Remodelling the kitchen and dining room at the moment, including relocating sockets on the right main and light switches.
What is the accepted way of protecting these wires when we plaster over them?
They will be covered by an RCD but would prefer something over the top as well - was considering putting in metal capping over them but unsure whether
it would have needed to be earth bonded.
First off, I'm not an electrician or qualified as such.
In my previous house the wires were covered with plastic trunking like this:
https://www.wickes.co.uk/Wickes-P
VC-Protective-Channelling---White-25-x-8mm-x-2m/p/710898?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&adpos=&scid=scplp710898&sc_intid=710898&
gclid=EAIaIQobChMIrLiSqe797gIV2-3tCh0sWwWwEAQYASABEgIY_vD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
My current house is timber framed so the wires run the within stud walls.
IIRC the wires are supposed to run verstically and horizontally, not diagonally. Diagonally run wires are too easy to drill into.
Above all make sure you comply with the relevant rules and regulations. It's advisable to seek the services of a qualified electrician.
as above ^^^ wires go verticaly or horizontally, i would use conduit as there is a chance or removing / replacing it should a problem arise later on.
Don't want to come across as a smart arse, but the fact questions are being asked about electrical protection, surely means you are not qualified
to do the upgrade.
https://www.electricalsafetyfirst.org.uk/find-an-electrician/building-regulations/england/
Might get some advice on above link. It's different rules for you guys in England, but I'm sure you have to have knowledge of Part P before
you carry out any electrical work to your property.
At the end of the day, it's all about doing it safely.
quote:
Originally posted by stevebubs
Remodelling the kitchen and dining room at the moment, including relocating sockets on the right main and light switches.
What is the accepted way of protecting these wires when we plaster over them?
They will be covered by an RCD but would prefer something over the top as well - was considering putting in metal capping over them but unsure whether it would have needed to be earth bonded.
Not only just horizontal and vertical runs, but they must run horizontally or vertically to or from an accessory or within 150mm of a corner of a wall
or the top of the wall.
So up from under the floor to a socket, then across to another socket and then back down under the floor is fine; as is up or down to a lightswitch,
horizontally from the switch and turning 90° straight up to a wall-light, but not horizontally from a switch, then 90° up, then horizontal again to
the wall-light.
Basically anyone doing work in the future should expect cabling at either end or the top of a wall or running horizontally or vertically to or from
any accessory and everywhere else should be safe to knock nails in.
quote:
Originally posted by harmchar
Don't want to come across as a smart arse, but the fact questions are being asked about electrical protection, surely means you are not qualified to do the upgrade.
https://www.electricalsafetyfirst.org.uk/find-an-electrician/building-regulations/england/
Might get some advice on above link. It's different rules for you guys in England, but I'm sure you have to have knowledge of Part P before you carry out any electrical work to your property.
At the end of the day, it's all about doing it safely.
I have just finished a DIY rewire of my house including kitchen etc. Following the 18th edition regs. Signed off by local building inspector...all
legal and above board!
There is actually no requirement in the regs for any mechanical protection on an RCD protected cable. I tried plastic capping and metal capping and
both are so flimsey I doubt they would do anything to stop a gorilla with a power-tool going through them... Only benefit I can see is to protect the
wires from the plasterers float!
Key is to put wires in the permitted zones... as mentioned above so you have a good chance of guessing where they are in the future.
quote:
Originally posted by tegwin
I have just finished a DIY rewire of my house including kitchen etc. Following the 18th edition regs. Signed off by local building inspector...all legal and above board!
There is actually no requirement in the regs for any mechanical protection on an RCD protected cable. I tried plastic capping and metal capping and both are so flimsey I doubt they would do anything to stop a gorilla with a power-tool going through them... Only benefit I can see is to protect the wires from the plasterers float!
Key is to put wires in the permitted zones... as mentioned above so you have a good chance of guessing where they are in the future.
Yes. Metal clips are required for surface mounted wiring, wiring fasted to the underside of cable tray and so on, but only to prevent *PREMATURE* collapse. Plasterboard ceilings and walls are specified as a fire-break for a fixed period, so once these have collapsed, falling wires are no longer premature and do not need to be protected against.
quote:
Originally posted by SteveWalker
Yes. Metal clips are required for surface mounted wiring, wiring fasted to the underside of cable tray and so on, but only to prevent *PREMATURE* collapse. Plasterboard ceilings and walls are specified as a fire-break for a fixed period, so once these have collapsed, falling wires are no longer premature and do not need to be protected against.
quote:
Originally posted by tegwin
I have just finished a DIY rewire of my house including kitchen etc. Following the 18th edition regs. Signed off by local building inspector...all legal and above board!
There is actually no requirement in the regs for any mechanical protection on an RCD protected cable. I tried plastic capping and metal capping and both are so flimsey I doubt they would do anything to stop a gorilla with a power-tool going through them... Only benefit I can see is to protect the wires from the plasterers float!
Key is to put wires in the permitted zones... as mentioned above so you have a good chance of guessing where they are in the future.
quote:
Originally posted by cliftyhanger
quote:
Originally posted by stevebubs
Remodelling the kitchen and dining room at the moment, including relocating sockets on the right main and light switches.
What is the accepted way of protecting these wires when we plaster over them?
They will be covered by an RCD but would prefer something over the top as well - was considering putting in metal capping over them but unsure whether it would have needed to be earth bonded.
protected by being either 50mm+ deep, 3mm of steel and/or an RCD. As above, only vertical or horizontal runs.
Good practice to use capping, PVC is ok, you are not trying to protect the wires from screws/nails, only idiots And the RCD makes sure they don't die.