Electrical cable - how cold?

[Anna Kettle]

Before I put the top coat of render back on my house I want to decide about electrical wiring.

In a massive timber frame house the usual thing is to run the cable over the timber frame in a discreet spot but it strikes me that I could take the cable behind the timbers instead

Part of the cable would then be outdoors. Not exposed to the elements cos it would be under the render but not cossetted by any heating either

Will the cable cope with this or does it like warm temperatures?

Anna ~~ Anna Kettle, Suffolk, England |""""| ~ Lime plaster repairs / ^^ \ // Freehand modelling in lime: overmantels, pargeting etc |____|

01359 230642

[Malcolm H]

[Dave Liquorice]

I for one would not be expecting to find wiring under exterior render, I don't think many others would be either. I guess if you stick to the rules of vertical/horizontal from a visible fitting then a few bells might be rung in the minds of those about to drill holes. Still a bit risky IMHO.

I'm not sure how it would like being constantly flexed, all be it tiny amounts, by the thermally induced movements of the building. If the cable is free to move in a conduit not so bad but effectively and rigidly fixed, buried in render?

[N. Thornton]

Thats a non problem. The time you'll get in trouble is when the rendering gets redone, and someone puts a chisel through it. So its best to put a cover over it before the render.

Regards, NT

[Adrian Chirgwin]

[Dave Liquorice]

Quoted(ish) from the regs but that is for *interior* walls. Does it apply to exterior walls? And what about all those electrical points outside...

[Anna Kettle]

A handy group, uk.d-i-y! I was so busy thinking about damage to the cable by weather that it it didn't occur to me to think of damage by human. Perhaps I will abandon the idea of running the cable behind the timbers and be sensible like everyone else, run them in front and disguise with a bit of acrylic paint camouflage when the time comes.

It has been worthwhile thinking about electrics at this stage though cos I have fixed battens between the studs which the switch boxes can be screwed to

Thanks all Anna ~~ Anna Kettle, Suffolk, England |""""| ~ Lime plaster repairs / ^^ \ // Freehand modelling in lime: overmantels, pargeting etc |____|

01359 230642