Hi

I have to move a domestic consumer unit from a study into the garage and most of the circuits will be to short , the meter tails however can be rewired.
My question is bearing in mind that the cable joints will be concealed under floorboards and therefore deemed inaccessible what method would you employ to joint them , either in a large joint box with crimp joints or those maintenance free junction boxes , there are 8 circuits to extend.

Your thoughts

Hi,

Crimp cables and put into choc boxes,

Ryan

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Ryan Andrews

http://www.electrician-new-malden.co.uk/

Crimps, Wago's or Helacon connectors will be a compliant way of extending the cables. If you don't have much experience of crimping i'd suggest Wago's or Hellacon's, either way put them in a large adaptable box or similar enclosure,

Dave.

But if you're able to get under the floorboards to extend the cables, doesn't that mean they are accessible?

I wouldn't say that under nailed or screwed down floorboards and carpeted is very accessible Mike?

Dave.

crimp and heat shrink is how I would do it

No need for heatshrink if using normal insulated crimps in an enclosure!

Wagos are now, or in the final process of being BS recognised and so apparently will be BS and MF marked.
This will mean that they will officially be accepted as connections that dont need to be accessable for inspection,just like crimps.
I have used wago since they came out and very rarly use anything else.
Regards
Antric

Hi , I would think that the main question here is define accessible.

If marked on a plan then I think the joints could be deemed accessible.

CMD out of interest what certification will you provide an EIC , EICR , or MWC.

Regards

I will provide EIC and notify for part P cert

You could just minor works for each circuit as all you have done is splice a new bit of cable in. You are not replacing the board after all. Having said that, but the time you have checked that the RCDs work OK and checked the EFLI you might as well do a full EIC.

Does this need to be notified? It's not new circuits or a new consumer unit.

Playing Devil's advocate a bit here. I think I would be tempted to notify under Part P as if it was a new consumer unit.

John

I'm replacing the consumer unit for a dual RCD split load type as the existing board was installed when the 16th edition regs applied therefore I will need to notify.




Regards

In that case it needs an EIC and to be notified,

Dave.

My choice would much depend on the cable, I would never crimp solid cores, it is just not reliable over time, if they are to be totally inaccessible forever then I suggest they are soldered and in heat shrink all cores and sheath - as close to unbroken as a new cable, in some cases you may be able to pull them back to the first/last point.

I also would not use chockbox - not sealed not designed for inaccessible connections and IMO rough.

I tend to think "what would another electrician think in 5 years"

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Regards

Martyn.

Only a mediocre person is always at their best



www.electrical contractors uk.com

I agree Martyn, I wouldn't use chocboxes in this situation, a large enough adaptable box with all the joints in it would be my choice,

Dave.

Hmnnn. I wonder how bad it is. After crimping I thoroughly tape over, then secure each cable. I don't see how time can effect a solid core crimp (unless you are assuming mech damage though movement of cables

.

Solid cores do not correctly crimp, old t&e was stranded which meant it would fill the terminal when crimped.

I used to do a considerable amount of work for the water authorities crimping solid cores was forbidden, almost all can be pulled apart without much effort.

Heating and cooling also causes significant movement in connections this means that solid cores are far more likely to work loose granted that most domestic cables don't get anywhere close to full temperature I'm not sure I'd rely on insulation tape to hold the connections together.

Personal preferences based on real life experiences, I'm not about to suggest your methods are wrong just that I wouldn't use them.

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Regards

Martyn.

Only a mediocre person is always at their best



www.electrical contractors uk.com

I come on this forum to learn that's why I asked. I have considered this before and decided that connector blocks were a better (mechanical) option; but they do take up a hell of a lot of space.

So no enclosure then? 526.5?

- Andy.

I don't always state the obvious