Remove a socket

[calucas]

I want to blank off a socket that is part of the ring main which will mean i need to join the two wires.

The tricky part is that the socket is a single socket and my electric supply to and from is in the standard galvanised conduit.

Can i use 30amp block connectors and seal it off. My ring main is protected my a 32amp mcb.

Cheers in Advance

 

[breezer]

why can you not just ignore the socket? after all you will have to put a blanking plate on it

 

[plugwash]

you can put a blanking plate on over 30A terminal block but i don't see what this gains you over leaving the socket there (possible replaceing it with an unswitched if furniture bight hit the switch)

 

[AdamW]

I am interpreting "seal it off" as make good the wall, so it looks like there was never a socket there.

If you want to do this, you will need to replace the two cables into this socket with a single cable. The ease of doing this could be anything from very easy (if for example there is a loft above the room and the ring is cabled through this loft) to very difficult (e.g. cables chased into a concrete floor).

Anything such as a junction box or a terminal block must be accessible. Now, the definition of accessible varies depending on who you ask but I think everyone will agee that hidden in a wall and plastered over is not accessible!

Here is an alternative that hasn't been mentioned: if the socket is on a stud partition wall, it should be pretty easy to put a drywall box on the other side of the wall and have an outlet or blanking plate on that side instead. This would allow you to seal up your wall on the side in question and make good.

 

[calucas]

Thanks all

 

[Big_Spark]

you can put a blanking plate on over 30A terminal block but i don't see what this gains you over leaving the socket there (possible replaceing it with an unswitched if furniture bight hit the switch)

Plug, this is not actually acceptable practice..Yes I know it goes on, but for a permanent joint that will be sealed off from view, the joint should also be permanent..as in through crimps.

 

[plugwash]

sure but i wouldn't consider a blanking plate to be sealed off

i agree though that you shouldn't use terminal block behind a blanking plate then say tile over the plate

 

[crystal ball]

I spent many years working for a local electricity board and it was deemed bad practice to crimp solid cores, nothing wrong with connector blocks, no different to screw terminals in a socket