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Hi,

I have been asked to move some plug sockets from the skirting board (they are too low and this causes problems plugging in equipment) to higher up the wall in a domestic property. I will be chasing in and fitting new flush mounted sockets.

I am after advice on the best way to proceed. There seems to be several options. If the cable under the floor is long enough to reach the new socket position, then there will be no need to extend any cables and no major problems, but if it is not long enough, what is the best method for extending it? NOTE: The cable is in good condition so a full rewire is not necessary due to deterioration as it appears to have been changed in the late 70’s or early 80’s.

To get to the new socket if the cables are too short, I had planned either to use Hagar Maintenance free junction boxes, with the idea of spurring off the ring under the floorboards and having a single new cable to the new sockets, or I could extend both legs of the ring by crimping each conductor then putting the joint in a “chock box” for strain relief and to enclose the uncovered insulation. What is the best practice for extending cables in this circumstance?

Also, I think the best option for the chasing in and putting in the back coxes may be to take my equipment into a room (with three or four sockets) and do them together, then move all the equipment onto another room or location and do another group of sockets in the area. Is this a good plan, or is there a better way to do this?
 
you cant always get plugtops in em rite....and their just dyin to get smacked off the wall by chair/table legs n stuff....
Yes, most of the existing skirting sockets have the square three way adapters so the plugs go in at 90 degrees to the wall because regular plugs with cables will not fit into the actual socket with the new carpet in place.
 
if you want to keep em surface mounted then use the tougher boxes wont you.....the ones that have the knockouts for both conny and trunkin...
It will be flush mounted and chased in (trying to do it properly).
For surface mounted back boxes, I tend to prefer the PVC boxes available, as you said, with conny knockouts and very tough.
 
Yes, most of the existing skirting sockets have the square three way adapters so the plugs go in at 90 degrees to the wall because regular plugs with cables will not fit into the actual socket with the new carpet in place.
i dont like those 3 way adaptors....best way here would be to have a consultation with the person ordering the work as to how many points they require....it may be that they need more than is at the mo....so now would be a good time to have the extra points installed....should they need & agree to the extra....
 
what i meant was the cables serving the point will be terminated into a joint box which would be typically stashed under the floorboards ...bad practice (#12)...then a single cable taken from said jointbox upto the point....not good...

That was once a quite popular way of installing domestic ring circuits!! Then it would have been 7/029 T&E for the actual ring into 30A JB's, and a 7/036 from the JB to the socket outlet. Not saying i liked the method, but it conformed to the Reg's at the time. ...Apart from now requiring MF jointing/JB's it probably still would today using 2.5mm for the ring and 4mm for the links up to the socket outlets... lol!!!
 
That was once a quite popular way of installing domestic ring circuits!! Then it would have been 7/029 T&E for the actual ring into 30A JB's, and a 7/036 from the JB to the socket outlet. Not saying i liked the method, but it conformed to the Reg's at the time. ...Apart from now requiring MF jointing/JB's it probably still would today using 2.5mm for the ring and 4mm for the links up to the socket outlets... lol!!!
i`v come across it several times eng....and yes..on older installs...i just have a `thing` about inaccessable joints though....i mean if he`s goin to start installing new points and cable/s then surely it would be correct to avoid unneccessary joints etc...
 
i`v come across it several times eng....and yes..on older installs...i just have a `thing` about inaccessable joints though....i mean if he`s goin to start installing new points and cable/s then surely it would be correct to avoid unneccessary joints etc...

In a perfect world , ...Yes i'd agree with you. Sometimes though, there was a good reason why they chose this method.
 
you dont want inaccessable joints...its bad practice....unless its a `maintinance free` joint of course....
joints want to be in the back of points really (terminations).....for the amount of cable your gonna use puttin it rite.....
My preference would be no joints at all except at sockets. Here, I may end up rewiring the entire ground and first floor rings unless I use joins to extend the cable, and a full rewire could be expensive and require more work.
 
My preference would be no joints at all except at sockets. Here, I may end up rewiring the entire ground and first floor rings unless I use joins to extend the cable, and a full rewire could be expensive and require more work.
well, first you need to check that they will pull...or not.....
then decide from there....
theres several different options available from forum members here....at the end of the day...you will be the designer...so its your call....
 

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