Socket outlet removal

stunlawless · 17 Jul 2009

Morning everyone,

New radiator to be fitted in a location which will cover a socket outlet.

I've removed the faceplate, crimped the cables together, covered with heatshrink and fixed a blanking plate.

Then it occurred to me that, despite the cable running in a safe zone, you can't actually see the accessory (blanking plate) that tells you there is a cable there.

I think I know what the answer is going to be, but is this an acceptable situation ?

Thanks, David

Chri5 · 17 Jul 2009

Since you crimped there is no need for access, it's a permanent join.

If you wanted to, since the cable is in a safe zone you could have plastered over it.

NFA

stunlawless · 17 Jul 2009

Hi Chri5,

My concern is that although the cable is in a safe zone, you cant see the blanking plate (it's hidden by the radiator) so it's not apparent that the cable is there.

Any thoughts ?

David

ColJack · 17 Jul 2009

I take it that the cables come down the wall rather than up from the floor then?
if they come from the floor then the odds of hanging a picture within the few inches below the rad are minimal..

chapeau · 17 Jul 2009

If you plastered over the crimped joint where the socket used to be then the safe zone would cease to exist because there is nothing on the surface anymore. Even claiming there is a safe zone because there is a blanking plate on the surface which you cannot see is showing blind adherance to a rule that hasn't been written to cover all eventualities.

You have to think safety. If you do something which makes the electrics less safe, which you are clearly doing, it's not allowed. If it was my house I'd be pulling up the floorboards at the point the cable starts its run in the wall, pull out the cables, shorten them, solder them together, cover them again. Too many bloody cables in stupid places in this world.

ban-all-sheds · 18 Jul 2009

chapeau said:
Even claiming there is a safe zone because there is a blanking plate on the surface which you cannot see is showing blind adherance to a rule that hasn't been written to cover all eventualities.

You have to think safety. If you do something which makes the electrics less safe, which you are clearly doing, it's not allowed.

So would you say that it wasn't allowed to install the radiator and leave the socket there?

kirkgas · 18 Jul 2009

i would never think to look down behind a radiator before drilling into a wall so if it was blanked off behind it or simply left in place i would prob drill through the cable, got me thinking that on more than one occasion

i have fitted a rad over a socket, only as a last resort and obviously the customer isn't too bothered about losing the socket, but i never demanded the socket be removed and made safe from a safety point of view, merely told customer they didn't need the expense of getting it removed before i fitted rad, certainly gives me something to think about for the future. that is why i read through electric and other forums to see what i can pick up.

stunlawless · 20 Jul 2009

Hallo Everyone,

Coljack - yes, the cables come down the wall.

Chapeau - I'm coming round to your point of view.

It's preying on my mind - whether it's technically right or wrong, I'm going to sort it out.

Now I've only got to move a huge bed & dismantle a huge wardrobe to get the carpet up. I'm beginning to see the point of maintanance free jb's.

Thanks, David

sparkybird · 20 Jul 2009

If you wanted a quick and dirty way out, you could fit a 1 gang blank plate over the cable route at the top of the wall - carefully locating the cables before you drill, though!!

SB

stunlawless · 21 Jul 2009

Hallo Sparkybird,

I thought about using sticks like sh*t rather than screws !

Then I decided that if it's in the middle of the wall, it would look ugly. If it's at the top, it wouldn't look so bad, but when the next guy comes along and removes it to see where the cables go from the back box, and there isn't a backbox, he might wonder why, but not assume a safe zone anywhere...

Even I might have forgotten why I did it in ten years time !

So, it's furniture moving for me at the weekend.

Thanks, David

mikhailfaradayski · 21 Jul 2009

If, as you say, the cables come down the wall and its acceptable to have a 1g blank plate at the very top of the wall, then thats how i'd do it.

Use a 16mm single back box, buried into wall, crimp conductors, fit blank plate.

diynot

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Socket outlet removal

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