Extention of DB cables.

[Swa33er]

Hi all,
I am currently looking to move a DB from a small cupboard to the garage on the other side of the wall.
The problem I am facing as with a lot of cases is having to extend the cables as they won't be long enough to reach to new desired location.
When it comes to extending the cables what is the correct way to do so to stay within all the regulations? I am looking to make the joins under the floor in the cupboard and put an access hatch in the floor so it can be accessed any time but would like to know your thoughts on the correct method of joining and how to finish them off to be left?
Thanks in advance for any advice, much appreciated and hope I am in the right section for this question. Cheers.

 

[Pete999]

Hi all,
I am currently looking to move a DB from a small cupboard to the garage on the other side of the wall.
The problem I am facing as with a lot of cases is having to extend the cables as they won't be long enough to reach to new desired location.
When it comes to extending the cables what is the correct way to do so to stay within all the regulations? I am looking to make the joins under the floor in the cupboard and put an access hatch in the floor so it can be accessed any time but would like to know your thoughts on the correct method of joining and how to finish them off to be left?
Thanks in advance for any advice, much appreciated and hope I am in the right section for this question. Cheers.

What size and type of cable is it you are intending to join? can you not rewire from the meter position?

 

[DPG]

Wagos? In-line splices? DIN rail mounted connectors in a suitable enclosure?

 

[Pete999]

Wagos? In-line splices? DIN rail mounted connectors in a suitable enclosure?

Ah miss understood post it's the circuit cable he want's to extend, then I agree with you, but not under the floor.

 

[Octopus]

What do your scheme's technical helpline suggest? Not sure about the "under the floor" bit!

 

[bigspark17]

Ah miss understood post it's the circuit cable he want's to extend, then I agree with you, but not under the floor.

Waw id love to work for your domestic clients.. most clients want everything hidden.

OP depending on how many you need to extend i would go for the hager MF (maintence free) J804's. No need for an access trap then.

 

[davesparks]

Re-route or Replace the first legs of the circuits to avoid adding joints wherever possible.
dont forget that with a radial circuit you could install the new feed to any point on the circuit, you don't necessarily have to go to what was previously the first point.

 

[jackhammerJIM]

I would use a large adaptable box full of wagos . Cables clipped and secured with stuffing glands . This does not carry the maintenance free stamp of a MF jb however that wouldn't bother me in the slightest . It is the most cost efficient method which I'm happy to use without blindly following the regs . Tin hat on .

 

[Pete999]

Waw id love to work for your domestic clients.. most clients want everything hidden.

OP depending on how many you need to extend i would go for the hager MF (maintence free) J804's. No need for an access trap then.

Don't have any clients now I'm retired.

 

[stummish]

Under the floor isn't great. Wago boxes are mf if you used a tie wrap through the loops to seal the box, but you'd have a lot of them for an entire board. I'd try find a way to convince the customer to put an adaptable box with a din rail in it where the cu used to be and use wagos for the smaller circuits (wago 773 for up to 41A) din rail connectors for anything bigger. You may need a switch fuse to extend the tails with an swa, or surface clip regular tails, but its not pretty. Depends on the install.

Ideally you'd replace the first leg of each circuit, but that would mean chasing and plastering probably.

 

[telectrix]

i'd fit a din rail terminal strip in an adaplable box at the current CU position ( in cupboard.

 

[stummish]

Din Rail Mounting Carrier for Push Wire Connectors - https://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/WA332.html?ad_position=1o1&source=adwords&ad_id=45425533757&placement=&kw=&network=g&matchtype=&ad_type=pla&product_id=WA332&product_partition_id=174057595987&test=finalurl_v2&gclid=CjwKEAjw9MrIBRCr2LPek5-h8U0SJAD3jfhtvjAxB836tx7jaTQ_VKaaSI75CQ87lVWXhUCKxqSXcBoCn2rw_wcB

A wago product for everything! They also make din rail terminals too, I used them once on some 25mm swa that needed extending.

 

[Midwest]

I contemplated using one of these on a CU move once;

DRE-3v1 DIN Rail Enclosure - https://www.connexbox.com/dre-3v1-din-rail-enclosure.html

for use with their Topjob terminals. Although the enclosure's not expensive, the terminals etc add up, nearly the price of the CU itself. See they are also going to distribute a slightly bigger one with knockouts, DRE-5.

Interestingly, they had some pretty pictures on the web site, demonstrating using the enclosure for just this kind of job, but they don't seem to be there anymore?

At the time I was going to use it, was just after the metal A3 debacle came into being. I contacted my scheme - Elecsa - who said the enclosure had to be metal, A3 style. I rang Connexbox, who were understandably, a bit miffed, and said that was horse pooh.

Since then, I've been re-advised by Elecsa, that such an enclosure may not be required to be A3 style (down to the designer), but the pictures are still no longer exist on Connexbox web site.

Ohh what a confusing world

 

[freddo]

Nice enclosure, with glands if needed, various heatshrink, a reel of tinned copper wire, 60/40 solder, decent power soldering iron, hot air gun, some flux residue cleaner. Probably the most reliable joint you can make (when it's done properly).

Go on, you know you want to, wagos are for -------!

 

[CDB]

Hi,

Sorry to hijack a thread but my query is basically the same and involves extending circuit conductors because we have to move the consumer unit from inside a HMO student bedroom into a communal area.

Its a 15 way board so there is going to be a lot of connections

If we were to go down the DIN Rail route is there a Wago connector that is particularly suited to extending a 3 core cable. On their website they seem to have these stacked ones, which if my interpretation of the image is correct would allow you to do earth, neutral and live for a cable on one DIN block.

 

[Wilko]

Hi - have a look at Stummish's post #12 link. And if you browse about there's another din rail version that takes Wago lever connectors. Either could be ok. Or the top job you've listed would work.