Kitchen Island power supply: or rather lack of one.

[ToughButterCup]

We've gone and done what we were warned not to. We want a kitchen island: without having planned for one. Saints alive how many times do we read about twerps like us who don't make up their minds until it's           too late.

 

And now that there's only 25mm to play with above the slab, I'm wincing (on Buildhub) while being encouraging and as positive as I can be in public (as it were). I'm thinking that's too little space to run the power line. No, she doesn't want a sink in it. (Thanks Be for small mercies).

 

Can I make her happy? Can I tell her she can have her heart's desire?

[Tennentslager]

What's the plan... induction hob...or just sockets?

[Jeremy Harris]

The power cables to our island run in 25mm conduit through the slab, so 25mm is enough space (just) to run cables, but it does depend on the flooring, and is a bit tight.  I think I'd be inclined to channel out the slab and run  bit of conduit across to the island, if it were me.  The conduit that the cable to our island runs in is about midway down, tied to the rebar in the slab.  You could possibly get away with 20mm conduit, depends on the cables you want to run through it. If only going to a shallow depth I'd be inclined to use steel conduit, for better cable protection, plus it will stay in place better whilst you grout it back in to the floor.

[ProDave]

What do you want on the Island?

 

Ours has the hob and some sockets, but it is a gas hob so the power is only for the ignitor. I ran 6mm cable in 25mm conduit, with swept bends each end, so if we ever change for a massive induction hob I can pull a 10mm cable in if I need to.  The hockey stick for the gas pipe was built into the foundations right from the start and it came up (just) within the footprint of the island.

 

To run cables in conduit you are going to have to cut a channel in the slab.

[PeterW]

From memory you don’t have UFH so break out the Stihl saw and cut a channel in the concrete 50mm deep and 75mm wide and drop in 3 lengths of 25mm conduit with nice long elbows either end. 

 

Then back fill with some rapid setting concrete and job done ... 

 

And 3...?? Allows you to do a loop and add that induction hob later........

[Ferdinand]

I think you can get oval conduit which might help, or 2 runs.

 

I have had to disconnect some of mine because it was run out of the wrong cable.

 

It was being used for LED footlights anyway, so I feel better without it.

 

Ferdinand

 

Edited August 21, 2018 by Ferdinand

[Ferdinand]

2 minutes ago, PeterW said:

From memory you don’t have UFH so break out the Stihl saw and cut a channel in the concrete 50mm deep and 75mm wide and drop in 3 lengths of 25mm conduit with nice long elbows either end. 

 

Then back fill with some rapid setting concrete and job done ... 

 

And 3...?? Allows you to do a loop and add that induction hob later........

 

With draw wires ;-).

[ToughButterCup]

Thanks lads. Pheeeeew. That was close. That should put a smile on her face. ?

[richi]

Instead of 2&E in conduit, could you use SWA cable? Probably a bit smaller.

Edited August 21, 2018 by richi

[Jeremy Harris]

3 minutes ago, richi said:

Instead of 2&E in conduit, could you use SWA cable? Probably a bit smaller.

 

 

Yes, but the stuff's a pig to get to lay flat in a channel, and requires special termination glands at both ends, so conduit would be both a lot easier, and gives the option of changing the cable, running additional cables etc, later.

[ToughButterCup]

1 hour ago, JSHarris said:

[...]

so conduit would be both a lot easier, and gives the option of changing the cable, running additional cables etc, later.

and

1 hour ago, richi said:

Instead of 2&E in conduit, could you use SWA cable? Probably a bit smaller.

 

..... are both what  I love about BH. Gives me informed, authoritative options to help me make my own choice.

I'll drop  a bit of flex in the hole and concrete it over then...... cheaper. Innit? ?

[ProDave]

1 hour ago, recoveringacademic said:

 

I'll drop  a bit of flex in the hole and concrete it over then...... cheaper. Innit? ?

Ah you must have been a member at our local clay pigeon club where I did an EICR recently.  Most of the traps were correctly wired with a SWA supply, except the furthest away that just linked to the next with a bit of buried 5A flex.

[Onoff]

If you were closer you could borrow one of my cable chasers. (I can almost do it dust free with the bfo shop vac).

[ToughButterCup]

29 minutes ago, Onoff said:

If you were closer you could borrow one of my cable chasers. [...]

 

They can't touch ya for it, though can they?  Chasing cables.