Renovating childs bedroom on top floor. I want to put in a new double
socket. There are three in the room. Unfortunately the most convenient
socket to extend from is an existing spur (other two are on the ring).
My understanding is that it is ok to extend a new spur from this if I
replace the existing socket with a fused connection unit - thus making
it a fused spur. It really is not worth putting the new and existing
spur back on the ring - would involve a fair bit of demolition - and
this is only for a bedside reading lamp.

So my first question is : am I correct in thinking that by converting
the existing spur to a fused spur - I can then extend further sockets
off this?

My second question might raise a few eyebrows - and I think I can guess
what the answer will be. On exploring the route for the new socket - it
became clear that raising the floorboards (chipboard type - house 25
years old) is going to be quite difficult. Broke one of the boards
already while raising it. They are nailed and screwed very firmly
indeed.

I have removed all the skirting and will be replacing with new. There is
a nice little gap between the plasterboard and floor which is fairly
deep and could easily take cable, perhaps in conduit. Would it be
completely out of order to route the new cable in this gap - which would
end up behind (at the bottom of) the new skirting? I guess future owners
will conceivably stick long nails or screws into the skirting - so I
guess this is out? Or is there some accepted way of doing this - such as
putting the cable into some sort of armoured protection?

Thanks
--
Matthew

On Wed, 3 Sep 2003 20:09:15 +0100, Matthew Barnard
wrote:

Renovating childs bedroom on top floor. I want to put in a new double
socket. There are three in the room. Unfortunately the most convenient
socket to extend from is an existing spur (other two are on the ring).
My understanding is that it is ok to extend a new spur from this if I
replace the existing socket with a fused connection unit - thus making
it a fused spur. It really is not worth putting the new and existing
spur back on the ring - would involve a fair bit of demolition - and
this is only for a bedside reading lamp.

So my first question is : am I correct in thinking that by converting
the existing spur to a fused spur - I can then extend further sockets
off this?

Yes, you can. The FCU can be fitted with a fuse of up to 13A and then
you can run your additional sockets downstream of that.


My second question might raise a few eyebrows - and I think I can guess
what the answer will be. On exploring the route for the new socket - it
became clear that raising the floorboards (chipboard type - house 25
years old) is going to be quite difficult. Broke one of the boards
already while raising it. They are nailed and screwed very firmly
indeed.

I have removed all the skirting and will be replacing with new. There is
a nice little gap between the plasterboard and floor which is fairly
deep and could easily take cable, perhaps in conduit. Would it be
completely out of order to route the new cable in this gap - which would
end up behind (at the bottom of) the new skirting? I guess future owners
will conceivably stick long nails or screws into the skirting - so I
guess this is out? Or is there some accepted way of doing this - such as
putting the cable into some sort of armoured protection?

You would have to use a steel conduit. Certainly plastic conduit or
just concealing the cable is out, for the exact reason you describe.






Thanks

..andy

To email, substitute .nospam with .gl

"Matthew Barnard" wrote
| I have removed all the skirting and will be replacing with new.

If you hadn't gone and done that I would have suggested 16x16mm
mini-trunking, which can be quite unobtrusive running along the top of
modern skirting esp when painted over to match.

Owain