possible to safely join cable in plaster?

[amandaeb]

Hello

I hope someone could clarify this for me please.

I'm not planning on doing the work myself, but I'd like to know more about it. I've been reading these forums and an electrics book but I cannot find the answer to my question.


There are two sockets in my kitchen that are over 12 inches above the worktop, I'd like to make these lower and do away with the old sockets. Everything I've read so far seems to be about putting in new sockets but not about getting rid of old ones.

I'd rather not disturb the floor above because I've just put down ply and vinyl tiles. Someone told me I'd have to put blanking plates on the old sockets and could then wire the new ones off these, but the blanking plates cannot be sunk into the plaster.

I wondered if theres a way to join the cable without having a visible join on the surface of the wall. I've read about fixed connection units or crimping, are these suitable methods for sinking into plaster?

Otherwise maybe the plasterboard ceiling could have a piece cut out to facilitate access under the floor above, maybe to put in a junction box? Or does this make it awkward for the electrician to work?


Thank you in advance for any replies.

Amanda

 

[smike]

I shall be corrected if I am wrong, but all joints in cables should be accessible.
Replacing with longer cables may be your only option

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I shall be corrected if I am wrong, but all joints in cables should be accessible.
Replacing with longer cables may be your only option

Correction: crimped/brazed/soldered joints do not need to be accessible.

But replacing the cables is always better.

 

[mapj1]

only permanent joints may be buried, so crimped and sleeved, soldered or brazed, or resin encapsulated joins may be buried. Normal joint boxes, or anything with screw terminals should be accessible for inpsections.

 

[smike]

Without hijacking you thread Amanda

Mike
Noticed your call sign

You must have got your licence about same time as me
1992

G7 VWC

No station now though

Back to Amanda

thanks

 

[dombe]

Out of interest do you normally insulation tape round the crimp lugs (even if they are insulated ones) after crimping?

Or just crimp and cover then plaster over?

Thanks

 

[Allenm]

The advice I received was not to use tape. It degrades and should not be part of a permanent joint.

When I did mine, I crimped the cable, (make sure you use a proper ratchet crimper) and used heatshrink sleeving.

Oh, and put the sleeving on the cable before you crimp!!!

Merv

 

[mapj1]

I'd do almost any thing to avoid a buried joint, including attempting to re-thread through steel capping or pulling more wire through exixsting pipes, but if no option, either twist neatly and solder or use barrel crimp butt jointa (NOT connectors), of the type with built in primary insulation, not the bare ones, having first threaded enough heatshrink sleeve onto the cable to cover onto the primary insulation of both the cores and and the crimp.
Crimp or solder, slide sleeving into place, and shrink over, ensuring tight fit on both sides - no where showing where even a sewing needle could be pushed in to find copper. Then re-lay cores side by side in profile of original T and E, and wrap self amalgamating tape round the bundle. No doubt others do it differently, but it certainly gives no trouble.
That said, I have uncoveered plenty of choc bloc in cling film in polyfilla, so not everyone shares my working practices.

regards M.
Hi G7VWC, Smike, you are right, my licence G7VZY was granted in the early '90s when I was a research fellow at York Uni in the Elec Eng dept, as they were an examination centre for the RAE, I was able to do the technical test without going far from my then home !
Never did the morse test to upgrade to a full ticket though, much to my OM's disapproval (he G3JWI of the EMC book fame). Not as active on air as I'd like to be at the mo, as new house, new wife and new baby all in succession are conspiring to keep me from building new shack as I'd really like it currently. Give me a year or two more though, and maybe I'll shock a few spiders out of the PA.
73 OM de G7VZY

 

[smike]

73’s to you Mike(G7VZVW)
Those crimpable tubes you’re referring to, we used to call them inline splices, as stated only reliable by using ratchet crimpers. Secondry insulation was by Helleman sleaving, impossible to fit once the end connections were made.

Unfortunately, the internet and mobile phones has taken much of the interest out of AR.

Hope to catch you again

Going QRT for now

Regards

Bob(G7VWC)

 

[Adam_151]

got a foundation license myself, M3GNE (IIRC), don't actually do it anymore since i've finished school, was one of those things that sounded interesting at the start that I sort of lost interest in.

I dare say when I am no longer eligible for a free license renewal (>21 IIRC) I won't bother renewing it, but while its free I may as well keep it, just in case

Your posting styles certainly raised a smile though

 

[amandaeb]

Hi to you all

Thank you very much for all your replies - you've answered my questions brilliantly. I feel like I'll now know what the electrician is talking about when I ask him to come.

Thanks again

Amanda