Trunking- to use PVC or Steel.

[David1977m]

Normally I would say PVC for a small office in a house. However, they are in the middle of deciding if the building will become a six-bedroom hostel for people with issues (so there is a possibility the office might get damaged), or if it will be converted into a dental surgery. The risk assessment is obviously different for both so do I just do steel trunking?

 

[nicebutdim]

I'm assuming this is going to be seen and not above a ceiling, given your concern about damage. It would be unusual to have galv trunking on display in a home office/hostel/dental surgery. It's also much easier for someone to pull the lid off galv trunking than PVC.

 

[7029 dave]

Metal trunking and 20mm conduit drops for sockets and switch drops all metal accessories.

 

[nicebutdim]

Be good to have a bit of info about the installation. For a home office I'm expecting PVC dado trunking.

 

[littlespark]

if the use of the building is still undecided, you can’t determine anything towards the installation.

Containment is one thing, but are you having several rooms per circuit, as normal.. or something where one room can be isolated leaving other rooms still in use… (I’m thinking if one gets damaged, and has to be shut down for repairs, can the rest of the building still be used?)

 

[David1977m]

Currently the incoming 100A single phase TNS is in the cellar along with the dual RCD 17th Edition CU.

The new 8-way (customer requested as they are considering getting the DNO to run a 3phase cable into the property depending on the end client) TPN with a 100A incomer and single-phase converter kit will be placed in the office along with a fire alarm and security system all on wall above a kitchen worktop style 5m desk on one wall with a PVC dado trunking with 6xDS and 3xCAT7 sockets. The walls are concrete with rebar on two walls and two outer walls consisting plastered brick walls.
They also want the trunking to be able to hold the Cat7 cables as they may want to run 2 Cat7 cables to each room if used as a dental surgery.
It's one of those situations where the customers wants something done now but aren't sure what they want as the outcome for the property. The customers are two brothers one owns an Approved premises hostel business and the other is a dentist hence the conflict of what the premises will be used for as it's in a location with high foot fall.

As part of the eventual refit, he wants a full rewire but short term the old cables will be in a Wiska Consumer Relocation Unit and run in trunking from the cellar above to the office. Due to the incoming cable being about 4m run away from the new DB there will be a 100A SP+N Metal Switch Fuse in the cellar.

By the way this was written as Dan of Electricians forum ask for a post a day.