How do I join cable when moving a socket?

[charliefortune]

I am moving a socket in a room, around a corner. I need to extend the cable and I'm not sure how to join the old cable to the extra new length I need.

I've cut a chase just above the skirting to run the cable along, and I was planning to secure it with clips then finish it off with filler when done (no trunking).

Can I join my new cable with a chocolate block connectors and bury it all in the wall? That seems a bit vulnerable. Or do I use a round junction box to make the join, and bury that in the wall? That seems like a big lump to be burying in the wall (lathe and plaster).

I can't go under the floor btw.

 

[mfarrow]

Please read the wiki page regarding safe zones.

Choc block is not acceptable. Buy some Wago or other appropriate connectors from somewhere like screwfix and set them up in an enclosure. You can plaster over that.

 

[charliefortune]

Thanks.

From my understanding of the safe zones, I am going horizontally in a straight line from the old socket location right along the top of the skirting (not behind it), so I think I don't need any protection over it. Does this sound correct? The lathe and plaster portion of the wall is about 100m thick.

I think I might protect it before making good anyway, to be safe.

 

[rjm2k]

If the original cable ran horizontally then your new position is likely to remain in a safe zone. If the cable dropped down or came up to the socket then once you cover over the original position the original cable would not be in a safe zone.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

You must follow the permitted safe zones.

Untitled

• PrenticeBoyofDerry
• 16 Oct 2011
• 20

Or mechanically protect the cable, this would be either by and earth armoured cable or metallic cable protection, a gauge of at least 3mm would be required. So the cable capping is not suitable.
You could bury cable in excess of 50mm within solid walls, but you would then need to comply to part a of building control's requirements of chasing depths.
Also you cannot bury joints within the wall, you must either run a new continuous unbroken cable or make a joint considered maintenance free, this would either be a soldered or crimped joint. There are maintenance free junction boxes available but these are not designed to be buried but placed within voids.
Also newly buried cable requires 30mA RCD protection as does any new socket outlet, if this is not already existing and proved to be working on the circuit.

Any electrical work should be for both operational and safety reasons be inspected, tested and a certificate isssued.

 

[charliefortune]

The cable comes up from the floor to the original socket position. So I see that if I lose the original socket, then turning at a right angle from it's old position isn't in a safe zone any more.

BUT, if I leave the old one there and take a spur off it (it has two cables running into it so I think this means its on the ring and suitable for a spur) then I am still in safe zone, yes? This would also mean that I wouldn't need any junction box or crimping or soldering, wouldn't it?

 

[Taylortwocities]

Correct. Make join in teh existing socket box. You can keep the socket there, or put on a blank plate.

The new cable can run horizontally from the existing socket to the new one and buried in teh wall as its in a safe zone.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

You would need to confirm that the feed socket is not already part of an unprotected spur though if a ring final circuit. Two cables would also be found in a radial circuit, so you would need to confirm the configuration of the circuit. And don't forget the requirements of RCD protection!