Ventilation Around ring main circuit

[JohnW2]

The timber batons are 30mm thick (although at spaced off the wall in places as it is not straight) with 10mm board. I could drop the cable behind the rails so will have a little more protection but still within 50mm of the front of the board and under the windowboard.

I think this is going to come down to a decision/judgement by yourself, so really a question of what you are comfortable with. You may wish to rely on the literal interpretation of the regs ("within 150mm of top of wall") that you initially made, despite the (extremely small) risk that this could result in someone in the future 'thinking' that it was a safe place to start drilling! One can certainly argue that this is what the regs actually say!

Kind Regards, John

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I have an electrician coming in a few weeks to check things out

What does that mean?

What is he going to do as part of "checking things out"? Are you expecting an electrical installation certificate from him?


Can't help thinking that what you should be doing right now is asking him if he is happy with the cables where they are, not a bunch of anonymous strangers on the Internet who have no stake in the work.

 

[Damian30]

Just an update...I moved the cable so that it is in line with a couple of sockets which will go in the bay wall.

I spoke to a local electrician and he was comfortable with that. The new ring in the conservatory will need to connect in to the original ring extension when the conservatory was built. In the attached picture, this connection will need to be on the left side of the photo (the location of one of the sockets will be up the wall from the back box on the right).

The electrician seemed to suggest he could use some suitable push fit connectors and the connection could be hidden behind the board that still needs to be fitted. is that acceptable or is it better to fit a back box/blanking plate for this connection. I was thinking it would be safer as you would have an accessory at each end of the horizontal cable run which would help someone in the future to locate the ends of the cable run behind the board.

I'm not fussed, obviously no blanking plate would look better but it needs to be right.

Any further thoughts appreciated, especially if the chap is not correct.

Thanks,

Damian

Untitled

• Damian30
• 8 Dec 2014
• 1

 

[JohnW2]

The electrician seemed to suggest he could use some suitable push fit connectors and the connection could be hidden behind the board that still needs to be fitted. is that acceptable or is it better to fit a back box/blanking plate for this connection. I was thinking it would be safer as you would have an accessory at each end of the horizontal cable run which would help someone in the future to locate the ends of the cable run behind the board. ... I'm not fussed, obviously no blanking plate would look better but it needs to be right. ... Any further thoughts appreciated, especially if the chap is not correct.

Your electrician is correct, as far as regulations are concerned. 'Inaccessible' concealed joints in cables are allowed, but they have to use 'maintenance free' joints - one method of achieving that being to use 'maintenance-free' junction boxes (which have spring {hence 'push-fit'}, rather than screw, terminals). Another approach to reg-compliant inaccessible joints is to use crimped joints.

Personally, I am more comfortable with avoiding 'inaccessible concealed joints' in cables wherever possible, even of that means having visible blanking plates or whatever - but that's probably just me!

Kid Regards, John