Extending socket cable - is this good enough for inspection?

[dominicstar]

I will be fitting some wall panels over the next couple of weeks and think I will probably have an issue bringing the sockets out to sit flush. The wiring in other sockets in the house have had zero slack when replacing them. The panels will also be 12mm thick against 19mm battens so I already will have some slack to find.

So, is it allowable to use wago to extend the correct thickness of cable, then leave the wago in the existing socket box with some slack. Then connect the extended wire to a surface mounted socket with a large enough hole behind so it is accessible for inspection? This is in a bedroom.

 

[Lectrician]

Move the socket up or down a little. Fit a new back box onto the wall.

 

[dominicstar]

I should have said, unfortunately, they are fitted directly above the top of where the skirting board was. It was the old victorian style so there is just brick there and the recess is about 20mm where the skirting was so we are already at least 51 mm depth from the front of the panels to the wall if I did that. It would also leave the socket about 120mm from the floor.

 

[JohnW2]

So, is it allowable to use wago to extend the correct thickness of cable, then leave the wago in the existing socket box with some slack. Then connect the extended wire to a surface mounted socket with a large enough hole behind so it is accessible for inspection?

There might be some debate as to whether what you describe counts as 'accessible' but, if people accepted that it was, then the concept would probably be OK. However, I don't think that you could leave the single-insulated cable cores and Wagos 'exposed' in the ('buried') existing socket box - you would have to attach a cover/blank plate to it, and once you've done that, I suspect it would probably be impossible to provide a large enough hole behind the new socket to enable that cover to be removed 'for access' to the Wagos.

If you were happy with crimping, adequately insulated crimped joints in the existing box would not need to be accessible for inspection etc.

Kind Regards, John.

 

[JohnW2]

If you were happy with crimping, adequately insulated crimped joints in the existing box would not need to be accessible for inspection etc.

I should perhaps have added that 'maintenance-free' junction boxes (marked 'MF') also do not need to be accessible. At the current time, I think that means either Ashley MF boxes (J803/J804) or appropriate Wago connectors in a Wagobox.

Kind Regards, John