Passing cables through walls

[Tricky Dicky]

I need to put some flush sockets near where the TV is going to be situated. The wall is papered and I would like to avoid the usual chasing and re pla stering so I intend to carefully remove the plaster as neat as possible and behind the plaster is breeze block which can be cut into fairly easy to co mplete box sinking. Fortunately, there is a handy socket on the other side of the wall, so a hole and protective tube should get my cable through. How ever, I would like to make these new sockets part of the ring main which me ans coming back through the wall a little bit further along. Is this permis sible and what do I have to do regards the cable appearing through a wall. I don't mind re- plastering the back side of the wall and I am considering fitting a second socket on the cable exit point.

Richard

[Lobster]

On 06 May 2014, Tricky Dicky grunted:

I can't see anything fundamentally wrong with that; but if you need this to be part if the ring there's no reason why you can't have the 'return' cable going back though the same tube.

Do you definitely need to extend the ring, though? What are you wanting to achieve? If you explain here, you may find there's an easier way do it...

[Tim Watts]

It is absolutely permissible - and quite common. It does not run any cable "out of zone" as there is an accessory on top *both sides*.

Don't even need the tube - T+E through a brick/block hole is OK. What the OP will need to do is to remember to grommet the rear knockout in both old and new boxes.

For a single accessory (double or single gang socket) a spur with one cable would be simpler as the ring will remain undisturbed. Otherwise some crimps will be necessary to bring one or both legs of the ring through the hole.

[Tricky Dicky]

The reason for including it as part of the ring is I wish to add 3 twin sockets for all the AV equipment which currently accounts for 4 plugs and is likely to be extended when I eventually add home cinema equipment.

Richard

[Mike Tomlinson]

En el artículo , Tricky Dicky escribió:

It's all low current stuff, so extending the ring is unnecessary. I did the same things, added 4 double sockets on a spur for AV equipment, but ran the sockets from a switched fused spur. Electrically, it's no different to using a floating multi-way socket strip.

[Lobster]

On 07 May 2014, Mike Tomlinson grunted:

That's where I was coming from. Wire a fused spur from the socket next door (the actual connection unit could be whichever side of the wall you want) and then take a single cable through the wall to feed the AV- equipment sockets.

Though to be honest, for this application I don't see there's much to be gained in installing all those sockets: I have a similar set-up and all the AV stuff (IIRC about 7 items) are plugged into a single multiway socket extension behind all the gear.

[Mike Tomlinson]

In article , Lobster writes

I do the same, a 10-way multiway socket behind the AV unit with 8 remotely-switched sockets and 2 permanently live. Can switch everything off with the remote control, except the two perm live ones which are used for things that need to be left powered on (e.g. the PVR).

The other sockets of the 4 doubles on the spur I use for things like a lamp, phone chargers, the vacuum, etc. where I need easy access to the socket. They all got used up pretty quickly.

[DerbyBorn]

Tricky Dicky wrote in news: [e-mail]:

It is one of those cases where the excellent 13amp plug is over specified. We should have a smaller option (which could plug into a 13amp look alike adaptor). I have had Japanese equipment in the past which has a mouled on conitinental plug that is fitted inside a 13amp plug. A superb way of standardising the production process.

[Tim Watts]

Nothing to stop anyone from sticking euro 2-pins on media kit, or even IECs.

There's be no problem installing a set of 2 pin sockets or a strip version on an appropriately fused spur.

[fred]

In article , Tricky Dicky writes

Certainly nothing wrong with making it all part of the ring in which case you would:

1. Remove 1 set of LNE connections from the terminals at the existing socket.

1. Replace those connections with a length of twin and earth through the wall to the new sockets.

2. Create your chain of connections to your new sockets (mini-ring).

1. Take the cable from the other end of your mini-ring back through the wall and connect to the now uncommitted tail of the ring that you disconnected from the existing socket. This completes the ring with the new sockets added to it.

The linking step at 4 is probably most easily made using crimp terminals and an overlying heatshrink sleeve. Depending on your neatness and the depth of the existing back box you may need to replace it with a deeper one.

[Huge]

Why not make up something (DIY!) around a suitable enclosure with a row of these mounted on it and a flying lead with a 13amp plug on it?

[meow2222]

d. The wall is papered and I would like to avoid the usual chasing and re p lastering so I intend to carefully remove the plaster as neat as possible a nd behind the plaster is breeze block which can be cut into fairly easy to complete box sinking. Fortunately, there is a handy socket on the other sid e of the wall, so a hole and protective tube should get my cable through. H owever, I would like to make these new sockets part of the ring main which means coming back through the wall a little bit further along. Is this perm issible and what do I have to do regards the cable appearing through a wall . I don't mind re- plastering the back side of the wall and I am considerin g fitting a second socket on the cable exit point.

Sensible plan, yes. If you pull one cable out of the existing socket, it'll feed thru the wall to the new one without any crimping etc if the new one' s several inches to one side of the old. As you want to install more than o ne double, all you need is a little bit of T&E to link new sockets to old t o complete the ring. No need for protection from anything where cable goes thru wall.

Last time I did this there was no need to replaster anything.

NT

[Windmill]

In Canada (and, I'm pretty sure, America) quadruple sockets with a square form factor are quite common. It's surprising that nothing similar seems available, widely at any rate, here. (Though here the sockets would need to be angled to allow the flex to clear other plugs).

Given the number of wall warts which are now required, I'm surprised that more people don't fit triple sockets or use the straight-line single-to-quadruple converter sockets which are available.

[Andy Burns]

You could fit a couple of 13A euromodules into this monstrosity to give

6 sockets

[meow2222]

You can always fit one of those 4/6/8/12 way extension sockets. It needs to be a fused one to be compliant.

NT

[Adam Funk]

It would also be easier if the cables came out of the back of the plugs (as they do in most countries) rather than out of the bottom. Is the UK arrangement deliberately designed to discourage people from pulling plugs out by the cable?

[Tim Watts]

Reduces trip hazard to some extent...

The 13A plug all made perfect sense 40 years ago - well, even 20 years ago.

Clearly we really need a 2nd plug type for all those double insulated weeny loads that we have several dozen of in any given home. Maybe a double plate sporting 6 2 pin sockets and an inbuilt fuse to make it suitable for 32A ring installations? Or a double plate with 1 13A socket and maybe 4 2 pin sockets in a quad

[tony sayer]

Maybe. The IEC kettle lead is well used n some places like IT and radio and broadcast studios.

[meow2222]

It was to prevent plugs being pulled part way out & thus overheating. It does increase the trip hazard though.

My proposal is to simply use a 2 pin version of what we have now. The MK shutters operated by L&N only are now patent expired. New sockets would add an extra pair of L&N each side of the E, so they have 5 holes and take a 3 pin plug or 2x 2 pin plugs.

Nothing needs changing, other than approving a new moulded 2 pin plug for class II appliances only. All new & old plugs & sockets would already be compatible.

NT