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timhoward

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Hello boys and girls.
I just wondered if anyone has any tips/tricks/previous experiences about running circuits in a log cabin. I've not had to run cables in one before. It's looking particularly unspoiled and beautiful!
It seems to be thick interlocking alternately placed external walls that stack up, and then interior foam insulation panels with surface TGV cladding inside.
I've yet to determine whether there are horizontal battens inside too.

The CU is installed, after much haggling a Schneider Easy9 was deemed attractive enough...this customer certainly knows what he wants.
I need to get 5 double sockets in, and about 6 outside lights. We've already agreed on Quinetics for switching as he wants to be able to turn the outside lights on from the house.

I've tried to sell steam-punk galv conduit and metal-clad sockets on the surface and failed. MICC also rejected.
I've considered using the void underneath it but can't see how to support cables as there's no access at all, bricked up on all sides.
I've considered trying to fish through the insulation. I've wondered about conduit on the outside.
Any past experiences or tips gratefully received as nothing is looking like the screamingly obvious answer at the moment.

It's funny as my other main job this week is industrial and the mindset shift regarding form and function is chalk and cheese!
 
You’ll find the insulation is solid. No way to push through it.

I’ve done a cabin which was being used as a workman’s bothy…. Just a glorified garden shed with 60mm thick engineered timber.
I ran cables underneath the base before it was built, and run up inside with pvc conduit.
Aesthetics wasn’t top of the agenda.

It may be an idea in your case to dismantle it if possible and see what is behind the inner skin, although that may not be feasible or wanted.

Other idea would be run surface and get a good joiner to build wooden “trunking” the same as the cabin wood. Only way to disguise if they don’t want surface conduit or MICC
 
Thanks for responses so far. I had a feeling the insulation would be solid and unyielding.
I also wondered about routing out channels and capping with thin wood and staining - if one vertical channel was permitted the rest could be the same direction as the cladding and look half decent.
 
An updated version of this (though obviously not the cotton covered wire), perhaps?

Log cabins. {filename} | ElectriciansForums.net
 
I supposed worth showing the customer some D line wood effect - nothing to lose!
I was wondering if wood-effect trunking might be a good solution so switches, sockets and even stuff like network sockets (should they ever want them) can be added without further butchery.

But @littlespark suggestion of getting something made in wood is even better, it could be a very "flat" sort of trunking, just a rebated groove on the back for the cable and then sockets sunk through that and in to the cabin wall behind for sufficient depth.
 
Many years ago I had a wooden boat, beautifully built from mainly teak, and all the wires which would have been exposed were run in custom wooden conduits similar to what @SJD pictured above. Such workmanship, such precision, just beautiful...and the "lid" was secured with Robertson screws. The conduits were made from off-cuts of the teak used for the original construction of the boat, and all varnished to blend with the rest of the finish.
Small down-side...everything was wired in red singles!

On a recent job in Spain, I was asked to try to conceal the wiring to an outside light. Just one fancy pendant over a table on the terrace, which was wire with twisted fabric covered cable held in place by ceramic insulators. Quite pretty, but exposed to the elements. The lamp was on a huge wooden beam (thinking about the log cabin here) and client wanted the cable concealed. The solution was to use a router on the beam. Sank a 10mm hole each end, then introduced a 6mm bit, at a depth of 6mm. Then undercut that with a 10mm bit, to create a "T" shaped slot from where the cable exited the house, to where the pendant would be fitted, and repeated the process in a vertical direction so the pendant would hang from the beam.
Finally, ran the cable into the 10mm recess, and capped the slot with a 6x6 stripwood, glued into place, and painted to match the beam.
TBH, it was a bit of work, but the cable is invisible and immune to the elements. I think it's known as Reference method "fek, what do I do here?"
I appreciate the op may not want./be able to, rout all the cable runs, but for those which are exposed and aesthetically important, a router and planning can make a nice job.
 
@pirate thank you - I'm meeting the client in the morning, and I've certainly not ruled out making some custom trunking, or even just using a wider piece of wood and routing a channel on the reverse. It comes down to whether the client is so concerned about aesthetics he's willing to pay for the painstaking work.
I'm really glad I split this job into phase one to get the supply in and phase two for final circuits now.
 
@timhoward , what is the outside clad with/how is it constructed/ have you got a photo? I can't visualise it from your description.
Don't have a photo of the one in question, the outside isn't clad....it's pre-formed interlocking lengths. Not this one but this kind of design but larger....
Log cabins. 1639158056952 - EletriciansForums.net
Then inside there are vertical studs, insulation panels, and horizontal cladding.
Does that help?
 
Don't have a photo of the one in question, the outside isn't clad....it's pre-formed interlocking lengths. Not this one but this kind of design but larger....
View attachment 92841
Then inside there are vertical studs, insulation panels, and horizontal cladding.
Does that help?
Hmmm, this is a tricky one. It would make sense for the horizontal T+G to be fixed direct to the vertical studs. Could there be a void between the stud wall and the outer leaf of stacked timber? I have seen this done before, with a breather membrane fixed to the studwork, the idea being to prevent moisture build up. But even if there is a void there, it still seems unlikely that you'd be able to run cables to where you want from there.

Sorry, I'm not being much help am I
 
Sorry, I'm not being much help am I
In a way you are, as you are reassuring me I'm not missing anything obvious! If there was access to the underside then there would be more possibilities but that ship has sailed.
To be fair to the customer, he has only just bought the house and inherited this beautifully finished shell, with every surface including roof cladded inside. If you had a gas fire and candlelight it would be quite practical...!

So anyway, it comes down to surface mounted (and to my mind the most two attraction options of MICC and galv have been ruled out), leaving D-Line trunking, doing something nice with wood, or clipped direct(!). We'll see what he says. I might make a sample bit of wood up later if I can find a suitable piece.
 
I had a feeling the insulation would be solid and unyielding.
. My preferred method for the type of log cabin you have is to remove the skirting and engineer a cable run there. Cut the socket boxes in and drill down through the insulation using a 30 cm flexible bit holder with the spade bit attached. Once wiring is in and skirting back on it's as unobtrusive as you are likely to get.Wont work for switches as the run is too long.Although I did buy 1 Mt long flexible drill bits from the states but have yet to employ them in a job like this. Anyway the quinetic switches are the way to go
 
I can see the attraction, as it's outside zones and I doubt I can get it 50mm back I guess that will need mechanically protecting....food for thought.
That is the major headache when working behind skirting boards. It's needs strictly speaking mechanical protect. I have used trunking lid, joist caps etc and a variety of of other means. But it never feels ideal so I make a point of taking pictures of how it's all been installed and ensure the customer is comepletely OK with it. The log cabin providers could do a little more to facilitate the electrical installation. Best bit of advice I could give is to get in the building stage.A little co-operation from the builder halves the electricians work. Of course it's not always possible to do this.
 
Little update on this one...
1 - Embarrassingly I was wrong about the construction - it's in fact solid walls exactly like the photo above. I'd been told it was insulated and not questioned it. (When I drilled the hole for the supply cable I assumed I'd found a baton as it felt solid.). At least this completely knocks on the head any notion of cables in cavities.
2 - with limited time available before Christmas they asked for a temporary supply to allow more time to think.

So this has been kicked into the long grass - and I lent them a couple of my 16A site boards...

Log cabins. 1639587961689 - EletriciansForums.net

D-Line wood effect trunking is sounding like it's going to be the final answer, but I can at least stop thinking about this until New Year now!
 

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