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Default Floor sockets
I want to install sockets in the floorboards in our living room. It is
approximately 7x6 metres and has three sofas in a U arrangement more or
less in the middle. There are square tables at the corners of the U. The
idea is to have a 2-gang 13A socket with USB connectors under each
table. They would be about 2m from the nearest wall.

Are hinged covers necessary, bearing in mind that they will be under
tables? The problem is that I cant find with such sockets with USB. Id
have to have a third 1G for plugging a charger into.

If they need to be covered, would a box be a better idea? I could then
use €˜ordinary 13A sockets. Unsightly (although under the tables) and
quite a bit more expensive, plus big cutouts spanning the floorboards.

Another option would be flat plate sockets in a shallow recess, to make
them flush with the floor.

Would back boxes be required? This is the ground floor, with only about
30 cm of space under the floorboards.

--
Peter
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On Sunday, 15 October 2017 12:28:54 UTC+1, Ramsman wrote:
I want to install sockets in the floorboards in our living room. ...
Would back boxes be required? This is the ground floor, with only about
30 cm of space under the floorboards.

You might get away without hinged covers in a domestic setting.

Back boxes will always be required.

If you want hinged covers on the 13A sockets, you can get USB charging sockets on a faceplate without an associated 13A socket eg
https://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/FPQUADBC.html

or something like this
https://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/KBSK003.html

which as it comes with a 13A plug may require connecting via a fused connection unit to a socket circuit.

Owain

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On 15/10/2017 14:22, Ramsman wrote:
Anyway, they can always be removed and the floor restored.

I don't see how you could restore the floor so that you can't see where
they were. Even if the hole is an exact board width, you'll still end up
with a very short board (for the patch) and some sort of colour mismatch.

Andy
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On 15/10/2017 14:03, Scott wrote:
On Sun, 15 Oct 2017 04:45:10 -0700 (PDT),
wrote:

Anyway I thought sockets were supposed to be 1 metre above floor level
for disability regulations.

General purpose sockets need to be 450mm above the floor to comply with
part M, however existing buildings don't necessarily need to comply.

Floor sockets however are not general purpose sockets so would not need
to comply anyway IMHO.


--
Cheers,

John.

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On 15/10/2017 12:28, Ramsman wrote:

I want to install sockets in the floorboards in our living room. It is
approximately 7x6 metres and has three sofas in a U arrangement more or
less in the middle. There are square tables at the corners of the U. The
idea is to have a 2-gang 13A socket with USB connectors under each
table. They would be about 2m from the nearest wall.

Actually I did this a short while ago and was planning to do something
for the wiki - but never got round to it. However I do have a couple of
photos.

Are hinged covers necessary, bearing in mind that they will be under
tables?

They are conventional, but there are no explicit rules that say you must
have them.

The problem is that I cant find with such sockets with USB. Id
have to have a third 1G for plugging a charger into.

If they need to be covered, would a box be a better idea? I could then
use €˜ordinary 13A sockets. Unsightly (although under the tables) and
quite a bit more expensive, plus big cutouts spanning the floorboards.

Floor boxes are ok on carpeted floors... you might get away with them in
laminate if you can insert a cut piece into the lid like you would a
bit of carpet.

Another option would be flat plate sockets in a shallow recess, to make
them flush with the floor.

Would back boxes be required? This is the ground floor, with only about
30 cm of space under the floorboards.

Yes back boxes are essential - preferably metal in this application.

In my case I made up a support frame from timber to hold a normal metal
back box at the height I required, dropped that into the floor void
through my hole, and then screwed down through the top of the boards
into the battens on the frame:

http://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php/...t_installation

(spot the fluky git who managed to pick the exact place on the floor
which had the cable for the socket ring circuit running right past it! ;-)


--
Cheers,

John.

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On Sunday, 15 October 2017 12:28:54 UTC+1, Ramsman wrote:

I want to install sockets in the floorboards in our living room. It is

Are hinged covers necessary, bearing in mind that they will be under

with no cover, every time you put a plug in a quantity of dirt falls into the socket. It would soon become an unreliable fire hazard.


tables? The problem is that I cant find with such sockets with USB. Id
have to have a third 1G for plugging a charger into.

use a multiway extension lead, then no usb sockets required in the floor


Would back boxes be required? This is the ground floor, with only about
30 cm of space under the floorboards.

Yes, back boxes stop spread of fire. Use metal as the whole thing may get trodden on.


NT
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wrote
Ramsman wrote

I want to install sockets in the floorboards in our living room.

Are hinged covers necessary, bearing in mind that they will be under

with no cover, every time you put a plug in a quantity of dirt falls
into the socket. It would soon become an unreliable fire hazard.

How odd at so many floor sockets dont have covers then.


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On Monday, 16 October 2017 08:51:38 UTC+1, Brian Gaff wrote:
Would be very interesting if ever the property flooded I'd imagine.


Or if you get an incontinent puppy (that may be a tautology)

Owain


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On 16/10/2017 08:51, Brian Gaff wrote:
Would be very interesting if ever the property flooded I'd imagine.

Brian


Indeed it would. The cables from the CU already run under the floor.

The nearest watercourse is a deep ditch about 100m away. Fed by springs
in the hills south of the village, and we're some way away from and
above the nearest flood hazard according to the Environment Agency.

--
Peter
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wrote in message
...
On Monday, 16 October 2017 08:51:38 UTC+1, Brian Gaff wrote:
Would be very interesting if ever the property flooded I'd imagine.


Or if you get an incontinent puppy (that may be a tautology)

I doubt that would have any effect at all given the wooden
floor even if the covers were open due to at least one cord
plugged in and the other not with anything plugged in.

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On Monday, 16 October 2017 10:44:52 UTC+1, Ramsman wrote:
On 16/10/2017 08:42, tabbypurr wrote:
On Sunday, 15 October 2017 12:28:54 UTC+1, Ramsman wrote:

I want to install sockets in the floorboards in our living room. It is

Are hinged covers necessary, bearing in mind that they will be under

with no cover, every time you put a plug in a quantity of dirt falls into the socket. It would soon become an unreliable fire hazard.

Table lamp and DECT phone power plug permanently plugged in under one
table, and table lamp and LAN adapter under the other. Only the USB
socket would have occasional use for charging a tablet or e-reader.

Maybe you'll plug things in few enough times and have nonconductive enough dirt and large enough clearances etc, who knows. I've emptied sockets of remarkable quantities of dirt. 4 way strips have way more space for dirt than wall sockets.


tables? The problem is that I cant find with such sockets with USB. Id
have to have a third 1G for plugging a charger into.

use a multiway extension lead, then no usb sockets required in the floor

Already do that, but the flex has to trail across the floor from the
wall socket. Covered by gaffer-type tape that is near floorboard colour
to prevent trip hazard. I want a neater solution.

so you don't do that, you plug it into the wall instead

Would back boxes be required? This is the ground floor, with only about
30 cm of space under the floorboards.

Yes, back boxes stop spread of fire. Use metal as the whole thing may get trodden on.

They won't get trodden on under the tables.

one day they will.
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On Monday, 16 October 2017 11:06:16 UTC+1, Rod Speed wrote:
wrote in message
...
On Monday, 16 October 2017 08:51:38 UTC+1, Brian Gaff wrote:
Would be very interesting if ever the property flooded I'd imagine.


Or if you get an incontinent puppy (that may be a tautology)

I doubt that would have any effect at all given the wooden
floor even if the covers were open due to at least one cord
plugged in and the other not with anything plugged in.

why don't you try an experiment. Pretend you're the puppy.
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On 16/10/2017 14:41, wrote:
On Monday, 16 October 2017 10:44:52 UTC+1, Ramsman wrote:
On 16/10/2017 08:42, tabbypurr wrote:
On Sunday, 15 October 2017 12:28:54 UTC+1, Ramsman wrote:

I want to install sockets in the floorboards in our living room. It is

Are hinged covers necessary, bearing in mind that they will be under

with no cover, every time you put a plug in a quantity of dirt falls into the socket. It would soon become an unreliable fire hazard.

Table lamp and DECT phone power plug permanently plugged in under one
table, and table lamp and LAN adapter under the other. Only the USB
socket would have occasional use for charging a tablet or e-reader.

Maybe you'll plug things in few enough times and have nonconductive enough dirt and large enough clearances etc, who knows. I've emptied sockets of remarkable quantities of dirt. 4 way strips have way more space for dirt than wall sockets.

No, once they're plugged in they stay plugged in. Lamp and phone.

tables? The problem is that I cant find with such sockets with USB. Id
have to have a third 1G for plugging a charger into.

use a multiway extension lead, then no usb sockets required in the floor

Already do that, but the flex has to trail across the floor from the
wall socket. Covered by gaffer-type tape that is near floorboard colour
to prevent trip hazard. I want a neater solution.

so you don't do that, you plug it into the wall instead

That's the point. The present 4-way strip IS plugged into the wall, and
sits under the table. Flex runs across the floor.

Would back boxes be required? This is the ground floor, with only about
30 cm of space under the floorboards.

Yes, back boxes stop spread of fire. Use metal as the whole thing may get trodden on.

They won't get trodden on under the tables.

one day they will.

Even with my Size 13s it's very difficult to even deliberately reach any
distance under the table.


--
Peter
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On 16/10/2017 10:36, Ramsman wrote:
On 16/10/2017 08:51, Brian Gaff wrote:
Would be very interesting if ever the property flooded I'd imagine.

Brian


Indeed it would. The cables from the CU already run under the floor.

The nearest watercourse is a deep ditch about 100m away. Fed by springs
in the hills south of the village, and we're some way away from and
above the nearest flood hazard according to the Environment Agency.


And of course the floorboards are waterproof and will not get damaged:-)

So IMHO a few floor sockets would be the least of your problems should
you have a flood.


The local Scout Hut sockets are now above the last flood level. The
floor will still be ruined if it floods again.


--
Adam
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On Monday, 16 October 2017 17:47:26 UTC+1, Ramsman wrote:
On 16/10/2017 14:41, tabbypurr wrote:
On Monday, 16 October 2017 10:44:52 UTC+1, Ramsman wrote:
On 16/10/2017 08:42, tabbypurr wrote:
On Sunday, 15 October 2017 12:28:54 UTC+1, Ramsman wrote:

I want to install sockets in the floorboards in our living room. It is

Are hinged covers necessary, bearing in mind that they will be under

with no cover, every time you put a plug in a quantity of dirt falls into the socket. It would soon become an unreliable fire hazard.

Table lamp and DECT phone power plug permanently plugged in under one
table, and table lamp and LAN adapter under the other. Only the USB
socket would have occasional use for charging a tablet or e-reader.

Maybe you'll plug things in few enough times and have nonconductive enough dirt and large enough clearances etc, who knows. I've emptied sockets of remarkable quantities of dirt. 4 way strips have way more space for dirt than wall sockets.

No, once they're plugged in they stay plugged in. Lamp and phone.

tables? The problem is that I cant find with such sockets with USB. Id
have to have a third 1G for plugging a charger into.

use a multiway extension lead, then no usb sockets required in the floor

Already do that, but the flex has to trail across the floor from the
wall socket. Covered by gaffer-type tape that is near floorboard colour
to prevent trip hazard. I want a neater solution.

so you don't do that, you plug it into the wall instead

That's the point. The present 4-way strip IS plugged into the wall, and
sits under the table. Flex runs across the floor.

Would back boxes be required? This is the ground floor, with only about
30 cm of space under the floorboards.

Yes, back boxes stop spread of fire. Use metal as the whole thing may get trodden on.

They won't get trodden on under the tables.

one day they will.

Even with my Size 13s it's very difficult to even deliberately reach any
distance under the table.

whoosh. enjoy your electrics.
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On 16/10/2017 10:36, Ramsman wrote:
Indeed it would. The cables from the CU already run under the floor.

Won't matter. It's only when the cut ends get wet that interesting
things happen.

I hope you'd turn off the power before you get in the boat to leave

Seriously though - it might save a fire to add to the flood.

Andy
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wrote in message
...
On Monday, 16 October 2017 11:06:16 UTC+1, Rod Speed wrote:
wrote in message
...
On Monday, 16 October 2017 08:51:38 UTC+1, Brian Gaff wrote:
Would be very interesting if ever the property flooded I'd imagine.


Or if you get an incontinent puppy (that may be a tautology)

I doubt that would have any effect at all given the wooden
floor even if the covers were open due to at least one cord
plugged in and the other not with anything plugged in.

why don't you try an experiment.

Dont need to, I know nothing would happen.
There is no path for current to flow.

Pretend you're the puppy.



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On Monday, 16 October 2017 22:08:28 UTC+1, Rod Speed wrote:
tabbypurr wrote in message
...
On Monday, 16 October 2017 11:06:16 UTC+1, Rod Speed wrote:
wrote in message
...
On Monday, 16 October 2017 08:51:38 UTC+1, Brian Gaff wrote:
Would be very interesting if ever the property flooded I'd imagine.


Or if you get an incontinent puppy (that may be a tautology)

I doubt that would have any effect at all given the wooden
floor even if the covers were open due to at least one cord
plugged in and the other not with anything plugged in.

why don't you try an experiment.

Dont need to, I know nothing would happen.
There is no path for current to flow.

Pretend you're the puppy.

Nahh, you're hopelessly wrong.
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wrote in message
...
On Monday, 16 October 2017 17:47:26 UTC+1, Ramsman wrote:
On 16/10/2017 14:41, tabbypurr wrote:
On Monday, 16 October 2017 10:44:52 UTC+1, Ramsman wrote:
On 16/10/2017 08:42, tabbypurr wrote:
On Sunday, 15 October 2017 12:28:54 UTC+1, Ramsman wrote:

I want to install sockets in the floorboards in our living room. It
is

Are hinged covers necessary, bearing in mind that they will be under

with no cover, every time you put a plug in a quantity of dirt falls
into the socket. It would soon become an unreliable fire hazard.

Table lamp and DECT phone power plug permanently plugged in under one
table, and table lamp and LAN adapter under the other. Only the USB
socket would have occasional use for charging a tablet or e-reader.

Maybe you'll plug things in few enough times and have nonconductive
enough dirt and large enough clearances etc, who knows. I've emptied
sockets of remarkable quantities of dirt. 4 way strips have way more
space for dirt than wall sockets.

No, once they're plugged in they stay plugged in. Lamp and phone.

tables? The problem is that I cant find with such sockets with USB.
Id
have to have a third 1G for plugging a charger into.

use a multiway extension lead, then no usb sockets required in the
floor

Already do that, but the flex has to trail across the floor from the
wall socket. Covered by gaffer-type tape that is near floorboard
colour
to prevent trip hazard. I want a neater solution.

so you don't do that, you plug it into the wall instead

That's the point. The present 4-way strip IS plugged into the wall, and
sits under the table. Flex runs across the floor.

Would back boxes be required? This is the ground floor, with only
about
30 cm of space under the floorboards.

Yes, back boxes stop spread of fire. Use metal as the whole thing may
get trodden on.

They won't get trodden on under the tables.

one day they will.

Even with my Size 13s it's very difficult to even deliberately reach any
distance under the table.

whoosh. enjoy your electrics.

You never could bull**** your way out of a wet paper bag.

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wrote in message
...
On Monday, 16 October 2017 22:08:28 UTC+1, Rod Speed wrote:
tabbypurr wrote in message
...
On Monday, 16 October 2017 11:06:16 UTC+1, Rod Speed wrote:
wrote in message
...
On Monday, 16 October 2017 08:51:38 UTC+1, Brian Gaff wrote:
Would be very interesting if ever the property flooded I'd imagine.


Or if you get an incontinent puppy (that may be a tautology)

I doubt that would have any effect at all given the wooden
floor even if the covers were open due to at least one cord
plugged in and the other not with anything plugged in.

why don't you try an experiment.

Dont need to, I know nothing would happen.
There is no path for current to flow.

Pretend you're the puppy.

Nahh, you're hopelessly wrong.

Easy to claim.

Have fun spelling out where the current would flow with
a wooden floor, you pathetic excuse for a bull**** artist.

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On Tuesday, 17 October 2017 06:05:23 UTC+1, Rod Speed wrote:
tabbypurr wrote in message
...
On Monday, 16 October 2017 22:08:28 UTC+1, Rod Speed wrote:
tabbypurr wrote in message
...
On Monday, 16 October 2017 11:06:16 UTC+1, Rod Speed wrote:
wrote in message
...
On Monday, 16 October 2017 08:51:38 UTC+1, Brian Gaff wrote:
Would be very interesting if ever the property flooded I'd imagine.


Or if you get an incontinent puppy (that may be a tautology)

I doubt that would have any effect at all given the wooden
floor even if the covers were open due to at least one cord
plugged in and the other not with anything plugged in.

why don't you try an experiment.

Dont need to, I know nothing would happen.
There is no path for current to flow.

Pretend you're the puppy.

Nahh, you're hopelessly wrong.

Easy to claim.

Have fun spelling out where the current would flow with
a wooden floor, you pathetic excuse for a bull**** artist.

Video it for us. You're the perfect candidate for this darwin award.
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wrote in message
...
On Tuesday, 17 October 2017 06:05:23 UTC+1, Rod Speed wrote:
tabbypurr wrote in message
...
On Monday, 16 October 2017 22:08:28 UTC+1, Rod Speed wrote:
tabbypurr wrote in message
...
On Monday, 16 October 2017 11:06:16 UTC+1, Rod Speed wrote:
wrote in message
...
On Monday, 16 October 2017 08:51:38 UTC+1, Brian Gaff wrote:
Would be very interesting if ever the property flooded I'd
imagine.


Or if you get an incontinent puppy (that may be a tautology)

I doubt that would have any effect at all given the wooden
floor even if the covers were open due to at least one cord
plugged in and the other not with anything plugged in.

why don't you try an experiment.

Dont need to, I know nothing would happen.
There is no path for current to flow.

Pretend you're the puppy.

Nahh, you're hopelessly wrong.

Easy to claim.

Have fun spelling out where the current would flow with
a wooden floor, you pathetic excuse for a bull**** artist.

Video it for us. You're the perfect candidate for this darwin award.

You never could bull**** your way out of a wet paper bag.

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