location of socket outlet - opinions requested

[davelx]

I'm in a bit of a quandry. My aged, partially sighted aunt needs to get power to a pain relief heat pad and a high power magnifier to be used when sitting in her lounge.

The only wall adjacent to where she sits is entirely taken up with a radiator - the only position for mounting a socket would be on the skirting board below the rad.

Her local electrician says "I'm not allowed to put a socket on the skirting board", presumably in order to comply with 553-01-06.

Instead, he has installed a socket on the other side of the wall, drilled two holes through the wall, removed the plugs from the appliances, put the flex through the wall and then refitted the plugs. To me, that breaches 553-01-07 and in the event of a problem during use does not allow access to the socket to switch off/unplug quickly.

Given that -06 says "minimise the risk" not "eliminate the risk", it seems to me that by using a metal clad socket and mounting it inverted on the skirting board, one could comply with both -06 and -07.

Not ideal, but possibly the best solution in the circumstances. What do you think?

I guess another alternative would be a floor mounting socket.

Cheers.

 

[Lectrician]

Or an extension lead...

 

[JohnD]

or it could have been mounted higher than the radiator. Say, below 1200mm and it would have been convenient to see and to reach.

 

[davelx]

Hmm, if it was above the radiator, then the flex would hang down over the radiator. If the rad's at 40C, CCC of the flex would be reduced. Though I guess this would not be a problem really as it's likely to have quite a lot in hand - I don't know the loading of the two appliances at the moment.

The nearest existing socket is already fully utilised for TV, video, digibox and uplighters(could put another 4-way block in I suppose) and the using other one would mean running extension lead across the door or all round the room the other way.

Thanks,

 

[GaryMo]

or it could have been mounted higher than the radiator. Say, below 1200mm and it would have been convenient to see and to reach.

Directly above a radiator?

 

[JohnD]

yeah.

socket embedded in wall will not be hot

anticipated life of pvc cable slightly reduced but well within capacity even after derating.

if you cared enough you could use heat res flex for the appliances.