Floorbox for kitchen

[Paul-man]

Considering my spec for my new kitchen and have been thinking about putting some power and data in the floor, under where the kitchen table will be (not against a wall).

The floor will be concrete screed- though I will be getting an electrician in to run cables etc. I am guessing there is no harm in me installing some form of conduit under the screed. Presumably the base part of the box would be put in place when the screed gets done.

As it will be a tiled kitchen floor, which will get mopped and no doubt spills (especially under a table!) I guess I need something with a good IP rating?

Saw this- what do you think?

http://www.floorbox.co.uk/IP66screed

 

[bernardgreen]

It looks good but is it IP66 when there is something plugged into it ?

Floor mounted boxes are not a good idea where there is any chance of liquid being spilt nearby. If you really must have power to the table then sort out a socket and plug that is water proof when the plug is in the socket.

I cthink Clipsal make a suitable plug and socket with a screw down water proofing seal.

 

[Paul-man]

It looks good but is it IP66 when there is something plugged into it ?

Floor mounted boxes are not a good idea where there is any chance of liquid being spilt nearby. If you really must have power to the table then sort out a socket and plug that is water proof when the plug is in the socket.

I cthink Clipsal make a suitable plug and socket with a screw down water proofing seal.

Good point Bernard. I don't envisage things being left plugged in when a meal is being eaten for example. This would be mainly for laptop use for homeworking. Always the possibility of a cup of tea going over, but you could say that about trailing extension lead that people would typically have near a desk.

Would you use steel conduit or plastic under the screed?

 

[Spark123]

Earthed metal conduit for under a concrete floor, separate conduits for data and mains.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

This would be mainly for laptop use for homeworking.

Wireless LAN and run the laptop on battery?

 

[Paul-man]

This would be mainly for laptop use for homeworking.

Wireless LAN and run the laptop on battery?

Which is ok til the leptop gets old (like one of ours is) and the battery doesn't last for very long.

Wireless is ok, but I still never use it for any credit card transactions etc. Streaming video etc. is also pretty poor, even on our 40mb connection. I'd like to give myself the option anyway...

 

[Monkeh]

Streaming video etc. is also pretty poor, even on our 40mb connection.

Could that possibly be because your WAN connection speed has no bearing whatsoever on the quality of a wireless signal?

 

[Paul-man]

Streaming video etc. is also pretty poor, even on our 40mb connection.

Could that possibly be because your WAN connection speed has no bearing whatsoever on the quality of a wireless signal?

Yes that too, but "IT" can only go as fast as the slowest link- usually being a poor broadband connection. I was pointing out that in our case, the broadband works fine over ethernet.

 

[viewer]

How will you clean the floor?

 

[Paul-man]

How will you clean the floor?

with a mop, dear Henry

 

[holmslaw]

..

 

[OwainDIYer]

What about suspending a socket from the ceiling.

You can get industrial pull-down cable reels.

Or get a rise and fall pendant light and change the lampholder to a flex socket.

 

[Paul-man]

Thanks for the suggestions guys.

I think I still prefer the floorbox, but I'm not so sure it will get enough use to warrant the hassle- especially with UFH, insulation considerations in the floor etc.

I think in reflection, wireless will be adequate for the table- and I could probably afford 2 or 3 new laptop batteries for the cost of one of those boxes!

 

[viewer]

How will you clean the floor?

with a mop, dear Henry

That's what I was afraid of (and the hole in the bucket)

 

[bernardgreen]

I think in reflection, wireless will be adequate for the table- and I could probably afford 2 or 3 new laptop batteries for the cost of one of those boxes!

The laptop power input is normally a DC supply around 19 volts. A low cost alternative to several lap top batteries is an external 18 volt battery feeding the DC power input to the lap top instead of the mains power supply unit.

Three of these http://uk.rs-online.com/web/search/searchBrowseAction.html?method=getProduct&R=1809145