunt work!). I'd like to re-locate the CU, which is low down and difficult to get to under the stair cupboard. The house is an ex-council property, built about 1960. I'd like advice please on: 1. difficulty of running longer tails from the meter in order to shift the CU; and 2. what's typically the easiest route up to the first floor for all the cable runs (ground floor is concrete). I am assuming that pulling through using existing cable will be impossible, and that most of this will be left in situ but dis-connected. Many thanks.

 

[ColJack]

trunking from the CU up to ceiling height..
if you don't like that look then you could always stud out the wall so there's a 50mm gap up to the ceiling..

where would you move the CU to and how far would the run be?

where's your meter in relation to the CU? this can't be moved by anyone but the DNO..

if you leave the wires in the wall then you have to chase in new wires anyway so might as well pull the old ones out and re-use the chases.. saves filling in the socket backboxes at least..

with any luck there's capping and you might stand a chance of pulling the cables out..

 

[ban-all-sheds]

1. difficulty of running longer tails from the meter in order to shift the CU;

There shouldn't be any difficulty concerns, but there are distance limits to consider, and maybe the use of SWA instead of tails.

Discuss it with your electrician - he'll know.

2. what's typically the easiest route up to the first floor for all the cable runs (ground floor is concrete).

There are so many possibilities, and it's much easier for someone actually there to decide what's best.

Discuss it with your electrician - he's actually there.

I am assuming that pulling through using existing cable will be impossible, and that most of this will be left in situ but dis-connected.

You need to sort that out with your electrician before you start chasing walls etc.

Discuss it with him - he's actually there and can see whether new cables can be pulled through or not.

 

[Adam1st]

Grateful thanks to ColJack and ban-all-sheds for your replies. Much appreciated. The electrican is away on holiday for two weeks, and I was hoping to complete the first and second fix ahead of his coming in to do the 'qualified bit' at the CU - connection and testing.
I'm inclined to create a "stud wall" panel above the new CU to run cables up (thanks ColJack). A new problem though: on closer inspection, there's no earth bonding! I'm used to seeing a 10mm or 16mm cpc from the main power cable to the CU. There's steel amour around the former, but no cpc. How should this be created please? Cheers.

 

[1john]

You need your DNO to provide a connection point for you, or do you have a TT supply. your electrician will be most annoyed if you complete first and second fixed before he returns without being able to see any of it he cant sign anything off. all of that work is the 'qualified bit'. If someone is stupid enough to sign off work they havent completed or even had the chance to inspect or connect up then do you trust them to test the installation properly, can you rely on a dishonest person to ensure what you have done is safe and wont kill anyone?? It's the equivalent of me going out drink driving and using your car and giving your details to anyone that needs to know after anything that happens! There are electricians in jail for manslaughter due to neglegence, why would anyone sign a document that can be used in a court of law to state that electical work that they have not done is their work and therefore taking reponsibility.

 

[MalcofArabia]

Grateful thanks to ColJack and ban-all-sheds for your replies. Much appreciated. The electrican is away on holiday for two weeks, and I was hoping to complete the first and second fix ahead of his coming in to do the 'qualified bit' at the CU - connection and testing.
I'm inclined to create a "stud wall" panel above the new CU to run cables up (thanks ColJack). A new problem though: on closer inspection, there's no earth bonding! I'm used to seeing a 10mm or 16mm cpc from the main power cable to the CU. There's steel amour around the former, but no cpc. How should this be created please? Cheers.

Ok adam think it's time for a check here. Where do all these sparks go to as they are all on holiday!!!!

You can't complete any fixes!!! The holidaying sparks can not sign off anyones work as his own unless of course he is not part P registered and you have informed the LABC of your rewire. If he is Part P then he will not sign off the work. Best to leave it for the sparks. Oh why did you start all this work if you knew he was away for 2 weeks?

With you using terms as bonding and 16mm cpc I'm not sure you would be able to do those fixes. Are you saying that your DNO incoming is steel armoured. Most likely you mean lead sheathed often they do supply an earth for you. But that is not always the case it may be a TT system and therefore the customers duty.

Adam try and get your sparks back leave well alone in the earthing arrangements. If you can't get him then get some other sparks in ASAP becasue if your not earthed you have a serious problem

 

[MalcofArabia]

You need your DNO to provide a connection point for you, or do you have a TT supply. your electrician will be most annoyed if you complete first and second fixed before he returns without being able to see any of it he cant sign anything off. all of that work is the 'qualified bit'. If someone is stupid enough to sign off work they havent completed or even had the chance to inspect or connect up then do you trust them to test the installation properly, can you rely on a dishonest person to ensure what you have done is safe and wont kill anyone?? It's the equivalent of me going out drink driving and using your car and giving your details to anyone that needs to know after anything that happens! There are electricians in jail for manslaughter due to neglegence, why would anyone sign a document that can be used in a court of law to state that electical work that they have not done is their work and therefore taking reponsibility.

Well played John good advice and you beat me to it

 

[Adam1st]

Okay guys - fair enough: you've made your point loud and clear! I hear and will follow your very sound advice. I'll stick to just chasing the walls, fitting back boxes and drilling the holes in joists (and yes, I've checked the building regs, and know where I can and where I can't drill, at what diam. relative to the joist height, and gaps between holes, all on the vertical midline). As for the earth bonding, the only thing I can find is a pathetic bare little multi-strand wire (approx 3 or 4 mm2 at best) that links the incoming water pipe to a plate in the soil outside. But it's not attached to a rod! In the CU there's no direct main earthing back to the incoming power supply. As you say, I will leave this to my sparky. Thanks again for your animated replies. Keep up the good work! Ciao.

 

[holmslaw]

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[Adam1st]

Sorry, old bean. One didn't mean to sound up oneself. My wife is Italian (true) and one therefore acquires some informal habits of language. Hadn't appreciated that this forum also helps to shape one's vocabulary so that contributors like "moi" (?French) can sand lyke a right proper geezer, innit.

 

[holmslaw]

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