trunking

[florrie]

In my kitchen i have a double plug socket half way up one wall in a moulded casing the type that sits as a box on the surface of the wall and looks horrible! Its about 4ft from the floor and 1ft from the corner of the wall. I would like to install a worktop so would like to lower the sockets so that they are below the worktop and not above it.

Anyone know how easy is it to move cabling that is in trunking and how do i get to the cable without breaking the trunking that incases it?

 

[ricicle]

If the trunking you are refering to is of the pvc mini-trunking type then there should be a front cover of some sort that will snap off and on again giving you access to the cables.Just be careful as some can become brittle with age!
If the trunking has been painted then the lid join will be harder to see!

 

[florrie]

thanks, thats the sort of trunking it is, its approx a year old as my flat was re-wired about a year ago, i can see where the join is but i can't seperate the two pieces, is there a trick to doing it?

 

[florrie]

they put sealant at one end whch was the end where i started to try and remove the cover, tried the other end and it came off really easily. Thanks for your help.

 

[Steve]

Why do you want it under the worktop? Just buy a metal backbox for a few pence and recess it into the wall! You'll regret putting it under the worktop when you want to plug your toaster in there.

 

[plugwash]

is the cable twin and earth or is its singles.

personally i'd say you should redo the wiring burying the wiring in the plaster and using flush boxes. replacing it with T&E if its currently singles (you mustn't use singles without conduit/trunking) and doing the wiring in an appropriate arrangement for a kitchen (sockets above worktop for appliances that live there, FCUs above feeding sockets below for under worktop appliances)

If you don't like the look of white plastic sockets there are plenty of other styles to choose from.

finally remember work in a kitchen is notifiable to building control.

 

[florrie]

Why do you want it under the worktop? Just buy a metal backbox for a few pence and recess it into the wall! You'll regret putting it under the worktop when you want to plug your toaster in there.

I plan to put my fridge and freezer under the worktops and if i keep the sockets where they are i will have to make a hole in the back of the worktop to fit the two leads (i figured moving the socket would be faily simple!)

 

[florrie]

is the cable twin and earth or is its singles.

personally i'd say you should redo the wiring burying the wiring in the plaster and using flush boxes. replacing it with T&E if its currently singles (you mustn't use singles without conduit/trunking) and doing the wiring in an appropriate arrangement for a kitchen (sockets above worktop for appliances that live there, FCUs above feeding sockets below for under worktop appliances)

If you don't like the look of white plastic sockets there are plenty of other styles to choose from.

finally remember work in a kitchen is notifiable to building control.

the cable is twin one set of the 3 cables (E, N & L) are in the trunking coming from the twin plug sockets and the other 3 go into the wall.

This may seem a daft question but who are building control and why do they need to be contacted?

 

[Qedelec]

This may seem a daft question but who are building control and why do they need to be contacted?

Under part P of the building regulations, work in a kitchen is notifiable to Local Area Building Control @ your council. if you plan to carry out the work yourself and you are not able to 'self certify' then you will need to inform LABC before you start work.