Hi,
Just moved in to a new place fairly recently (built ~1970s) and been removing shelving from one of the downstairs rooms. There is a ring main socket outlet near the floor, with the cabling running down behind the plaster from above. Unfortunately, when the socket was put in, the wiring did not line up and is about 10" to the side. When the previous owner put the shelves in, they nailed the batons either side, which has had the effect of putting two nails through the cable. The plaster is weak so have now removed and inspected the cable below the plastic shield over the two cables to the socket. Both nails have gone through the same cable.
A short length of one of the cables (about 4 foot) will need repairing. My two questions are:
1) Can I replace this length of cable with some new cable and join with a maintenance free joint to the original cable just above the top nail hole? And if so, what type of joint is acceptable? From what I've read, a trad junction box can't be used as it is to be buried behind plaster. The wiring is the old colour coding of red, black & unshielded earth with multi-cores for each. I'm aware that the colours have changed now.
2) We have recently had the electrics upgraded to remove the old fashioned fuse wire consumer unit, in favour of a more modern one with circuit breakers etc. This sockets circuit is now protected by a 32A MCB. Assuming I can do this repair to the protected circuit, is 2.5mm2 Twin and Core acceptable for this repair? I picked some up at the DIY superstore and said it was ok for ring main & sockets up to 23A.
Thanks in advance for any advice.
Just moved in to a new place fairly recently (built ~1970s) and been removing shelving from one of the downstairs rooms. There is a ring main socket outlet near the floor, with the cabling running down behind the plaster from above. Unfortunately, when the socket was put in, the wiring did not line up and is about 10" to the side. When the previous owner put the shelves in, they nailed the batons either side, which has had the effect of putting two nails through the cable. The plaster is weak so have now removed and inspected the cable below the plastic shield over the two cables to the socket. Both nails have gone through the same cable.
A short length of one of the cables (about 4 foot) will need repairing. My two questions are:
1) Can I replace this length of cable with some new cable and join with a maintenance free joint to the original cable just above the top nail hole? And if so, what type of joint is acceptable? From what I've read, a trad junction box can't be used as it is to be buried behind plaster. The wiring is the old colour coding of red, black & unshielded earth with multi-cores for each. I'm aware that the colours have changed now.
2) We have recently had the electrics upgraded to remove the old fashioned fuse wire consumer unit, in favour of a more modern one with circuit breakers etc. This sockets circuit is now protected by a 32A MCB. Assuming I can do this repair to the protected circuit, is 2.5mm2 Twin and Core acceptable for this repair? I picked some up at the DIY superstore and said it was ok for ring main & sockets up to 23A.
Thanks in advance for any advice.