Wiring my Fire

[Tomw84]

I've just finished laying a new floor and before adding the beading I need to sort out my wiring arrangements. Have never done anything like this before so no idea whether this is a simple job or not.

There's one socket fixed to the wall on one side of the chimney breast and another attached to a long wire. This wire will easily stretch to the other side of the chimney breast and I've left space for it to run along the ground behind the fireplace, but would it be possible to add another socket to the wire which could be positioned behind the fireplace and be used to power the electric fire? Alternatively, could I hardwire the fire from this wire?

 

[FrodoOne]

I've just finished laying a new floor and before adding the beading I need to sort out my wiring arrangements. Have never done anything like this before so no idea whether this is a simple job or not.

There's one socket fixed to the wall on one side of the chimney breast and another attached to a long wire. This wire will easily stretch to the other side of the chimney breast and I've left space for it to run along the ground behind the fireplace, but would it be possible to add another socket to the wire which could be positioned behind the fireplace and be used to power the electric fire? Alternatively, could I hardwire the fire from this wire?

I am quite surprised that no one in the UK has (as yet) commented on this post.

To be as gentle as possible I can agree with your statement of
"Have never done anything like this before so no idea whether this is a simple job or not."
From your other (previous) posts, it seems that you are "renovating" a property and with that I wish you all the luck in the world.

"There's one socket fixed to the wall on one side of the chimney breast" and that 2-Gang Socket-Outlet (mounted on a 2-Gang Surface Mounted Pattress Box) may be installed according to the relevant electrical "regulations" - or the installation may have been "amended" inappropriately.

However, the other Socket-Outlet pair "attached to a long wire" is definitely NOT according to any "regulations" and must be removed.

After it is removed and the wiring behind the "Surface Mounted Pattress Box" is restored to the way it should be, you will have two Socket-Outlets, one of which may be used to connect your "Electric Fire".
If this is not a sufficient number of Outlets, it will be necessary for you to arrange to have more Socket-Outlets installed - on a wall.
The easiest way may be to install another "pair" (on a 2-Gang Surface Mounted Pattress Box) above or adjacent to the existing "pair" and their position may depend on the way/direction in which the existing wiring in the wall is now "run".

I see no "control" on the "Electric Fire" which would allow you to control it in any way!
If no such "control" exists, the only way in which you could control it is via the "ON-OFF" switch on the Socket-Outlet.
Hence, positioning a (properly wired) Socket-Outlet behind the "Electric Fire" (or "Hard Wiring" the device) would seem to be impractical.

What is the purpose of and the connections in the Surface Mounted Pattress Box on the Left wall in your picture?

 

[Mottie]

I did similar many years ago to our electric fire in a false chimney breast. The fire had a cable with a plug on it. I added a socket inside the chimney breast to power the fire but obviously it would be aggro to take the fire out each time to switch it on and off so fed the socket through a switched spur on the outside of the breast! I should have cut out the plug and socket and wired the fire directly into the spur.

 

[Tomw84]

From your other (previous) posts, it seems that you are "renovating" a property and with that I wish you all the luck in the world.

Indeed! I don't have a huge amount of money, so I'm doing everything myself where it's safe to do so, but I draw the line at gas and electricity.

I'm not particularly fussed as to whether the fire works or not. Obviously I have central heating and the fire surround is primarily there to cover the ugly spot where an old gas appliance was removed. If it's going to be hassle then I'll just stick with the existing box on the left, which will do just fine to power the TV and Xbox.

I'm surprised to learn the socket on the end of the wire doesn't comply with regulations. I had an inspector in immediately after buying the property and he didn't flag it

 

[FrodoOne]

I'm surprised to learn the socket on the end of the wire doesn't comply with regulations. I had an inspector in immediately after buying the property and he didn't flag it

I cannot believe that any "inspector" did not point out that such a "connection", permanently connected to any household wiring (at the end of a flexible cable) does not accord with any "regulation" in any OECD country.

The device for doing any such thing is a "Power Strip" - plugged into a Socket-Outlet, but not permanently connected to any "household" wiring.

I also note that you have placed your TV display above the "Electric Fire" - making it a little bit too high for comfortable viewing (even at the distance concerned) and having any Infra Red radiation from the "Electric Fire" shining in your eyes.
Also you now have some "cables" in sight, which may have been better hidden in "wall trunking".

I still ask"What is the purpose of and the connections in the Surface Mounted Pattress Box on the Left wall in your picture?"

While I note that you seemed to have cleaned up the problems which you had with the painting between the Wall and the Skirting on the right hand side, what is the purpose of the errant cable across the floor on the Right side of the room?
Also, what is the purpose of the "holes" now appearing in the Skirting on the Right side of the fire-place, which were not there in your initial photograph?

 

[winston1]

I also note that you have placed your TV display above the "Electric Fire" - making it a little bit too high for comfortable viewing (even at the distance concerned) and having any Infra Red radiation from the "Electric Fire" shining in your eyes.

Indeed. Not to mention heat rising from the fire shortening the life of the TV.

 

[Tomw84]

I cannot believe that any "inspector" did not point out that such a "connection", permanently connected to any household wiring (at the end of a flexible cable) does not accord with any "regulation" in any OECD country.

Your disbelief is noted, and thanks for your kind advice

The height of the TV is no problem - I am very tall. Infra red radiation shining in my eyes would only be an issue if I wished to use the fire while watching television, which I would never do because that would be odd.

I presume the box on the left hand wall was for watching television in the '90s. If I ever want to watch ITV and the Internet has stopped existing, maybe I'll pay it some attention.

The "hole" in the skirting board is a spacer which I put there when laying the floor. Don't panic though, it's since been removed. The cable is attached to a router. If I'm ever bothered by it, which is fairly unlikely, I'll move the router into another room.

As for heat rising from the fire and damaging the TV, that's unlikely because if I ever need to heat my flat I'll do so using my central heating, as I've already mentioned.

 

[Mottie]

I don’t think we’ve ever actually used our fire to heat the room. It’s a fan heater anyway. We normally only have the light for the coals on in winter.

 

[Tomw84]

Yeah, that's what I'm thinking. It might be nice in the background if I've got people over during the Winter. Looks far nicer than the hole in the wall it replaced!