Inexperienced in house rewires. Guidance needed.

[OhmSweetOhm]

Hi people,

Gonna rewire my house in the forthcoming weeks but I myself work on commercial and industrial projects and have only newly wired houses as an apprentice 2-3 year ago so I am unfamiliar with what should and shouldn't be done in house rewires.
I plan to use this thread for any advice that you lot would like to offer and for myself to ask any questions which I happen to think of!

So my first few are...

• Should outside sockets be part of a ring main or should they be spurred off a ring main?
• Does a boiler require it's own dedicated circuit?
• Is it legal to run cables behind skirting boards or must they be run underneath the floorboards and chased into the walls?

Thanks, appreciate it!

 

[Rauer]

1- on the ring is preferable
2. The boiler doesnt have to be on its own circuit but is a bit nicer like that
3. Chased in the walls , don't put them behind the skirting the word rough springs to mind when I see that!

 

[Jonny66]

Hi people,

• Should outside sockets be part of a ring main or should they be spurred off a ring main? Either
• Does a boiler require it's own dedicated circuit? not usually but depends on boiler
• Is it legal to run cables behind skirting boards or must they be run underneath the floorboards and chased into the walls? Not illegal, you wont get arrested for it, but possibly not a good idea behind skirting as it may get nailed or screwed if its lucky.

Good luck

 

[DNS1]

behind skirting isn't compliant... Not within a zone...

 

[telectrix]

wiring a house on your tod is a right ballache. do you know a spark who is more conversant with domestics to do the job with?

 

[Rauer]

behind skirting isn't compliant... Not within a zone...

150mm from the floor- thought that was a safe zone

 

[OhmSweetOhm]

Thanks for those answers, people!

So when chasing the walls out what's all your preferences for which direction to chase them? Horizontally around the wall socket to socket or along the top of the wall near the ceiling and then dropping down vertically to the sockets?

 

[axel132132]

You have your zones mate, behind the skirting is not a Zone unless deeper than 50mm zones are on the EDGE Of a wall 150mm.. Ceiling 150mm and inline with sockets, switches etc.. Here is a diagram

 

[OhmSweetOhm]

wiring a house on your tod is a right ballache. do you know a spark who is more conversant with domestics to do the job with?

Yeah, mate, but it's gonna be after work every day so don't wanna be a pain in the arse and cause them the hassle!

 

[axel132132]

150mm from the floor- thought that was a safe zone

Tis not a zone mate no zone from floor

 

[amlu]

good question with them boilers. i`ve always been told to run a separate 2.5 for them...
wonder why, as the thing takes max 3amps mainly for control gear.

 

[Rauer]

Tis not a zone mate no zone from floor

My bad!! Just checked while you were posting!! I don't know why I thought it was!!!

 

[Jonny66]

Spoken to and worked with many fitters, plumbers, plasters, builders, etc etc and hardly any of them (in fact none) know or care what or where "safe zones" are....however, they are what they are and must be complied with.:laugh:

 

[KevinS]

I would personally run a ring to the kitchen
radial to lounge
2 radials upstairs
circuit for heating
etc etc

 

[axel132132]

Id say put boiler on separate, JUST because if say you get an issue with your lights.. and it trips breaker then house dosent go cold along as its on the other RCD

 

[Des 56]

Safe zones are secret places known only to electricians
So please shhh speak quietly please, by mentioning them openly, other trades may get to know their whereabouts

 

[Jonny66]

Spured off lighting circuit, are you sure?

 

[telectrix]

i put my old boiler on the RFC. she wasn't impressed. .. she hates rugby.

 

[OhmSweetOhm]

Another couple...

1. Is it okay to have trailing sockets behind the plinths on cupboards for fridges, dishwashers, etc.?
2. Must hidden sockets for the likes of the above be on spurs for each item?

Thanks again.

 

[telectrix]

OK till the washing machine pi$$es out over them and your house is plunged into darkness.