Identifying a mains cable under the floorboards

[Robbie1980uk]

Rightttt... I want to put a socket under my stairs. It current has a mains cable going to a light. I decided I don't want to spur off this.

The socket I want to put in will be powering a tumble dryer. So thought I may aswell as see if I could get a spur from a socket rather than a light.

Soooooo I noticed that there is a hatch in the floor. Took the floorboards out and there is one mains cable I can get access to I could possibly spur of this cable. I can't see where it goes though!

1.How can I find out where this goes?

2. Would you advise spurring off of a light cable for a socket being used for a tumble?

Cheers

 

[Andy™]

1.How can I find out where this goes?

2. Would you advise spurring off of a light cable for a socket being used for a tumble?

Cheers

1: volt stick would be able to ID teh circuit, but you would need to make sure its not a spur

2: you could, providing you re-wire the lighting circuit to a larger cable & larger breaker than the standard 6A

 

[kme]

And you`d have to replace the switches, if you went Andy`s route.

If this isn`t a wind-up; then you`re really, REALLY out of your depth with this!

 

[steptoe]

DONT spur off a light, too much to go wrong,

as for the cable under your stairs, for what it is worth it may be a heck of a lot easier/safer/quicker to get someone local to do it for you,

its not simply a matter of just cutting the cable and joining another onto it,

but, if you reckon you have the ability to do this then we will try and help,

first off,

how old is your installation? can you do a pic of your fuse box please? this will give us a good idea of where we are starting from.

 

[Robbie1980uk]

It's not a wind up!!

I just moved into the house. It has a fairly new consumer unit with RCDs.

 

[Sharpend]

How much if any electrical experience do you have?

If it is little then I would strongly advise that you seek the labour of a spark and perhaps study and ask questions as to what and why he/she is doing it a particular way. He should also be able to provide the necessary documentation.

 

[NozSpark]

Lets just hope that the cable Robbie has found isn't the old PLC incommer:O

Robbie,

Dependant in where your Consumer unit is related to your proposed position of your new socket it might be easier and better to install a new circuit!

 

[Andy™]

Lets just hope that the cable Robbie has found isn't the old PLC incommer:O

at least its should be more suitable than a lighting cable

 

[ProDave]

1: volt stick would be able to ID teh circuit' date=' but you would need to make sure its not a spur2: you could, providing you re-wire the lighting circuit to a larger cable & larger breaker than the standard 6A[/quote']

1: That's about the only practical use for a volt stick IMO

Turn off all your MCB's, then turn them on one at a time until the volt stick tells you it's live, then you know what circuit it's powered from.

2: I would not advise trying to modify a lighting circuit to power a socket for a tumble dryer.

Where is your consumer unit in relation to your proposed new socket. Since you have under floor access, can you fish a new cable from the CU, under the floor and up into the cupboard?

 

[Doc Hudson]

Rightttt... I want to put a socket under my stairs. It current has a mains cable going to a light. I decided I don't want to spur off this. The socket I want to put in will be powering a tumble dryer. So thought I may aswell as see if I could get a spur from a socket rather than a light.

Soooooo I noticed that there is a hatch in the floor. Took the floorboards out and there is one mains cable I can get access to I could possibly spur of this cable. I can't see where it goes though!

1.How can I find out where this goes?

2. Would you advise spurring off of a light cable for a socket being used for a tumble?

Cheers

Any person even remotely considering connecting a tumble dryer to a lighting circuit clearly has no understanding of power consumption or cable capacities. Incorrect matching of power consumption and cable capacity is probably a significant factor in many DIY electrically induced house fires. Most domestic tumble driers are typically rated 2.7kW or higher and will be drawing 11amps or higher for long durations as the heating elements are generally powered for most of the run cycle, (unlike washing machines that often take less power during parts of their run cycle). Most domestic lighting circuits are designed to supply around half of this current maximum. As such you would more than likely be overloading the circuit. The fact that you say you can see under the floor suggest to me that any competent electrician would be able to identify a socket circuit cable and establish if it is electrically safe to extend that cable within a short time. It is almost impossible for any member of the forum to second guess what your cables may or may not be doing, how old they are, if they are safe etc. There are situations where a socket connected to a lighting circuit can be appropriate, but any socket has the risk of extension leads connected, to add more items to that socket and a downstairs socket is a bigger risk probability than a single socket in a loft for a TV booster. Good practice often recommends that tumble driers washing machines etc go on their own utility circuit to reduce the loading from other parts of the property.

Doc H.