Mains socket on boxing in

[Dazzathedrummer]

Hi,

I’m just wondering if there’s any reason why I shouldn’t put a double mains socket at the position indicated on the photo?
The reason I ask is that it is boxing-in for pipework (water going upstairs and back again from the boiler that’s on the wall to the left).
If not, the whole wall is stud so it can go on the wall to the right.

Edit: forgot to markup the photo - I want to put a socket in the tiles below the knives.

 

[ericmark]

There are safe zones for cables, so it depends if where you want the socket, the cables will be in the safe zones. Or you can go surface, and then no restriction.

 

[DetlefSchmitz]

I guess the obvious question is; which way will the cable(s) run? And where to?

 

[opps]

I think it probable that there are pipes running up or down the boxed section. If so there might not be enough space to fit a plasterboard/cavity box. Were you to put it on the right, I, as someone that is not an electrician, do not see a problem. But as above, will it be a spur or part of the ring?

 

[ericmark]

Wiki may help

 

[Taylortwocities]

You'll note that there is a permitted zone 150mm from a corner. I guess that allows for about half of your boxed-in section.

 

[JohnW2]

I think it probable that there are pipes running up or down the boxed section. If so there might not be enough space to fit a plasterboard/cavity box.

It looks as if that 'boxing' is something like 18" wide - assuming the pipes run vertically, and that there are only 'a few' of them at most, they surely will not take up anything like all of that width?

 

[opps]

It looks as if that 'boxing' is something like 18" wide - assuming the pipes run vertically, and that there are only 'a few' of them at most, they surely will not take up anything like all of that width?

I wasn't suggesting that they would take up all of the space, however, for the boxing to be that wide, at least one of the pipes must be toward the far right. Given that a dry lining box is about 143mm wide, there is a high probability of a pipe being in the way. At a guess, there will be 5 pipes (gas, cold supply, DHW and two central heating pipes).

I guess that the OP could cut out a section above the tiles to work out where the pipes are but that would require him to fill and make good. It strikes me as being a lot of work, especially if there isn't sufficient space. Alternatively, if the OP takes off the plinth, they may be able to see where the pipes running up are.

 

[Taylortwocities]

Go above and look down the boxed in area.

 

[JohnW2]

I wasn't suggesting that they would take up all of the space, however, for the boxing to be that wide, at least one of the pipes must be toward the far right.

Maybe, but that would seem a little odd, given that all of the pipes (as you go on to say, quite probably 5) p[rsumably go to the boiler (on the left) as well as up and down. Is it possible that the 'boxing has been made about the same with as a kitchen unit, for aesthetic reasons,with the pipes all in the left-hand half of it?

Given that a dry lining box is about 143mm wide, there is a high probability of a pipe being in the way. At a guess, there will be 5 pipes (gas, cold supply, DHW and two central heating pipes).

I would think those are probably 200 x 100 mm tiles, in which case the boxing is about 450 mm wide. Even with a back box 143 mm wide, that would still 'leave' about 300 mm, so I've not sure tht there is a 'high probability' that there wouldn't be a 'space' between pipes of at least 143 mm.

In any event, that 'boxing looks reasonably 'deep'. If a dry lining box were installed 'through the tiles', the tiles + adhesive + board could well amount to something approaching 20mm, making it quite possible that the box would fit 'in front of' the pipes, even if there were pipes in that place.

I guess that the OP could cut out a section above the tiles to work out where the pipes are but that would require him to fill and make good. It strikes me as being a lot of work, especially if there isn't sufficient space. Alternatively, if the OP takes off the plinth, they may be able to see where the pipes running up are.

The pipes are likely to go both up and down, so may be visible 'from above' or behind the drawers/units below the worktop.

Of course, the OP may know where the pipes are. If it were me, I feel sure that I would have taken a photo before I put the 'cover' on the boxing!

Kind Regards, John

 

[Dazzathedrummer]

Thanks for all the replies!

More details…
Two visible pipes to the right of the box, from upstairs it looks like they are the only pipes there (there’s certainly not two pipes going down from upstairs. The gas feed for the boiler goes straight in the back of the boiler.

If you look at the photos of below the worktop, you can see the pipes. At the very bottom you can see the cables that feed both the oven and the sockets on the other side of the cooker (by the way, I didn’t do that!).
Despite the boxing, the whole wall is stud and there’s a good 4 inches behind the main section of wall - obviously put together by an ‘enthusiast’ attempting dry lining!

So, does it look like I can put a socket in the centre of the boxed section below the knives?

 

[Taylortwocities]

Haven't got x-ray specs on today.
Get a mirror and peek to the left of the pipes in photo 2. You should be able to see if there are any obstructions, also look up and left to check there's anything up there where you'd fit the mounting box..