Hi,

We're just in the process of having a gas fire replaced with one of the
cheapy inset things from B&Q, complete with mantle piece, etc. Whilst its
all apart I would like to put in a cable run from one side of the chimney
breast to the other to give us flexibility to move the tv around.

How hot would it get behind the gas fire if I say drilled a hole in both
sides of the chimney a laid a piece of plastic waste pipe in there to push
cables through. Or would I be better putting the cable run under
floorboards?

Si

Simon Foster wrote


How hot would it get behind the gas fire if I say drilled a hole in
both sides of the chimney a laid a piece of plastic waste pipe in
there to push cables through. Or would I be better putting the cable
run under floorboards?

I don't know what regulations are, but under my gas fire it's perfectly
cool, and I can and do run cables under there.

Safety, physical protection etc may be another matter, IMO it's ok as if I
remove the fascia they're on view.

--

mike

On Wed, 25 Jan 2006 23:00:17 +0000, mike wrote:

Simon Foster wrote


How hot would it get behind the gas fire if I say drilled a hole in
both sides of the chimney a laid a piece of plastic waste pipe in
there to push cables through. Or would I be better putting the cable
run under floorboards?

I don't know what regulations are, but under my gas fire it's perfectly
cool, and I can and do run cables under there.

Safety, physical protection etc may be another matter, IMO it's ok as if I
remove the fascia they're on view.

You've got to be trolling! There is no way that routing an electric cable
through the builders opening behind the inset gas fire box can be
compliant! I don't know what the expected ambient temperature behind the
inset box is but I'm nigh on certain that it is not low enough.
Indeed some inset burner makers forbid the use of soft soldered joints on
the gas pipe under a grate burner.

Depending on the hearth construction there may be a fairly easy route:
You are only required to provide 12mm of non-combustible hearth surface
but are required to raise the hearth to 50mm over the surrounding flooring.
Therefore you can put the hearth slab on a 38mm timber battens. The cable
can be routed in the void between the battens: down the wall into the
space under the hearth and up the wall the other side.

You will need sockets or blank plates either side on the front of the
chminey breast, or protect the cable behind steel plate, or bury it 50mm
in the wall (these are not so easy aspects).


--
Ed Sirett - Property maintainer and registered gas fitter.
The FAQ for uk.diy is at http://www.diyfaq.org.uk
Gas fitting FAQ http://www.makewrite.demon.co.uk/GasFitting.html
Sealed CH FAQ http://www.makewrite.demon.co.uk/SealedCH.html
Choosing a Boiler FAQ http://www.makewrite.demon.co.uk/BoilerChoice.html

Ed Sirett wrote

You've got to be trolling! There is no way that routing an electric cable
through the builders opening behind the inset gas fire box can be
compliant!

Well, tell that to the manufacturers; in the void are mains cables to the
boiler, a mains lead to the pretty lights on the front, a dial to turn
(boiler thermostat) and a button to press. (startup).

Also my speaker leads, still speaking after all these years.

--

mike