Service Head Wire Routing

[MrGorsky]

Hello All,

I have applied to have my main incoming wire and service head removed and updated as it is circa 1920's with cast iron fittings and bakalite fuse holders.

I would like to embed the main wire in the wall to make my hallway look neater. Is this allowed under regulations?

At the moment I have steel trunking running up the wall, and the main runs up through the trunking to my service head that is almost at ceiling height.

From there t runs to the meter and CU as normal.

If I was to prepare a chase up the wall so the engineer would be able to just run the new main up the chase so I could later plaster over it, would this be allowed?

I appreciate there might be a safety issue with hiding the main cable from sight by embedding it in a wall, and not being RCD protected or anything. A miss judged nail 20 years from now might be fatal.

Many thanks,

Al.

 

[holmslaw]

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[MrGorsky]

Thanks.

I was hoping you might say I can if I put it in thick trunking or something like that.

Fair enough though, safety first etc!

 

[ban-all-sheds]

If you earth the trunking you could bury that.

Are you also having the service head moved? The meter and the CU? Could you have the cutout and the meter moved outside?

 

[ricicle]

Is it located near to the corner - could you make some neat wooden boxing for the service cable ?

 

[holmslaw]

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[ban-all-sheds]

Actually this is a domestic wiring issue.

But thanks for the correction.

 

[Wontdothatagain]

You can bury DNO cables in wall's but it will have to be in a steel tube, i can't remember the spec off hand, ask the DNO. It is common for rising mains in blocks of flats to be in steel tube buried in walls.

You are aware that if the servise head is still servisable, this work will be chargable??????????

 

[westie101]

To carryout this work will probably be chargeable as the cable will need cutting and replacing with a modern concentric design.

 

[Steve]

Get the whole lot moved? And run your own wires between the meter and the CU - which can be buried in walls if you want.

 

[londonboy]

You can bury DNO cables in wall's but it will have to be in a steel tube, i can't remember the spec off hand, ask the DNO. It is common for rising mains in blocks of flats to be in steel tube buried in walls.

You are aware that if the servise head is still servisable, this work will be chargable??????????

Most flats I've worked in the submain is protected by a 60a BS1361 in a Ryefield board.

 

[xr4x4]

You can bury DNO cables in wall's but it will have to be in a steel tube, i can't remember the spec off hand, ask the DNO. It is common for rising mains in blocks of flats to be in steel tube buried in walls.

You are aware that if the servise head is still servisable, this work will be chargable??????????

Most flats I've worked in the submain is protected by a 60a BS1361 in a Ryefield board.

Bingo...!

 

[holmslaw]

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[holmslaw]

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[Chri5]

I've seen DNO mains feeds in tubes.

The tubes are 40mm odd and at least 3-4mm thick. What is ridiculous is that you think someone could drill through a 3-4mm + hard steel pipe accidentally.

Taking the flat situation as an example, how many 1,000,000's of DNO feeds run up risers and in open access areas in simple 3 x 3 galv trunking.

Ultimately the OP needs to seek DNO advice, it's their cable and what they say rules,