Cabling in walls Ask questions and find answers to many subjects relating to electrics and electrical work

[Rodders]

I see on this forum that is is not permissable to bury cables running horizontally in walls even if it is in trunking. I have some wiring buried in plasterwork from the 80s that runs horizontally. Do I have to remove it and run on the surface to be legal or does this rule only apply to new wiring?

[thedoctor]

It applies especially to existing wiring Rodders. If you sell the property and the new owner puts up a hook or picture it could be very dangerous. Cables should only run vertically up and down to sockets and switches.

[sparx]

sorry disagree entirely, horizontal wiring is allowed BETWEEN FITTINGS, or if covered by earthed metal covering, or if more than 50mm below surface of wall. same applies to oft bemoaned diagonal wiring, check current regs under 'safe zones'.

[Gart]

If that's the case then isn't the information on the "extending a ring main" page wrong as it states "[i]if they are buried in the wall they must be in a protective conduit and only run vertically from above or below the sockets[/i]"

[sparx]

See reg.522-06-06 (iv) page 95 of current regs book which covers safe zones & runs between accessories or switchgear either vertically or horizontally, there are several options & various safe zones, the info on covering being only one way of complying it's option (iii) in above reg.
If in doubt buy the book, read the legalese, make your qualified decision, quite often what is stated is probably 'Best practice' not necessarily the only way, SPARX

[stysstys]

Hi
No you dont have to remove it
There are some cases where its good to put
wires horizontaly
between swiches and so on
A while ago I was asked to fit some plugs in a large kitchen
they wanted double plugs all the way down one wall at one
meter gaps half way up the wall this wall was about 15 meters
long so a horizontal ring was much cheaper than chaseing up
the wall 14 times
Steph