Plastic Capping

[TraineeSpark]

Hi All, used plastic capping 4 first time yesterday and it was **** The right angles looked rubbish, the nails wouldn't go into the wall (blockwork) it was just a nightmare. Any viewpoints/ tips on the practicality of use would be appreciated. Also, with metal capping, how would i earth the different lengths together. Cable and bolts etc seem impractical?
TIA, TS.

 

[Lectrician]

What are you capping?? It is designed to be placed over cables prior to plastering (to protect cables from plasters trowl).

Are you trying to make it look good as a surface job?? Thats gotta look a bodge!!

 

[andy]

Also, with metal capping, how would i earth the different lengths together. Cable and bolts etc seem impractical?
TIA, TS.

you dont earth them. there is no need to.

 

[Carloss]

Hey,

normally on 1st fix just use 5.5mm sds drill and raw plugs and hammer nails into them... just think of presentation when you put the nails in.. my boss used to say put them in soldier formation and not staggered.

as for angles.. that comes with practise unless you want to buy special measuring tools!


going back to what Lectrician said.. i have seen it surface mounted in one property i went to they used capping instead of trunking going diagonally across the wall in the garage... wonder why the building inspector failed the electrics. haha

carloss

 

[TraineeSpark]

Cheers 4 tips guys. Its ok not running it on surface, totally agree that would look horrible. The blockwork I am running it on will have a stud wall fixed to it. And as for the metal capping my OSG tells me it does need to be earthed if run less than 50mm below finished surface. Or have I missed the point Somewhere?
Cheers, TS.

 

[Lectrician]

If the wall is studded-off, I wouldn't bother with capping at all.

Is it studded off, or dry-lined??

 

[TraineeSpark]

Ooh, now i gonna show my ignorance. Not sure of the difference. Studs are gonna be put in, plasterboard fitted over the top, then skimmed.

 

[Lectrician]

Either it is a block wall which will have a cement scratch coat rendered onto it, followed by skim, in which case, the 25mm box would need recessing half it depth, and the cables either kept tight to the wall with capping, or better still, put in oval conduit chased slightly into the brick.

If it is to be dry-lined, plasterboard sheets will be 'stuck' directly to the wall. In this case, capping is best (although many sparks clip direct to the wall, as no damage can occur during the installation of the plasterboard. 25mm boxes can be fitted dirctly to the face of the wall, as long as the boarder makes sure he finishes the boards flush!!

Studded would normally involve timber being either fixed to the wall, or standing in front of the wall, similar to internal type stud walls. Plasterboard is screwed to this. Depends on the size of the timber, but the finished wall level could be upto, say, 116mm from the blocks (4inch timber, 16mm board).

 

[TraineeSpark]

Cheers mate defo studded then.

 

[andy]

Cheers 4 tips guys. Its ok not running it on surface, totally agree that would look horrible. The blockwork I am running it on will have a stud wall fixed to it. And as for the metal capping my OSG tells me it does need to be earthed if run less than 50mm below finished surface. Or have I missed the point Somewhere?
Cheers, TS.

yes. it has to be in earth steel CONDUIT. capping is not acceptable. cpping is only there to protect the cables from the plasterer

 

[Lectrician]

I guess the wall is old, falling apart, or very un-even......odd to have it studded off otherwise, unless it is to bring two walls level, or some kind of damp proofing has been incorporated to the main wall.

Do you know what size timbers are being used? Builders can be vague

 

[TraineeSpark]

Its a new build conservatory/ extension. Its blockwork with stud wall, the finished surface being about 40mm, apparently, from the surface of the block. Although the capping will not be seen, it is just from a pride in my own work that I wish it to be as neat as poss.
Cheers, TS.

 

[has]

Cheers 4 tips guys. Its ok not running it on surface, totally agree that would look horrible. The blockwork I am running it on will have a stud wall fixed to it. And as for the metal capping my OSG tells me it does need to be earthed if run less than 50mm below finished surface. Or have I missed the point Somewhere?
Cheers, TS.

As long as your cables run in permitted cable routes(horizontal or vertical from point) then no protection required, although agree that capping keeps it all tidy.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

As long as your cables run in permitted cable routes(horizontal or vertical from point) then no protection required.

Which they might not be:

The right angles looked rubbish

OK - the right angles could be in the corners, and the cables could be in the approved zones at all times, but it is worth raising as a concern....

 

[Adam_151]

Though not required, there would be an argument for earthing capping, for when some twit decides to hang a picture dirrectly above a socket, in this case not only would the nail be live as it would be if there were no capping, but the capping itself, which if the wall is damp would lead to a greater area of the wall being able to give a shock.

(someone on the iee forum said they had seen this in a shower area where someone had tried to hang somekind of soap holder of something in the prescribed zones around the shower)

having the nail that the dozy twit is about to knock into a phase conducter connected to earth would be a good thing IMHO