Permissible cable run quandry?

[Steve]

As part of the lounge rebuild I am doing, I have run into a problem with concealed wires with no accessories to indicate that a cable run could be going up the wall.

This is behind a radiator that is going to be removed permanently and this freed-up area will become our TV/HiFi area so there will obviously need to be extra sockets fitted.

The trouble, or maybe my confusion, arises because the lounge part of the ring has both cables running next to each other from other rooms buried in the plaster.

I can extract the cables and connect them to sockets (one for each side of ring and then continue around lounge) and thus extend the ring easily enough although, obviously, neither of the sockets would then be directly under the fitting as both cables would then have to enter through the side of their box.

I am happy to have both sockets adjacent with just enough room, say

50mm, for the vertical cables to enter them from the sides and then to continue with normal horizontal and vertical runs from there?

Is this vertical 'zone' above the gap between two closely spaced boxes acceptable?

I have tried to look this up, but all I seem to get is about bathroom zoning!

Thanks

Steve

[Lobster]

Maybe it's just me, but I don't follow this at all I'm afraid.

[Steve]

No, it is probably my description.

Cables for both parts of ring run down wall in the same chase. Cables have no fittings above, or below that would indicate a cable run. Instead, they continue to the underfloor where they go round the room to other sockets and complete the ring..

My problem is that there is a pair (ring) of cables that pass vertically down the wall. IIUC there needs to be an accessory in place to show that cables are to be expected vertically, or horizontally, to meet electrical regulations.

To rectify this, a solution would be to put two sockets, one on each side of the drop and then take the ring around from them. But as the cables are close to each other in the chase that would mean that the cables would have to enter their boxes from a side knock-out.

That would mean that the cables went up vertically in the space between two adjacent sockets, but not directly above either.

I hope that this paints a clearer picture...

Steve

[Owain]

Put one socket in the vertical chase, have one of the drop cables broken to connect the new socket, have the other drop cable electrically unbroken but running vertically through the box. A double socket should be wide enough to span the chase with ample spare width for non-vertical tolerances.

In practice, unless you can pull some spare cable length from the floor/ceiling near the socket, you may have to break and reconnect or extend both cables - insulated crimps would be the best way of doing this.

Using an extra depth backing box would provide more room for the gubbins.

Owain

[Steve]

Thanks Owain that seems the best way of doing it. I wasn't aware that it was OK to run the cable through the box like that.

The way I proposed had the advantage that there would have been enough cable to go to boxes either side of the chase but it is no problem to join extra cable if I have to as I have the insulated crimps and proper tool.

Yes, I could sink a deep box there. As the crimps are protected by the box and accessible would I still need to cover the complete join in heatshrink?

Another idea... could I take both cables vertically into an empty box (with cover) then take them out horizontally to sockets either side i.e. just using the box to indicate the cable run and provide a means of changing direction? This would save making extra joints for the price of having a blank single box between the sockets which won't be seen when behind furniture.

Cheers

Steve

[Owain]

You could.

Owain

[Steve]

Thanks again, I think I will use a single box then if this means my wiring will then be within regulations!

Cheers

Steve