Extending power socket(s)

[NeilScotland]

Hi All, 

I just wanted to know what best practice was when extending (moving a socket down) on a wall. 

I'm in Amsterdam, so I know the regulations are different - but still looking to hear best practice from UK perspective. 

 

My thinking is:

 

• I use a connector (I have wago 203 connectors for this) to connect the new cabling.
• Keep this in the old back box
• Chase the wall
• Wire new socket below
• Rinse, repeat. 
• Plaster over once ll sockets are done (as whole wall will be plastered). 

 

My other question - if you need to take a socket no only down, but along the wall. Is it still ok /best practice to chase the wall horizontally? It doesn;t quite 'feel' right to me....but thought I'd ask. 

 

Edit: FYI, the walls are made of this soft white concrete block stuff (horrible! - same material inside plasterboard). 

thanks!

Neil 

 

 

Edited March 13, 2021 by NeilScotland

[Onoff]

Not sure on the Dutch regs but in the UK, in line with our regs, you can crimp or solder to effect a maintenance free joint.

 

This was to demo joining two bits of T&E,  2.5mm new & old in this case,  (note the cpc  (earth) might be smaller):

 

Dead easy on a bench, fiddly in a wall, even getting the crimping tool in of course:

 

Strip the sheaths:

 

 

Stagger the joints so you don't get the "python after a large meal" bulge in the middle. The join needs to be long enough so you can slip the heatshrink on and slide along far enough to do the crimping and ideally shrink the crimp without affecting the tubular heat shrink:

 

 

 

Strip the ends:

 

 

 

Heatshrink slipped on BEFORE you crimp!

 

 

 

 

Crimp heat shrunk - has glue in that melts and sticks to the core:

 

 

Green / yellow sleeving on. SOMETIMES as said above you might want a smaller crimp for the cpc:

 

 

Cpc done:

 

 

All neatly crimped, old colours for the heatshrink 'cos I've got it:

 

 

Heatshrink over the top:

 

 

Chuck it in the wall and get plastering! 

 

 

Similarly it could be soldered but make damn sure you get no sharp wispy bits of solder that might poke through the heatshrink!

Edited March 13, 2021 by Onoff

[NeilScotland]

Thanks for this. Very helpful. 
 

Isn’t a wago connector a lot easier? (And I believe also maintenance free). 

 

this is just a question of curiosity not judgement! I don’t know the regs. 
 

Although this way looks cleaner for sure. 

 

thanks again

Neil