Protecting electrical cable

[Christian McArdle]

To run concealed cables, you have a number of choices:

1. Mechanical protection.
2. Run in prescribed areas (edges of wall, top of wall, horizontally or vertically from visible electrical fittings).
3. Bury > 50mm deep.

Therefore, if your finished wall will have a fitting, such as a socket or light switch, then you can run the cable without any protection, provided the cables are aligned with the fitting.

There's no specific exemption for stud walls, to my knowledge.

Christian.

[Stuart]

Protecting electrical cables. I am about to plasterboard a solid wall using dabs of adhesive plaster, If I was to run some electrical cable down the solid wall first, would I be required to protect this cabling with metal conduit. My understand is that in a normal stud partition wall there is no need to!

[Chip]

On Thu, 29 Sep 2005 16:17:45 +0100,it is alleged that "Stuart" spake thusly in uk.d-i-y:

Just one addittion to Christian's excellent advice: Any combination of 2 or 3 of the methods he enumerated is also acceptable.

My suggestion would be running vertically from the fittings - counts as 'within permitted zone', and protect with metal capping (available from most suppliers at minimal cost) - counts as basic mechanical protection. This will protect the cable from possible damage while cutting plasterboard and also from thumbtacks etc later on.