50 year old radial sockets at floor level

[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.

 

[Geordie Spark]

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.

The crab configuration ?? ............... surely you mean the Frog configuration don't you ????

 

[Adam W]

One problem you might find using old conduit is if it's in imperial sizes in which case you might struggle to find parts.
You might be able to chase up a foot or so and cengar off the tube, but good luck getting a stock in there to thread it, or even finding the right die if it's imperial.

 

[electrician4u]

I thought about the upside down socket route but you know what people are like.They'll take one look and say:what a f..ing idiot, he's put it upside down!The guy who said the min height of sockets only applies to new build, is that correct?surely the 17th Ed. has to be followed when ur changing anything.

 

[Des 56]

I thought about the upside down socket route but you know what people are like.They'll take one look and say:what a f..ing idiot, he's put it upside down!The guy who said the min height of sockets only applies to new build, is that correct?surely the 17th Ed. has to be followed when ur changing anything.

Yes.we follow the regs,but in this example, the answers you were given likely refer to the "Building" regs

 

[Richard Burns]

I thought about the upside down socket route but you know what people are like.They'll take one look and say:what a f..ing idiot, he's put it upside down!The guy who said the min height of sockets only applies to new build, is that correct?surely the 17th Ed. has to be followed when ur changing anything.

The minimum height of sockets/switches is a recommendation in Part M of the building Regulations covering use of buildings, it is not part of the wiring regulations. Part M states that the minimum height is not applicable to extensions or change of use of dwellings.
If you can raise the sockets within the space of the skirting board and fill/ board beneath them this may be a good thing but you do not need to go to 450mm.


too slow!

 

[SPARTYKUS]

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?

No, but surely you'd remember that from your training!!! :wink5:

 

[snowhead]

or even finding the right die if it's imperial.

Still got mine somewhere, and you can get metric / imperial adapters.

 

[Guest55]

Why does this customer want a rewire anyway ??
Surely the whole point is to bring the installation upto current standards ??
re-using old imperial gauge conduit and sockets in skirting hardly achieves this.
The customer needs a reality check if you ask me.

 

[Guest55]

Still got mine somewhere, and you can get metric / imperial adapters.

Yeah , but would you really bother with all that faff for a domestic install just because the customer wont accept that chasing need to be done ? not bloody likely lol.

 

[richy3333]

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?

Do you have a copy of the Regs? If so what do they say? Are you Part P compliant - I guess you are as you advertise as an NICEIC Domestic Installer and an Approved contractor - so do the Building Regs apply in this situation?