Moving a socket on a ring main - concrete floor Ask questions and find answers to many subjects relating to electrics and electrical work

[jonh]

Hello
I am in the process of moving a socket on a ring main on the external wall of the house. The socket has a spur already. The original location was just flush with the skirting board, above a floor with floorboards and the cables were run vertically behind the skirting board and then under the floorboards. The new location is only about two meters away in an extension and so over a concrete floor ; as far as I can see I have no option but to run the cables behind the skirting board in a channel at the edge of the concrete floor, then at the appropriate point vertically to the new socket location through a conduit I will embed in the plaster. Can I do this, if so do the wires need to be in a conduit all the way behind the skirting board.
Thanks
Jon

[sparx]

Hi, Jon,
I presume you will bring all cables to a J.Box under floor so only 1 cable to run to new pos. as skirting area up to150mm above finished floor level is considered 'safe zone to run cables then as you say just tube up using oval conduit to socket at ideally 450mm AFFL. altho' if other skts lower then @ same lvl meets regs,
regards SPARX

[jonh]

Not quite what I had planned - as things stand I have run all 3 cables (2 from ring and one to the spur) to the new location, all run at the base of the skirting board. No conduit, fresh plaster or skirting board replaced yet , so I could still reconfigure. In the configuration you suggest I would effectively have 2 sockets from the ring emanating from a junction box and I'd have to lift a floorboard to install a junction box - which is the best way ?
Thanks
Jon

[sparx]

Hi Jon, I assumed the cables wouldn't reach new position, but if they do then you're almost done, it is usual to put some capping over wires although nothing in regs says you must, old style rubber cable was eaten by lime in plaster, not a prob. now, just good practice. Don't forget rubber grommets in box holes & sleeve each earth wire individually, don't share sleeving to ensure it goes right to the ends of cables
regards SPARX