When to do 2nd fix electrics?

[Dave Sharp]

So, Part (taking the) P inspectors have been out to see first fix and said OK. No electrical testing was done because there's nothing to test yet - fair enough.

If we now plaster up all the chases before putting the nice new shiny white sockets, switches etc., etc., in place and the final electrical testing shows up a fault, then we have to dig out plaster again. However, if we do it the other way round and put the sockets and switches on before we plaster, they'll get all messy (and maybe wet) from the plastering.

May well be a silly question but which way round is the "correct" way?

Dave.

[John White]

I assume you have the metal boxes in place, so fit the switches and sockets after the plastering.

John

[Christian McArdle]

You'd be terminally unlucky that the fault was actually within the cable, especially if you do a quick continuity and insulation test on just the cable itself before plastering.

Christian.

[Dave Sharp]

Thanks John and Christian for your quick replies and a good idea Christian to do quick tests ourselves. Plasterer can now come in at his leisure.

Dave.

[Richard Conway]

And I'm sure he will :)

[Lobster]

I'd agree. And the whole point of the original inspection was to check all is OK at first-fix stage - ie circuit layouts, position of cable runs etc - so there shouldn't be any scenario other than a run of faulty cable (and how unlikely is that!) which could require plaster to be dug out again.

If you have a digital camera, it might be worth doing what I do at this stage and document everything photographically, so if someone does query where a cable goes exactly, you can show a photo. (Never had cause to do this yet, so can't confirm it works, but it reassures me! And it's surprisingly useful to have this record in a few years time when when you are trying to remember what you buried where...)

Oh by the way, as soon as your plasterer has gone, quickly go round all the sockets and switch boxes and scrape out all the plaster which he will have stuffed in there - much easier to do before it's set rock hard. I've known plasterers cover socket boxes over so efficiently(?!) that I've had to use a tape measure to work out their position, in order to dig them out!

David

[Christian McArdle]

Yes, one of the common causes of continuity failures on ring circuits is that one of the boxes has been totally plastered in and forgotten (assuming the cable has actually been cut).

Christian.

[Dave Sharp]

Thanks for that David. Excellent idea about the camera!

Dave.

[news]

you're getting a plasterer in ? for plastering cable chases ?

[news]

ah, gotcha. as you were ! :o)

[Dave Sharp]

No, the house is being completely refurbished - he's got five ceilings and various other things to do as well as cable chases. Having said that, he's a very good and very quick plasterer who could have the cable chases done (if it was just that that needed doing) a darn sight quicker and better than I could. He's also an old schoolmate who does things for me at extremely good rates, so I probably would have got him in just for that anyway :o)

Dave.

[Harry Bloomfield]

Lobster formulated on Thursday :

A small metal detector will find buried cables and metal boxes in walls in seconds.

[Ed Sirett]

If the design and installation is correct why do you think that it is going to fail the inspection and test? What sort of fault do you think the testing might be likely to show up that would also require the cables being removed/replaced?