Wago connectors in plaster

[V1k_10]

Hi all,

I'm in the process of buying a new house which was rewired in 1987. It had a new consumer unit installed 2 years ago however and I've been told that when this was installed, the cabling was checked and all was fine with it.

The sockets are located just above the skirting boards and so a little low.

I'm considering leaving the electrics as they are but raising the height of the sockets by removing the old sockets, extending the cables using wago style connectors and then installing new sockets approximately 3' from the ground (to help plugging devices in without causing too many problems to my back).

My question is that once the cables have been extended using the wago connectors, can these be plastered over - I'm not sure if moisture in the plaster can work its way into the connectors?

Many thanks in advance.

 

[terryplumb]

The wago's must be in an enclosure ,a wago box . You can't just bury the connectors.
You could leave the existing socket ,and extend from it to a new socket higher up ,vertically in line,and bury the cable / plaster over.

 

[V1k_10]

I saw the wago boxes, but they don't seem waterproof either? Is it safe to bury the wago connectors within a wago box within plaster in this case?

 

[mikeyd]

In my opinion, You either need to put up with the low sockets, or rewire the socket circuits back to the consumer unit.
Again, my opinion only. Don't just plaster over connectors, maintenance free or otherwise.
I can't see the full picture but there may be other ways, is under the floor/behind skirting accessible?

Someone once said "We like pictures".

 

[markyd1]

Wago MF boxes are made to be contained in free air and not buried in a wall and plastered over, can you not pull the cables down to below floor level connect them to new cable and run it back up the wall to required height

 

[robinbanks]

What about leaving the sockets alone and spurring off them to provide for additional high level sockets?

 

[ericmark]

Epoxy lined shrink sleeve is the method I have used in the past.

 

[JohnW2]

In my opinion, You either need to put up with the low sockets, or rewire the socket circuits back to the consumer unit. ... Again, my opinion only. Don't just plaster over connectors, maintenance free or otherwise. ... I can't see the full picture but there may be other ways ...

... indeed, the seemingly most obvious (and pretty simple) of those 'other ways' being that suggested by teerryplumb (and, subsequent tour post, by robinbanks) to leave the existing sockets where they are and spur off each one to a new one vertically above it, in which case those spur cables can obviously be 'plastered in' (which is what the OP was going to have to do, anyway) without any problems.

Kind Regards, John

 

[markyd1]

Not forgetting the testing, MWIC and upgrading the RCD if needed

 

[JohnW2]

Not forgetting the testing, MWIC and upgrading the RCD if needed

I'm sure that we can rely on you to remind people not to forget those things

(with the caveat that, as I've said before, opinions will undoubtedly vary about the "if needed" in relation to 'upgrading the RCD' in such a situation).

 

[markyd1]

The only reason it won't be needed is if it's already a Type A

 

[JohnW2]

The only reason it won't be needed is if it's already a Type A

As I implied, I'm not at all sure that everyone would necessarily share that view.

It's a question of how much work is required on a circuit to invoke a requirement to upgrade to a Type A RCD. If one replaced a socket (e.g. because it was faulty, or because one wanted one with a different appearance) would you say that that invoked the requirement? ... and what if one moved the socket by an inch or three (to facilitate some non-electrical work)?

...and is your view just limited to the type of RCD? If the RCD is, say, in a plastic CU with no SPD do you believe that work on sockets on the circuit would invoke a need to have those 'issues' addressed?

 

[FrodoOne]

I'm in the process of buying a new house which was rewired in 1987. It had a new consumer unit installed 2 years ago however and I've been told that when this was installed, the cabling was checked and all was fine with it.

The sockets are located just above the skirting boards and so a little low.

I'm considering leaving the electrics as they are but raising the height of the sockets by removing the old sockets, extending the cables using wago style connectors and then installing new sockets approximately 3' from the ground (to help plugging devices in without causing too many problems to my back).

If you wish to "move" the socket-outlets upwards, would it look too bad if you just
covered any existing box with a Blank cover plate,
joined the wiring behind it and
placed the new box and socket-outlets above it?

It is likely that you will need to do plastering and repainting, so the Blank cover-plates could be painted to suit.

 

[V1k_10]

Thanks all, I had considered using the connectors and boxes behind blanking plates and extending a small distance upwards but hadn't thought of going below the floorboards to extend the cables from there. Thanks once more.

 

[markyd1]

As I implied, I'm not at all sure that everyone would necessarily share that view.

It's a question of how much work is required on a circuit to invoke a requirement to upgrade to a Type A RCD. If one replaced a socket (e.g. because it was faulty, or because one wanted one with a different appearance) would you say that that invoked the requirement? ... and what if one moved the socket by an inch or three (to facilitate some non-electrical work)?

...and is your view just limited to the type of RCD? If the RCD is, say, in a plastic CU with no SPD do you believe that work on sockets on the circuit would invoke a need to have those 'issues' addressed?

If like for like then No.....if addition or new circuit Yes and there is nothing in Amendment 2 about the need to upgrade CU if plastic when upgrading the RCD