Hi, im having to move a twin wall socket due to its position and need to move it along the wall, but ive found the cable to short to allow me to do this, the socket is on a partion wall ie hollow plaster board the feed comes from the loft as its a bungalow, but rather than having to pull the feed back uup and re-fed is it allowed or even possible saftley to add a futher length to the existing feed so that i can move the new socket, if so what is the best solution as once this done it will be within the wall forever
Ring main cable
- Thread starter spyder53
- Start date
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Is it one cable or two? In other words so you know if this socket is directly on a ring circuit(which would be two cables)?
Either way, it is absolutely not a good idea to have a connection in a wall area that you will not be able to reach/locate in the future.
Is there enough cable to reach under the floorboards so that you can put a junction box at that point and extend to the new position?
Either way, it is absolutely not a good idea to have a connection in a wall area that you will not be able to reach/locate in the future.
Is there enough cable to reach under the floorboards so that you can put a junction box at that point and extend to the new position?
R
roberta1000
Solder and heatshrink will be fine (even if you can't easily get to it afterwards). I'd use 2 layers of heatshrink.
H
holmslaw
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H
holmslaw
..
Been here before - no it isn't.
My concern would be the rout that the cable would take. If you joint the cable in the wall, well that's one thing but what rout do you then take with the new section?
If there is enough cable then I would take it under the boards (if there are boards) joint it then rout it properly.
H
holmslaw
..
The same way as if it were crimped.
Yes, I had missed that. Iwas assuming a horizontal run but now see it's coming down the wall.
So the cable will have to be rerouted anyway.
Spyder -
Why is the socket being moved?
Could a blank plate be left in original position and be accessible?
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Using weston role and solder to join cables together with epoxy lined heat shrink is not a problem. And likely if done correct far better than crimp connectors in heat shrink. However the problem is will it be done correctly.
I have joined many cables using epoxy lined heat shrink before the Scotch cast came on the market agreed normally using crimps but it does not really make a joint any worse running solder into the butt connector or crimp crimping them. But to solder a 95mm butt connector needs a lot of heat and crimp pliers are far easier.
In this case nothing so big but same principle. The main thing is the wires are either wrapped before solder is applied or fitted into butt connectors. And the physical strength is maintained using epoxy lined heat shrink.
Also the finished joint must need a tool to access the live parts. i.e. can't use insulation tape.
However I have seen many ordinary persons try to solder. And often it is very sub-standard. So I can see why "holmslaw" is opposed to the idea. I was even called to one job where the guy had used a silver plastic glue called solder which of course did not conduct enough.
In the main for the non skilled user the maintenance free junction boxes with built in cable restraints is a far better idea. Although only for solid or no more than 7 strands in the cable. Flex needs tinning so back to square one.
It does not really matter how hard one tries to give sound advice people will misread and do some thing completely different. I always remember telling some one off for not oiling a bearing. My comment "What does it say there?" answer "710". Word was upside down to him!
And to try to explain what a dry joint is I think is rather hard with words.
I have joined many cables using epoxy lined heat shrink before the Scotch cast came on the market agreed normally using crimps but it does not really make a joint any worse running solder into the butt connector or crimp crimping them. But to solder a 95mm butt connector needs a lot of heat and crimp pliers are far easier.
In this case nothing so big but same principle. The main thing is the wires are either wrapped before solder is applied or fitted into butt connectors. And the physical strength is maintained using epoxy lined heat shrink.
Also the finished joint must need a tool to access the live parts. i.e. can't use insulation tape.
However I have seen many ordinary persons try to solder. And often it is very sub-standard. So I can see why "holmslaw" is opposed to the idea. I was even called to one job where the guy had used a silver plastic glue called solder which of course did not conduct enough.
In the main for the non skilled user the maintenance free junction boxes with built in cable restraints is a far better idea. Although only for solid or no more than 7 strands in the cable. Flex needs tinning so back to square one.
It does not really matter how hard one tries to give sound advice people will misread and do some thing completely different. I always remember telling some one off for not oiling a bearing. My comment "What does it say there?" answer "710". Word was upside down to him!
And to try to explain what a dry joint is I think is rather hard with words.
The socket has to be moved due to the plasterboard holding the socket mounting has crumbled away thanks to previous occupants bodging the job they fitted an aeiriel socket right tight against socket caused the board the break so ive no choice but to move socket diagonaly there are two cables so its in ring, so the best way is to pull cable up and re-route?[/list]
You were correct in that assumption:
spyder - you need to read these:
By moving the socket you may not need to join the cables.
They make a single and double combined dry line box which may get you out of trouble.
Or you could consider cutting out a section of plasterboard and replacing so you can fit the boxes properly. You could fit a wooden noggin and fit metal boxes if you prefer.
You may be able to repair the old plasterboard by screwing a short piece of wooden batten behind the existing plasterboard, then screwing a plasterboard patch to it.
If you must join the cables, take Holmslaw's advice and fit junction boxes somewhere accessible in the loft and replace the cable where it passes through the wall.
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