Spur to add several sockets in bedroom

[dyiorbust]

I'm redecorating bedrooms in a recently bought house. The issue I have is that each bedroom has a single wall socket located by the door... So not great in the 21st century.

In each bedroom I intend to keep this single socket and add 2 double sockets.

From the look of the cabling the existing single socket is part of the ring.
I'm considering adding an FCU (RCD + 13 Amp fuse) next to it and radially adding the 2 double sockets off the FCU, running the cable in a new skirting board.

Is this a good approach? What would you suggest?

Thanks!

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I'd suggest extending the ring. If you're happy to have an FCU next to the socket then you can just as well have either another socket or a flush box with choc-block behind a blanking plate in order to be able to join your extension onto the leg you remove from the existing socket.

Also, don't run cables behind the skirting board: //www.diynot.com/wiki/electrics:walls

Lastly, is the socket circuit RCD protected?

 

[dyiorbust]

Thanks for the reply.

Also, don't run cables behind the skirting board: //www.diynot.com/wiki/electrics:walls[/QUOTE]

Would it be possible if the horizontal cable was on the same level as the sockets? (zone shown in green) It would still have to go through corners, though...

Lastly, is the socket circuit RCD protected?

There's a single RCD for the whole installation in the CU.


How would you go at it, then? The problem seems to be running new cables from the existing socket to the new ones, on other walls of the room.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Would it be possible if the horizontal cable was on the same level as the sockets? (zone shown in green) It would still have to go through corners, though...

Yup.

How would you go at it, then?

Do you have access under the floor?

 

[dyiorbust]

Do you have access under the floor?

If I lift the floorboards... Which is doable as I'll be re-carpeting, but seems like a lot of work (and risk of damage to old floorboards) to add 2 double sockets.

 

[OwainDIYer]

IME 2 sockets will not be sufficient for a bedroom - you need at least one in each corner, + each side of the bed.

If you're lifting the floor you might as well do it properly, and chuck in some satellite and ethernet cable as well in case you want it later.

 

[dyiorbust]

If you're lifting the floor you might as well do it properly, and chuck in some satellite and ethernet cable as well in case you want it later.

For sure

I've never lifted floorboards, or contemplated doing it, so I'm not really warm to the idea, though it seems to be the best option.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

They are traditional 120-150mm wide T&G boards?

 

[Taylortwocities]

I've never lifted floorboards, or contemplated doing it, so I'm not really warm to the idea, though it seems to be the best option.

Its the best, and proper, way to do what you are trying to do.

 

[dyiorbust]

They are traditional 120-150mm wide T&G boards?

Just lifted the carpet to check: They are 120mm wide, flat edges (no T&G). This is a 1930s house.

The flat edges should, I hope, mean that I could lift a single one (orientation permitting) to run a cable across a room.

Time to plan that and try it, it seems.

 

[Iggifer]

as Owain says consider everything

I'm currently re-doing my bedroom and have pulled in, but not wired up yet

1 x 5amp socket for a bedside/table lamp
3 x cat5e network
1 x two pair phone cable (probably not even going to connect this to anything but it's there in the data conduit should anyone ever want to add a phone point)
2 x 2 double sockets (in addition to 2 x 2G + 1 x 1G)

The above obviously requires a considerable amount of chasing so it makes sense to do it all now and get the conduit plastered over rather than think after the rooms plastered I want another socket / switch / RJ45 jack etc

 

[dyiorbust]

Thanks Iggifer. I do plan to install ethernet, and perhaps phone cable, although I'm still thinking about how to run these across the house to a central point for network connection.

you can just as well have either another socket or a flush box with choc-block behind a blanking plate in order to be able to join your extension onto the leg you remove from the existing socket.

Since floorboards will be lifted, is it possible to fit the flush box below the floor, e.g. attached to a joist? If it is any special consideration? (I'm thinking waterproof in case water dropped on floor or something like that)

 

[ban-all-sheds]

1 x two pair phone cable (probably not even going to connect this to anything but it's there in the data conduit should anyone ever want to add a phone point)

Why would they, when they've got 6 Ethernet/phone channels available in those Cat5e cables?

rather than think after the rooms plastered I want another socket / switch / RJ45 jack etc

Can't think why you would ever want an RJ45 jack.

8P8C, or BS6312 431A, yes, but not RJ45.....