Wiring under skirting board

[ObviousDecoy]

Hi,

I had what I thought was a licensed electrician extend electrics from an outlet to the opposite wall for lights in a wardrobe I'm having installed. The wardrobe builder requested a fixed spur on the wall and the cable to to be run under the floor boards.

However, the electrician ran the wire under the skirting board which are removed as I'm having a floor installed.

I was concerned and researched a bit on safe zones which said you aren't supposed to put wiring behind or under skirting boards. However he insists because the wire is behind a 3A breaker that safe zones don't apply.

Can anyone tell me if that is legal or not?

 

[DPG]

Ideally no, but if that’s the only option there’s no reason why not

But its against the regs

 

[cliffed]

But its against the regs

Because of the zoning?

 

[DPG]

Because of the zoning?

Yes

 

[cliffed]

Yes

Ok agree.., but if the sockets were in the Zone ie: in the skirting that would be ok, it would be no different from installing skirting dado.
Obviously the sparky will have to decide the best method to hide his cabling.

 

[DPG]

Ok agree.., but if the sockets were in the Zone ie: in the skirting that would be ok, it would be no different from installing skirting dado.
Obviously the sparky will have to decide the best method to hide his cabling.

Yes if in zones. But as I said, I can't imagine these new sockets will be fitted in the skirtingboard.

 

[Rockingit]

One word here...... four hundred and fifty (OK, that's 4....)

 

[brianmoooore]

Even before 450, you couldn't fit sockets on the average skirting, because of the bend radius of the cable coming out of the plug.

 

[Dustydazzler]

I have only come across sockets in skirting board on older properties with that really tall skirting boards

 

[brianmoooore]

Does a 1G or 2G blanking plate create a safe zone?
Does it have to have wiring or even a box behind it?

 

[ObviousDecoy]

Thanks for all your replies. The floor was being installed the next day and he could have easily cut through the chipboard under the carpet. I also specifically said under the floor and had him come the day before the floor was installed. The outlet is not on the skirting board. I had another few days of work for him but I'm not going to use him anymore.

The good news is that since a wardrobe is being installed in this corner I can simply not put the skirting board back up for two of the three walls so it's clearly visible. The fused spur should keep tradesmen reasonably safe but I'm pretty upset as I wanted to do things properly.

 

[littlespark]

Does a 1G or 2G blanking plate create a safe zone?
Does it have to have wiring or even a box behind it?

It needs to be obvious to other people that it would be a zone, so any socket, switch, spur, blanking plate as a reference.

Behind a skirting board is against regs.
There’s no way a kitchen fitter, for example would expect to find cables there and attack the skirting with a multi tool or something.

There is no reason not to go under the floor if it’s an easy board lift

 

[LastManOnline]

Behind a skirting board is against regs.

Unless installed in metal conduit

 

[LastManOnline]

Does a 1G or 2G blanking plate create a safe zone?
Does it have to have wiring or even a box behind it?

I often created safe zones by installing a wired socket. Not to sure about a blank plate on its own. In practice would work but strictly speaking does, nt qualify in my view

 

[DPG]

I often created safe zones by installing a wired socket. Not to sure about a blank plate on its own. In practice would work but strictly speaking does, nt qualify in my view

I agree. Anyone looking behind the cover plate would see no cables and probably not realise it was there to indicate a zone.

 

[brianmoooore]

I agree. Anyone looking behind the cover plate would see no cables and probably not realise it was there to indicate a zone.

You could write a warning message on the inside of the blanking plate!