Safe Zone and Cable Routing

[Elliot Knight]

Hello,

I am adding sockets to a garage conversion. The ceiling is already plastered, and above the ceiling is a bedroom. Between the ceiling and the bedroom, the void is stuffed full of insulation. Looking to avoid cutting large holes in the ceiling or above floor to remove the insulation and run cable (if I fish the cable leaving insulation in it would need to be derated), would the following be suitable.

Run the cable up the wall vertically from the socket to the 150 mm safe zone below the ceiling. Go across the safe zone horizontally till in line to the next socket. Come vertically back down the wall to the socket. See illustration, red line showing proposed run.

As the walls are not yet plastered, this would be a fairly easy run to achieve.

 

[Loki]

Its within zones so yes.
What about where its fed & going to on the ring, if through the void how much length of the cable will be going through the insulation? Might still need to derated?

Ps im a trainee still & other members on here have more experience

 

[Elliot Knight]

I have cut a small hole in the floor above where the cable will drop down and have enough space to pull about 1m worth of insulation away. The insulation isn't needed now as the room underneath will become it's own insulated room.

So the cable should be in plenty of free air.

Unfortunately I just can't get all the insulation out of the cavity all the way along without having to cut many holes along the floor which isn't practical.

The hole I've done now is right next to an upstairs socket too, so I'll be extending the ring from that point which is very convenient.

 

[telectrix]

what about the other end? is that going to an existing socket upstairs and will you then ditch the existing link between the upstairs sockets? your plan to use the 150mm below ceiling is good.

 

[Flanders]

Are you comming from 2 different sockets from upstairs if so why dont you just spur off each one separately

 

[Elliot Knight]

Yea, so there are 2 sockets upstairs, very close together so will ditch the link between them, drop down 2 cables to garage, to form a new extension to the ring. I need 3 sockets in total, so will do the ring for 2 sockets, and the 3rd will be a spur off of one of the new sockets. Make sense?

 

[telectrix]

sounds like a plan. . don't forget that you can run horizontally direct between sockets.

 

[Elliot Knight]

And if I can't break the socket link upstairs for whatever reason, I was going to use the Hager Ashley MF JB in the void to break the cable just before a socket, drop one down from the JB and loop round to go back in to the socket.

32A 3 Terminal 17th Edition Junction Box White | City Electrical Factors - https://www.cef.co.uk/catalogue/products/4304018-32a-3-terminal-17th-edition-junction-box-white?q=ashley

Obviously this adds a break in the cable, and whilst it is maintenance free, I would prefer to go the socket only route.