under worktop socket afterthought.

[robbie77]

Hi,

I am soon to get the utility room (part of new extension) plastered and put some units up and the Mrs has changed the plan for the washer/ dryer. Instead of going into a unit stacked on top of each other she wants them under the worktop in the utility. I did not plan for this and have no under worktop socket.
The electrician who is second fix /signing off says there are to be no spurs.
There is not enough left over cable to reach under I don't think and the boards are dabbed in not sure I can pull cable back through.
The back boxes next to each other are part of the ring final. The worktop will go about 100mm down from the back boxes.

Any ideas on how to tackle this?

Thanks

 

[blup]

Either leave a gap at the back of the worktop to allow the leads and plugs through, or drill holes on the back edge, then push the worktop back. The back batten might need reinforcing. The weight of the worktop means it won't need to be screwed down, but, either way, you will be able to access the switches in case of emergency, and can relatively easily drop the leads if the machines need pulling out for maintenance or repair.

Use the safety aspect to persuade your wife. If not your electrician should be able to extend the sockets although it will make a bit of a mess - unless they are already spurs.....

Blup

 

[sparkwright]

Lots of ways to tackle this.

I don't think you want leads coming through the worktop, do you?

You may be able to fish cables the short distance from the socket to just under the worktop - from that point it doesn't really matter what it looks like.

You could just run a draw wire from each socket to just under the worktop - and let your electrician do the rest.

No reason you couldn't have the new sockets as spurs, despite what your man says.

 

[333rocky333]

If the cable goes UP from the left socket and then DOWN to the right socket, could you not, ignore and not use that cable, run new cable down from the left socket, do your new sockets and back up to the right socket, then they are all still a ring

 

[robbie77]

Hi,
Thanks for the replies. I would prefer to have a socket under the bench if possible. There is not much cable left to clear the worktop and for the electrician to extend/junction or whatever.
The "feed" from the CU goes from right, up to feed the one on the to left rocky.
I have taken another picture with some longer cables that are for the underfloor heating manifold right next to the other sockets. Obviously there is water through this and probably best to keep a socket away from this but maybe there is something I could do with this? Those cables are loose and I was going drill the back and pull them through but can still move stuff around a bit? Drop the far left box and move to the corner and run horizontally (woulkd be near warm pipes though)?

 

[Lower]

This seems quite straight forward. Why are you so adamant not to have each of your appliances on a spur off each of the double sockets? All you'd need to do is run a cable from the double socket positions down below the level of the worktop. If you have to cut a chase in the plasterboard its no issue as you haven't plastered yet.

You could even fit one of those double size sockets that has a socket on one side and an isolator for another feed in place of the second socket. You could then fit a single socket on the end of each spur and you've not added any additional sockets on to the circuit.

 

[robbie77]

This seems quite straight forward. Why are you so adamant not to have each of your appliances on a spur off each of the double sockets? All you'd need to do is run a cable from the double socket positions down below the level of the worktop. If you have to cut a chase in the plasterboard its no issue as you haven't plastered yet.

You could even fit one of those double size sockets that has a socket on one side and an isolator for another feed in place of the second socket. You could then fit a single socket on the end of each spur and you've not added any additional sockets on to the circuit.

The electrician said to me that there are not supposed to be any spurs on the new build!? That socket isolator sounds good. I will look into that.

 

[robbie77]

You could even fit one of those double size sockets that has a socket on one side and an isolator for another feed in place of the second socket. You could then fit a single socket on the end of each spur and you've not added any additional sockets on to the circuit.

I had a quick google and it's turning up cooker switches, I don't think you mean this? Do you have a link?
https://www.toolstation.com/click-mode-45a-dp-cooker-switch-and-socket/p11706

thanks

 

[SFK]

You could even fit one of those double size sockets that has a socket on one side and an isolator for another feed in place of the second socket

Do you have a link?

Do you mean:
https://www.toolstation.com/electrical-supplies-accessories/boxes-pattresses/c148
https://www.toolstation.com/metal-box/p36665
In which I would put a socket and a FCU
https://www.toolstation.com/axiom-dry-lining-box/p41731
https://www.toolstation.com/appleby-dry-lining-boxes/p86800

https://www.screwfix.com/c/electric...ategory=cat7230011&page_size=20&page_start=20
https://www.screwfix.com/p/appleby-galvanised-steel-dual-35mm/48234
https://www.screwfix.com/p/appleby-dual-35mm-dry-lining-box/22772
https://www.screwfix.com/p/appleby-dual-35mm-double-single-dry-lining-box/60079

SFK

 

[Lower]

I had a quick google and it's turning up cooker switches, I don't think you mean this? Do you have a link?
https://www.toolstation.com/click-mode-45a-dp-cooker-switch-and-socket/p11706

thanks

I mean that sort of thing, though i have seen them with a standard 13a appliance switch in place of the cooker switch.

If you can't find the right switch or they're no longer available, it wouldn't be an issue to replace the double padress box with two singles and then just have a single switched socket with a single appliance switch adjacent to it, both on the ring, with a feed from the appliance switch to a socket under the worktop.

Edit: This is what i've seen.

https://www.screwfix.com/p/lap-45a-...tKp17BUE3r092gLhZAUaApVjEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

Its rated at 45amp for a cooker. It would work, but don't know how it fits with regs using an overated item.

 

[EFLImpudence]

The electrician said to me that there are not supposed to be any spurs on the new build!?

Rubbish.

 

[robbie77]

Rubbish.

Ha. Well he's the boss when it comes to signing off.

 

[EFLImpudence]

He ought to know what he is doing, then.

It's your house.

 

[robbie77]

I might just loop a cable down for a spur and see what he says then. Is it preferable to not have the washer ands dryer on a spur or does it not really matter?

 

[JohnW2]

Is it preferable to not have the washer ands dryer on a spur or does it not really matter?

Separate spurs to just one socket for each such appliance is, electrically speaking, not materially different from plugging the appliances individually into the sockets on the ring from which those spurs originate.

Kind Regards, John