Ring Mains under lower floor boards

[rustyh]

Hi All,

I have a quick question if I may. Im gutting out my lounge at the moment, which includeds moving and updating the wiring. The lounge floor is floor board with the joists resting on a sound dry (albeit dusty!) concrete floor.

Is it acceptable in the regs to run the cables under this floor (secured to the joists), such that 1 cable from CU to socket 1 will be down the wall, then all socket joining cables under the floor, and the last socket will have the ring return to the CU back up the wall, or is the norm to run all cables down from the ceiling joists to each socket?

Many thanks

Rusty

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

Is it acceptable in the regs to run the cables under this floor (secured to the joists), such that 1 cable from CU to socket 1 will be down the wall, then all socket joining cables under the floor, and the last socket will have the ring return to the CU back up the wall, or is the norm to run all cables down from the ceiling joists to each socket?

The cables can run up, down and sideways providing they are within the permitted safe zones.

Untitled

• PrenticeBoyofDerry
• 16 Oct 2011
• 20

and cables can run within the floor void to and through joists, but they must be positioned so to avoid any mechanical damage from above or have mechanical protection.
//www.diynot.com/wiki/Electrics:route

 

[rustyh]

Thanks for the very rapid response

Just had a read of that, very useful but only mentions routing cabled in walls, what about under the floor boards of the ground floor (essentially the base of the house)

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

As edit //www.diynot.com/wiki/Electrics:route

 

[rustyh]

Excellent, so the fact it is the lower floor does not make a different, wiring is acceptable as long as its to the reg's for under floor cabling

Just out of interest, while I have the option, is underfloor or vertical from ceiling the preferred choice amongst professionals?

 

[flameport]

Just out of interest, while I have the option, is underfloor or vertical from ceiling the preferred choice amongst professionals?

The preferred choice is the shortest and easiest one.

Unless you want the sockets near the ceiling, the cables would go under the floor.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

Just out of interest, while I have the option, is underfloor or vertical from ceiling the preferred choice amongst professionals?

As flameport has replied, the preferred option would be the shortest route, for a number of reasons: it would keep the cable resistance readings lower, material costs and hopefully ease of installation (but it may not always be practicable or could be difficult to keep within the regs when taking the shortest route) .