Summer project 2010

[dannyboi2003]

You won’t need to rip out the old cable, not quite that drastic I’m pleased to say. I’m assuming you don’t use the single socket as its now in the cupboard; all you need to do is remove it and replace it with an un-switched FCU like the one I showed you in the link. The single socket will be fed by one or two mains cables, these need to connect to the "supply" side of the FCU, your black extension that’s chased into the wall will connect to the "load" side of the FCU, it will then be safely protected by the fuse in the FCU which should be of the same rating as the one in the plug you chopped off. Not sure what you mean about the 4 gang sockets, they are fine as they are and you just need to change the single socket to an FCU to make it all safe.

Again not sure what you mean about the TV, is there a join buried in the wall and if so how has the joint been made? Where is the TV powered from, is it plugged in somewhere behind the AV rack in the corner?

With the fish tank do you mean there is a socket on the floor under it or on the wall behind it? How did you connect the 4 gang to the socket, is it plugged in or hard wired to the back like the bedroom socket?

I also want to clarify that I said it’s a "potential" fire risk, it could all work for many years without a problem but it’s better to be safe than sorry and put it right before anything could go wrong.

Aside from that both installs look amazing, really like the colour scheme in the living room too and the AV rack is same style as my uncles, very nice indeedy

 

[EFCLee1]

Not sure what you mean about the 4 gang sockets, they are fine as they are and you just need to change the single socket to an FCU to make it all safe.

Brilliant, gonna get right onto that one

Again not sure what you mean about the TV, is there a join buried in the wall and if so how has the joint been made? Where is the TV powered from, is it plugged in somewhere behind the AV rack in the corner?

I twisted the wires together and taped up with insulating tape and a lot of it, and yes this join is inside the wall, this is one big long kettle lead which comes out in middle of skirting and plugged into a 4 way

With the fish tank do you mean there is a socket on the floor under it or on the wall behind it? How did you connect the 4 gang to the socket, is it plugged in or hard wired to the back like the bedroom socket?

There is a double socket on the wall immediately underneath the tank, I chased the wall away and hard wired a cable into the back so there is no visible power source going to the tank[/quote]


Appreciate your help, I owe ya one!!!

 

[electronicsuk]

I twisted the wires together and taped up with insulating tape and a lot of it, and yes this join is inside the wall, this is one big long kettle lead which comes out in middle of skirting and plugged into a 4 way

Surely you knew at the time this wasn't right?

I appreciate a lot of the other contributors to this thread are being quite polite, and there's nothing wrong with that, as on the face of it you have (cosmetically) done a very good job. However, in terms of the electrics, your work is pretty diabolical. If there really are twisted and taped electrical joints buried in the walls then I would be ripping out the electrics and calling an electrician in to do the job properly. Sorry!

EDIT: Oh, and I hope that boiler is room sealed, otherwise you may have created a world of other problems by boxing it in

 

[EFCLee1]

I twisted the wires together and taped up with insulating tape and a lot of it, and yes this join is inside the wall, this is one big long kettle lead which comes out in middle of skirting and plugged into a 4 way

Surely you knew at the time this wasn't right?

I appreciate a lot of the other contributors to this thread are being quite polite, and there's nothing wrong with that, as on the face of it you have (cosmetically) done a very good job. However, in terms of the electrics, your work is pretty diabolical. If there really are twisted and taped electrical joints buried in the walls then I would be ripping out the electrics and calling an electrician in to do the job properly. Sorry!

Thanks for sharing your thoughts electronicsuk a do value any opinion good or bad, but along with your criticism could you also provide reasons why and offer any suitable alternative to what I have done wrong so I can re-do it the correct way, telling me to call in an electrician to join two kettle leads is a tad sarcastic but follow it with some information that I can learn from because that is in essence what this forum is about

 

[electronicsuk]

telling me to call in an electrician to join two kettle leads is a tad sarcastic but follow it with some information that I can learn from because that is in essence what this forum is about

It wasn't intended to be sarcastic, so I'm sorry if it came across that way. It's just a genuine opinion based on observation. Running cables out of the safe zones is a pretty common mistake, but anyone who thinks that twisting cables together and covering them in insulation tape is an appropriate type of joint, buried in a wall or otherwise, probably isn't ready to be carrying out electrical installation work.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts electronicsuk a do value any opinion good or bad, but along with your criticism could you also provide reasons why and offer any suitable alternative to what I have done wrong so I can re-do it the correct way, telling me to call in an electrician to join two kettle leads is a tad sarcastic but follow it with some information that I can learn from because that is in essence what this forum is about

Sure.

The first place to start, if you were to do the job again, would be making sure all of your cable routes are within the safe zones. What that means is that all of your chases should be in line, horizontally or vertically, with a visible electrical accessory on the wall. It is also permitted to run cables within 150mm of an interior corner or ceiling without having an accessory to indicate their presence.

In practice, staying within the safe zones is usually best achieved by running cables vertically into the loft or under the floor, and back up/down again as necessary to other accessories.

Rather than burying long lengths of flex in the wall, you would be better to install a permanent feed to a Fused Connection Unit with flex outlet behind the TV, into whose load terminals you could then wire a short flex with a female IEC connector on the other end.

As has already been mentioned, you also shouldn't be running unfused spurs from the existing fixed wiring and out onto flex feeding multi-way extensions strips. If the single socket on the left is part of the ring final, you would be permitted to use it to feed a maximum of ONE unfused spur, and even then, it must be wired in minimum 2.5mm2 conductors and feed only one accessory, such as a double socket or Fused Connection Unit.

For you, this means that you cannot get the number of sockets you require using an unfused spur. However, what you are permitted to do is feed as many outlets as you require (well, within reason - EFLI must still be within limits and you'd need to be sensible with regard to loading) as a fused spur. This means replacing that single socket with a Fused Connection Unit, and then feeding your new outlets from the load terminals.

Burying flex in the wall to feed extension strips still stinks of DIY, even if it is done safely as described above. Again, you'd be far better to install proper fixed wiring to double socket outlets where required, and perhaps FCUs with flex outlets behind each individual monitor.

The reason I recommend you get an electrician in is that there is much more involved in this work than you seem to realise, and there is no way I (or anyone else that matter) can cover all the potential pitfalls with a few forum posts. Normally I'n not the type to dissuade attempts at DIY electrical work, but trying to save a few pennies when there will be children using this room is just plain wrong. For example, how do you even know that there is a working earth connection to anything you have installed? Without performing proper EFLI and R1+R2 tests with the correct test equipment, you don't.

 

[dannyboi2003]

Oh dear, that cable to the TV is going to need to be replaced im afraid to say. Taped joints are just plain dangerous, you should have used a long length of flex then a 3-core connector behind the tv to join the kettle plug back on, i would chase a new length of flex to the TV and do this and abandon the old cable by cutting it off flush with the wall either end so it cant be used. I say make a new chase in the wall cos it saves having to disturb any other cables you have run to the tv that way.

The fish tank is also wrong, same way as the bedroom was. You'll either need to disconnect the 4 gang and put a plug back on and plug it in to the socket as normal or if space is an issue you can change the socket to an unswitched FCU just like you will be in the bedroom.

Im sure you didnt want to hear any of that but it all needs making safe. Have you done any other similar electrical work in your home as some of that may also need attention?

 

[EFCLee1]

Regarding the TV plug, I am going to chase it out the wall and purchase a 5M power lead, 1 end will be in back of TV other will go into a wall socket behind the AV rack

Regarding the fish tank power, is this right......Remove fish tank and shelf, in a straight line above the double socket and just above the height of the shelf chisel out the brick and insert the metal box that you have behind a double socket, this can be fed power from the double socket under the shelf, then I could simply plug in the 4-way for my fish tank?

 

[electronicsuk]

Regarding the fish tank power, is this right......Remove fish tank and shelf, in a straight line above the double socket and just above the height of the shelf chisel out the brick and insert the metal box that you have behind a double socket, this can be fed power from the double socket under the shelf, then I could simply plug in the 4-way for my fish tank?

Assuming that the socket you intend to spur from is part of a ring final or radial circuit, and not already a spur itself, then yes. The cable between the two should be 2.5mmsq twin+earth.

Generally speaking, if there are two grey cables entering the existing socket (for a total of 6 cores), chances are that it's part of a ring final, but you would have to confirm this by at minimum testing for continuity L-L, E-E and N-N. If there's only one cable (3 cores) then very likely it's a spur and you cannot feed any more sockets from there unless you change the faceplate to a Fused Connection Unit and feed your additions from the load terminals.

If you must keep ignoring my advice to call in an electrician, please please please at least invest in a socket tester to perform some basic checks on your work.