Ring Mains

[nickbg]

All,

Please can somebody tell me if a new ring main in a kitchen should go up the wall from under the floor, or down the wall from the ceiling void ?

I always thought that plugs go up the wall, lights go down, all wiring was to be virtical and none horizontal - that way you would know where it was safe to drill etc -

Can one of you guys that know current regs confirm what is correct ?

Regards
Nick

 

[comms]

It doesn't matter you can drop down or run up to socket's, so long as the cable is in a vertical line of the socket (you can go horizantal to accessories also).
One thing to remember if dropping down from the ceiling with cables is to mark the plaster or draw a plan of where they are, so the fitter doesn't screw through the cables when fitting wall cupboards.

 

[Adam_151]

both are perfectly acceptable, as is going around the kicthen horzontally between sockets (though I prefer to stick to vertically if possible)

Some more info here: http://www.ultimatehandyman.co.uk/routing_a_cable.htm

Hope this helps

If a fitter drills through a cable in a safe cable zone he gets beaten to a pulp with the OSG

 

[JohnD]

in a kitchen... there is a lot to be said for going horizontally (this is allowed). I say this because you are likely to have, just above the worktop, quite a number of socket outlets, and switches for the under-counter appliances - fridge, freezer, dishwasher, washing machine etc) and the simplest and most obvious route for the cable to run is directly between them. If it is in oval conduit this also makes is easy to cut into it if you later need yet another outlet in the row.

Whether the supply comes up from the floor or down from the ceiling is option, depends which is easier. usually if you have a suspended timber floor it is easier to come up from there; if you have a concrete floor it us usual to come down from the ceiling. If you have a flat it is better to avoid running cables under someone else's floor.

 

[nickbg]

Thanks a lot guys - appreciate all your replys - great site with a wealth of knowledge, Thank You.

Regards
Nick

On a slighty different note..... If an individual was to put new wiring in that required a cert for part p etc and did not actually make the connection to the fuse box - how easy is it to get some to come and inspect/check connect, issue cert or is this a big no no too ???

Reason I ask is that I run my own business which is property maintenance, and it would be useful to know these things ....

Thanks once again all

Nick

 

[Adam_151]

On a slighty different note..... If an individual was to put new wiring in that required a cert for part p etc and did not actually make the connection to the fuse box - how easy is it to get some to come and inspect/check connect, issue cert or is this a big no no too ???

Speak to your local building control, see what they require, you might also be able to get a tame sparks to sign it off as his work (probably not easy though, he'd be breaking the T+C of his scheme membership, and second he is taking on full liability of your work, its not something I could ever see myself doing)

Reason I ask is that I run my own business which is property maintenance, and it would be useful to know these things ....

Have you considered getting part P registered yourself?, do a domestic installers qualification, buy £540 of test kit £90 of books, add electrics to your PL cover and sign up to a scheme at £450 a year, you'd have to do a resonable amount of electrics to make it worth your while, but its an option

EDIT: sorry PL cover, not PI

 

[Pensdown]

Reason I ask is that I run my own business which is property maintenance, and it would be useful to know these things ....

If your running a property maintenance company then as Adam has pointed out, you should get yourself on a self certification scheme ASAP. You should not be touching anything* electrical in Kitchens, Bathrooms, Gardens and other special locations.

If your doing work in these locations for financial gain you are the type of person/company that the LABC comes down hard on.

You may end up doing a £200 job and getting a £ 2,000 fine, it has happened

*If it falls within Part P

Edit

PS. They are called Ring Final Circuits or ring circuits, never ring mains

yours,

Grumpy old man of Kent

 

[Adam_151]

FFS Adam


...(meant to edit not quote)

 

[nickbg]

Once again thanks guys.....

Adam - if you are Lincs, then you are not too far from me.... can you recommend a provider that runs the domestic installer qualifications etc ? If you want to take this offline from the forum, then please do email me at [email protected] Cheers Adam.

Grumpy, I am not carrying out any electrics in and around peoples homes, but it is something I would like to get into in the future - too much red tape to cross without having the right qualifications etc - at present - I just get someone else to do it ......

Cheers
Nick

 

[Pensdown]

I just get someone else to do it ......

Cheers
Nick

Good man