50 year old radial sockets at floor level

[electrician4u]

Doing a re-wire for a customer who doesn't want surface mini trunking, can't channel walls and wants me to use 50 year old conduit to re-wire.It was originally wired as a radial circuit and don't think I'd get 2x2.5 mm T & E's down the conduit.Assuming the kitchen can be done seperately, could I re-wire the rest of the sockets as a radial and put it on a 20 breaker? Another problem is existing sockets cut into skirting at floor level.Is it compusory to raise these to above 450mm or can I just mark it as a deviation?

 

[ExArmy]

you could always use singles?

 

[ExArmy]

and socket heights can stay, it's not a new build. part M only applies to a new build (domestic dwellings)

 

[Strima]

As long as you can get access to the draw boxes etc just wiring it in singles should be straight forward enough. A lot less cleaning up as well.

 

[Brightspark2]

But you could also run one 2.5mm in and make it a 20A radial...so there's the options...depending on calcs of course...

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[Plonker 3]

But you could also run one 2.5mm in and make it a 20A radial...so there's the options...depending on calcs of course...

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But if there is more than 1 socket then you will need to pull 2 x 2.5 twin and earth cables up the conduit.

 

[Geordie Spark]

But if there is more than 1 socket then you will need to pull 2 x 2.5 twin and earth cables up the conduit.

........... and then you may as well go the whole hog & make it a ring final.

 

[trev]

I'd be concerned about stressing the flexes entering the plug tops. You can get some skirting trunking that doesn't look too hideous.

 

[ExArmy]

I'd be concerned about stressing the flexes entering the plug tops. You can get some skirting trunking that doesn't look too hideous.

good point i missed that, i read it as they were ontop of the skirting boards. i changed a board at a house recently that had sockets on the skirting, couldn't get my plugtop lead in some and had to use a socket and see tester as they were so low. i told the customer they should be raised and wrote it on the cert in the comments section

 

[Silly Sausage]

Another silly picture... - DIYnot.com - DIY and Home Improvement

 

[trev]

Some idiot is advocating cable entry on the top surface of plug tops there. No wonder I steer well clear of that asylum.

 

[jenions]

For some reason I always remember someone telling me that you cudnt have sockets in/on skirting board :/ can't remember why. Only thing I ever thought was that it is a fire hazard.



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[trev]

There's loads of buildings out there with them in the skirts Jenions, it was the way it was done years ago. Stress on the flexes is why it's a no no now.

 

[jenions]

Ooooo like I said It was one of them things that I cudnt quite remember the reason just that someone had said it to me. At least I know now ey

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[Adam W]

Just put the sockets on upside down, then there won't be any stress on the flexes. Simples.

 

[Des 56]

Pulling 4.0mm singles through the conduit will be almost certainly be just as easy or hard as pulling 2.5mm and give more leeway

You will probably find the conduit is also via the kitchen,this will open up more options for pulling in extra cores or including the kitchen sockets,there will also more likely be a pipe for the cooker circuit that could be utilised for a seperate kitchen supply,radial or ring

The possibilities are many and these need to be decided upon beforehand, in the light of what pipes are existing and what can be wired to where
If I survey a property and there are conduits,I tend to think this is a lucky day indeed

 

[Richard Burns]

Just put the sockets on upside down, then there won't be any stress on the flexes. Simples.

My Aunt has some sockets mounted in the skirting and on two of them the sockets are mounted upside down! (not by me)

 

[Adam W]

My Aunt has some sockets mounted in the skirting and on two of them the sockets are mounted upside down! (not by me)

For some reason that reminds me of my old primary school; in one of the classrooms there were only about 3 single sockets, the most 'accessible' one being in a corner, up by the ceiling. If the teacher wanted to play us a tape she'd stand on a chair to reach the socket, plug in the tape player and balance it on the top corner of the wendy house, held up by the flex.
'Health & Safety' would have had a field day if they'd gone in there and if they'd existed at the time.

 

[Guest55]

I dont see the point of some half-ased rewire that wont allow wall chases , ring mains , and reuses old socket positions in skirting ???
Its either done to current standards or walk , to be quite blunt.

 

[La Poste]

If you can only get one cable down each conduit why not use the crab configuration for the radial.

Apparently it's quite popular in France.