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?

 

[Dustydazzler]

Cables should not be hidden behind skirting boards unless they are 50mm deep or in earthed metal conduit

 

[Rockingit]

Your 'electrician' is talking bull hooks. Reg 522.6 covers this extensively as also does Section 10 of Building Regulations Part A. It doesn't matter if said cable is carrying a 1000A or 100mA, it's a cable and it has to adhere to safe zones.

NB.... this is of course assuming that the cable in question doesn't qualify as SELV or PELV to 522.6.204 (which for a socket or fused spur outlet it won't).

 

[timhoward]

I think the electrician has got it into their head that an accessory connected to an FCU isn't subject to the wiring regs.
They are probably erroneously thinking of it in the same terms as a socket and plug, and telling themselves that anything downstream of the socket isn't my problem.
It's not the first time I've heard someone say this.

 

[LastManOnline]

Cables should not be hidden behind skirting boards unless they are 50mm deep or in earthed metal conduit

Is it not the case that cables in metal conduit is the ONLY acceptable means of installing them when behind a skirting board?

 

[Rockingit]

Is it not the case that cables in metal conduit is the ONLY acceptable means of installing them when behind a skirting board?

I think the skirting board bit is a red herring as far as regs is concerned, simply that a cable needs to be in zone

 

[brianmoooore]

Use 6 x 2 (not ex.) for the skirting board, then it's OK.

 

[cliffed]

If it’s Rcd protected should be ok, designated zone would also be in line with the accessories.
Seen loads of power points in skirting & skirting dado

 

[HappyHippyDad]

Perhaps the Spur has been located in the skirting next to the socket which is also in the skirting, so all cable is actually in a safe zone.
Just playing devils advocate, all highly unlikely, but possible.
I can't think of any justification for the silly reason the electrician gave though.

 

[DPG]

If it’s Rcd protected should be ok, designated zone would also be in line with the accessories.
Seen loads of power points in skirting & skirting dado

I can't imagine the new sockets will be fitted in the skirting board!

 

[cliffed]

I can't imagine the new sockets will be fitted in the skirting board!

Seen them in older houses…but yea these days not that common.
Designated zones maybe compromised, with sockets above, but common sense prevails, the important thing is that they will be Rcd protected

 

[DPG]

Seen them in older houses…but yea these days not that common.
Designated zones maybe compromised, with sockets above, but common sense prevails, the important thing is that they will be Rcd protected

Really? So you would wire behind skirtings if an RCD was fitted?

 

[timhoward]

My paraphrase:

522.6.202 A cable installed in a wall or partition at a depth of less than 50 mm from a surface of the wall or partition shall:

(i) be in the safe wiring zones
(ii) be in metal containment, be mechanically protected, or be SELV/PELV

If you do (i) and not (ii) you need an RCD.
If you don't do (i) you need to do (ii)

And then the debate about what mechanically protected means starts....and in my view a skirting board isn't adequate!

 

[cliffed]

My paraphrase:

522.6.202 A cable installed in a wall or partition at a depth of less than 50 mm from a surface of the wall or partition shall:

(i) be in the safe wiring zones
(ii) be in metal containment, be mechanically protected, or be SELV/PELV

If you do (i) and not (ii) you need an RCD.
If you don't do (i) you need to do (ii)

And then the debate about what mechanically protected means starts....and in my view a skirting board isn't adequate!

Agree but with a Rcd it’s compliant

 

[cliffed]

Really? So you would wire behind skirtings if an RCD was fitted?

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