Joining mains cable

If the floorboards are liftable, you could arguably use a regular junction box. However, bearing in mind that people lay carpets and laminate over the top, I'd use one of these:

Maintenance free, cable clamps and fixing of the box by screws to the joist - everything you need in one box at a dirt cheap price. I have used these BTW and they are good.

Crimping is also fine - and maintenance free - but these boxes are a lot less effort.

Wago terminals in a wago box are also ok... (and quite nice for PITA places to work in since like crimps you can make each wire connection individually and then stuff em in the box)

Many thanks all - I'll be getting some of the boxes Tim mentioned.

replying to RJH, Mike hunt wrote: Got any gleenogs?

?????

Zarabanda my friend!!

I would check the details of that junction box, 32A may be the headline fig ure when used in a standard setting it might be reduced in maintenance free mode. I have used Wagos extensively recently they too are rated at 32A but the leaflet provided points out that used in maintenance free mode their r ating should be derated to 20A and quotes some BS number as the standard fo r compliance which I suspect applies across the board to all such connector s.

Richard

Oops! Just realised I replied to a 2014 post. Ce la vie.

Richard

The 773-173 connectors are good for 32A in maintenance free mode (they do appear to be the notable exception to the general rule though).

Mathew

I suppose over here were pretty unlikely to use aluminium cables, but I'd never heard of their "Alu-Plus" contact paste

At one point aluminium cables were used because copper got rather expensive. then 15th, 16th & 17th editions of the wiring regs have tables labelled "Aluminium Conductors". Not in the current (18th) edition