Laying electrical cable alongside water pipes

[FLM]

Just a quickie:

I'm extending the ring main in the kitchen and am laying cable underneath the floor boards. I've laid the cable alongside the cold water pipe and the cable shares the same channels/holes in the joists as the water pipe. The water pipe is earthed.

Would this fail wiring regulations?

 

[Softus]

How close to the top of any joist is the wiring, i.e. how susceptible to damage from nails or screws? Or have you protected it?

 

[FLM]

Most of the cable is in a channel at the top of the joists about 10mm below the floorboard. The cable runs at right parallel to the floorboards so cuts across 8 joists. Can see your point that it could be damaged by a nail. There is space to lay the cable in plastic conduit. Would this be sufficient to protect the cable or is there any other method that you would recommend?

I'm wary of drilling holes into joists as I don't want to risk weakening the joists further.

 

[Softus]

Notches weaken a joist more than holes do.

If you want to use the notches, then protect the cable (and the pipes) with some of these:

http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Main_In...Index/Necessities~Cable_Protection/index.html

 

[FLM]

Great tip! Thank you very much.