Chasing Cables for Shower Advice

[SarahCollen]

Hi, we are having a shower fitted - the electrician has run the cable vertically over the top of the noggins, meaning when we make the wall good the filler will encompass the 10mm cable he has pinned to them. I'm certain this is not correct, so I'm tempted to retrospectively cut the cabling into the noggins - approximately 6 of them, protect them and then plasterboard and skim over the top. Any advice? Obviously the cable is not yet connected to either the shower or the consumer unit. He's also used plastic clips and I don't think these are allowable now. Thanks Sarah (18th Edition Domestic Installer)

 

[MikeKing]

Difficult to tell from the picture but ideally a cable route through a stud wall, should have been drilled through the noggins and joists and the cable run through the holes. Easy for me to sit here and say that as I haven't see it, but does look rough though.

Maybe ask the sparks how difficult it'd be to re run it through the noggins / studs.
1. That cable is super vulnerable to damage
2. Making that good will be a nightmare.

 

[Markyd]

What is wrong with plastic clips then? Also that is a rough job

 

[SarahCollen]

Reg 521.10.202 support of wiring systems - in the event of a fire making the old plastic ones inadequate
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Difficult to tell from the picture but ideally a cable route through a stud wall, should have been drilled through the noggins and joists and the cable run through the holes. Easy for me to sit here and say that as I haven't see it, but does look rough though.

Maybe ask the sparks how difficult it'd be to re run it through the noggins / studs.
1. That cable is super vulnerable to damage
2. Making that good will be a nightmare.

 

[Markyd]

In a wall in the Bathroom? Read it again

 

[SarahCollen]

In a wall in the Bathroom? Read it again

In a wall in the Bathroom? Read it again

ah thanks for the clarification

 

[JBW175]

Need more pictures, looks like a DIY install to me. Has that cable been ran in a prescribed zone? Or just up a random bit of wall?

 

[MikeKing]

looking at that second picture that's pretty rough, it looks fairly simple to open up the wall a bit more above / below each noggin and drill a 20mm hole and feed the cable through each noggin properly. Thats personally what I would have done.

 

[SarahCollen]

Need more pictures, looks like a DIY install to me. Has that cable been ran in a prescribed zone? Or just up a random bit of wall?

A random bit of wall, directly above the consumer unit on the floor below, not to mention the diagonal route across the ceiling from the shower itself.
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looking at that second picture that's pretty rough, it looks fairly simple to open up the wall a bit more above / below each noggin and drill a 20mm hole and feed the cable through each noggin properly. Thats personally what I would have done.

I think I'll remove the plasterboard from floor to ceiling and get him to do that, it's going to make my life a lot easier to repair the wall in the long run

 

[MikeKing]

A random bit of wall, directly above the consumer unit on the floor below, not to mention the diagonal route across the ceiling from the shower itself.

They can go 150mm from the edge of the wall vertically.

 

[SarahCollen]

They can go 150mm from the edge of the wall vertically.

Hmmmm looks like it might be ok on that score

 

[MikeKing]

Dont think I want to know where the isolator is . Anyway best of luck ?

 

[SarahCollen]

Dont think I want to know where the isolator is . Anyway best of luck ?

Best you don't ask.... Thanks for all the advice ?

 

[Markyd]

Just asking....have you seen his details and checked him out?

 

[multimick]

Hi Sarah,not quite sure what an 18th edition domestic installer means , but first question is why you have not done the job yourself ?,the install looks (and difficult to tell from piccys) that it has been done with minimal disruption, lets say the noggins were 50 mm deep then it makes no difference if the nogs were drilled in centre or on surface ,the cable would still be less than 50 mm deep, as for plastic clips well it doesn't look like it would trap firefighters round there necks ,but cant be sure, not sure where this is going to be honest ?

 

[SarahCollen]

Just asking....have you seen his details and checked him out?

It's my partner who has employed him, based on a recommendation from a friend, I would have attempted it myself but Domestic Installer doesn't cover me for bathrooms. I'm pretty sure I'd have done a better job though. Once I've installed the shower, he's coming back to connect it all, I'll be there so I'm going to ask for his details. (I'm NVQ 2, City and Guilds qualified too)
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Hi Sarah,not quite sure what an 18th edition domestic installer means , but first question is why you have not done the job yourself ?,the install looks (and difficult to tell from piccys) that it has been done with minimal disruption, lets say the noggins were 50 mm deep then it makes no difference if the nogs were drilled in centre or on surface ,the cable would still be less than 50 mm deep, as for plastic clips well it doesn't look like it would trap firefighters round there necks ,but cant be sure, not sure where this is going to be honest ?

It's in a bathroom and a new install, neither of which I am qualified to do as a Domestic Installer. The noggins are neither drilled on the surface or the centre and once filled some of them will protrude through the plaster. I understand the plastic clips bit now, I mis read the regulation but thanks for re in-forcing my knowledge on this. I was just trying to find out if what he had done was legitimate as per the regs as personally I think its a rubbish job by an amateur and I want it to be correct.

 

[multimick]

Hi Sarah thanks for your reply ,i just don't understand if you are a domestic installer why you can't do bathrooms and or new builds / it makes no sense ,or is it me ?

 

[Markyd]

What sort of Domestic Installer can't work in a bathroom or new builds.....you've lost me know are you registered Domestic Installer or not?

 

[multimick]

my point exactly.

 

[Markyd]

Yeh......I'm done

 

[SarahCollen]

What sort of Domestic Installer can't work in a bathroom or new builds.....you've lost me know are you registered Domestic Installer or not?

I am a qualified Domestic Installer with Part P Qualification, I could do all the work but some of it would need signing off by a fully qualified electrician. I'm not doing any of this myself, I just wanted clarity on the cabling which you've now all helped with. I'm a plumber and I took the Part P to cover the basics in electrical work if I needed it. The shower is a new install not an upgrade. I'm off to bed. thanks again ?
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Or do you mean you can't Notify Building Control and certify work.......

yes - exactly

 

[Markyd]

Enough said.........I'm done

 

[multimick]

yep off to bed as well , just about sums up all that's wrong with our trade ,no offence

 

[MJPD29]

Reg 521.10.202 support of wiring systems - in the event of a fire making the old plastic ones inadequate
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Please read the regulations carefully before jumping to conclusions

 

[phil 01]

Please read the regulations carefully before jumping to conclusions

People with bit of knowledge, you employed him on recommendation, first you have to understand how a building is constructed to then understand what he has done to install the cable the way he did, how would you have installed the cable.

 

[MJPD29]

People with bit of knowledge, you employed him on recommendation, first you have to understand how a building is constructed to then understand what he has done to install the cable the way he did, how would you have installed the cable.

Sorry Phil I don't understand what your saying. And neither am I going to say how I'd install it. I charge for that sort of advice/work, not give it away free on the internet.

 

[SparkyAndGeorge]

Nice neat rectangle holes cut out over the studs, 20mm holes through the studs, feed cable through, replace rectangle cut outs and fill. Too late for that now though!

 

[littlespark]

In an ideal world, cable through holes drilled in the noggins half way through the wall.... but it’s not ideal is it.

Multi tool or drill to check slots into the wood, so cable lies behind the plasterboard.

If it was a brick wall, cable would be just under the plaster, not 50mm in, and would be rcd protected.... which this circuit will be, being a new circuit in a bathroom.