Spur off a socket

[ugjointer]

I intend having a flat screen telly on the chimney breast.

Would it be ok to spurr off a socket in my loft and run the cable inside a chimney breast to double socket also in the breast so that the wiring and socket are out of site.

The chimney is capped off with a mushroom pot and is not used.
regards

 

[Chri5]

Loft sockets are often spurs off a 1st floor circuit.

Is your loft socket off a 1st circuit, on it's own circuit or (hope not) run of the loft light wiring for the floor below.

Spurs of a spur (even if the loft socket has little use) are not allowed.

You could added a fuse spur unit at 13a before the loft socket and then add another spur. That restricts the sum of sockets beyond the fuse spur to the fuse rating and would be safe, and acceptable.

I do have issues with the internal chimney chamber being used as a cable route. Should any one ever reinstate the fire for gas, or solid fuel and not notice that you punctured the chamber for a cable run there's a serious issue with CO2, smoke and even a potential fire hazard.

Since you will be chopping out plaster for a flush socket and aerial / sat / HMDi feed why not chase out the plaster on the side of the breast and run to a point on the 1st floor level ?

 

[ugjointer]

Thanks for the reply.The roof space is going to be a loft conversion so I would expect the trician will be running a new ring main up there and that was where I hope he could run the spur from.The chimney void seemed like a good idea as it wouldn't create much mess and also I was hoping to position the socket actually in the fireplace opening itself ,The fireback has been stripped out and the fireplace is now only decorative.Would it comply with current rules doing this.

 

[Taylortwocities]

You would have to support the cable all along its length.

Its made of PVC with copper conductors.

If you just drop it down the chimney, over time, its weight will stretch the copper, the conductors will get thinner, and thinner .......

 

[GaryMo]

....and thinner....and thinner........and thinner....and thinner....and thinner....and thinner....and thinner....and thinner....and thinner Sorry

Regulations 522.8.4 and 522.8.5 for the OP

 

[ericmark]

You would have to support the cable all along its length.

Its made of PVC with copper conductors.

If you just drop it down the chimney, over time, its weight will stretch the copper, the conductors will get thinner, and thinner .......

Are you saying when cables are put in a vertical tube that they must be supported? What about in conduit?

522.8.4 Where the conductors or cables are not supported continuously due to the method of the installation, they shall be supported by suitable means at appropriate intervals in such a manner that the conductors or cables do not suffer damage by their own weight.

522.8.5 Every cable or conductor shall be supported in such a way that it is not exposed to undue mechanical strain and so that there is no appreciable mechanical strain on the terminations of the conductors, account being taken of mechanical strain imposed by the supported weight of the cable or conductor itself.

However if you look at 559.6.1.5 it says you may dangle up to 5kg from a ceiling rose and if you consider how much cable would be required to add that much weight it would be rather a lot. Of course you could not dangle a unsupported cable from empire state building top to bottom but a house is not really that tall.

However because of the dangers with the chimney effect I would say for safety there would need to be some fire barricades installed and when using any access ducts there are normally access points and fire barriers as set intervals.

But to stretch copper with height of house I think you are trying to pull his leg (or wire).

 

[Taylortwocities]

Perhaps I was stretching the point, a little.

But it should be supported or its going to flap around.

 

[ericmark]

Perhaps I was stretching the point, a little.

But it should be supported or its going to flap around.

I would agree I don't like idea of using a chimney some day some one may decide to re-open it.

At the moment I have a problem tracing cables in my daughters house. I am sure only a fuse blown. But where.

It is rare to find anyone producing and keeping plans to be passed on to new owners. But my father and I have lived in our houses from new and we still can't remember what has been done.

My mother tells me there were 7 sockets in her house when built in 1954 I was only 2 and there are a lot more now and the only paperwork is for wet room and central heating in other words work done since Part P.

I suppose we should all have a buyers pack and every time something is done the details should be added.

But can't see that happening. can you!

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Since you will be chopping out plaster for a .. aerial / sat / HMDi feed...

Maybe he's using a wireless linked screen, thus avoiding all that ugly malarkey.