Tiling over old dual box

[Bobbya82]

Hi,

I have a dual box in my kitchen that is not being used anymore. I have removed the fronts and isolated the cables( Plastic connectors)

My question is whats the best way cover this over, can I just tile over it?
A blanking plate would look a bit unsightly but can you even get them for dual boxes?

Thanks.

 

[securespark]

No. You use two singles.

 

[Bobbya82]

Sercure,

Ah yes thanks, this will work but look a bit unsightly. Is tiling over out of the question?

Ta

 

[JohnD]

The more sockets you have, the better! Why not just leave them as sockets and save time and trouble?

 

[benny]

There's nothing wrong with tiling over them, fill with bonding or sand/cement then crack on!

benny

 

[Bobbya82]

Hi John,

Havent pestered you for all of a good week now!

They used to be a fused switch connecting to a flex outlet. They are near the sink and would quite like them gone as I have no need for them. Is it ok to tile over them?

Thanks.

 

[Bobbya82]

Benny what about the existing wires in there?

 

[BigJon]

are they supplied from the sockets, part of a ring or just spurred off. Was thinking you could isolate/disconnect them if they weren't a ring so it just a bit of "dead" cable

 

[JohnD]

I don't agree with Benny at all.

If you tile over them, leaving live cables in the wall, the cables will be hidden and unprotected. So unless they are in a Safe Zone there will be nothing to discourage someone from drilling through them to fasten a mug hook or something. You will be entering into the state where you need to either remove the cables or protect then with an earthed metal layer. Since the joints are no longer accessible you would have to crimp or solder them and sleeve to make a permanent connection that doesn't need to be inspected or tightened.

White blanking plates are less trouble.

edited: BigJon is also right. and it is a good idea to short all the cores of "dead" cables at each end to prevent anyone trying to reconnect without doing both ends.

 

[Bobbya82]

Maybe 2 1g blanking plates might be an easier option. I dont know if it is on the ring or not. It used to power the old boiler but since the new one has gone in the bolier now gets its power from another source.

 

[TicklyT]

If you can't identify and isolate the other end of the cable, or safely cut/pull it back to a 'safe' location (in ceiling, say?) how about a compromise:-

Fit a single 1G blank in line with the cable entry to identify the cable run, and tile over the other half of the back box?

 

[C&GStudent]

There's nothing wrong with tiling over them, fill with bonding or sand/cement then crack on!

benny

I don't think so benny.

All connections must remain accessible for future testing.

Come on, even i know that!

 

[benny]

Sorry my bad!

I didn't read the post thoroughly, i thought I read that you had disconnected the cables.

You can't just tile over unless the cables are mechanically protected.

If you can dig out the cable lower down the wall and disconnect behind the units then you can tile over the box and deal with the cables lower down the wall.

Sorry, I shouldn't reply to posts without reading the questions a few times.

Benny

 

[Bobbya82]

Thanks everyone.

Think I may go for Ticklys idea

 

[HDRW]

Hi,

I have a dual box in my kitchen that is not being used anymore. I have removed the fronts and isolated the cables( Plastic connectors)

I'd like to know more about this - if they were part of the ring, did you keep the two parts connected together, or did you isolate them from each other? If the latter, then this is a Bad Thing! Because if so you have broken the ring, and everything will still work so you won't know anything is wrong, but you will be overloading the cables.

Or course it may have been a spur, only one cable, in which case no problem.

A photo would be useful, so we can see exactly what you mean.

Cheers,

Howard