Running gaine in partition walls.

[oldgit72]

Hopefully someone can answer a couple of questions for me. When running cables through plasterboard dividing walls, are there any restrictions on where the gaine needs to be routed. For example, can it be routed at mid wall height or does it have to be positioned either at floor or ceiling level? Can I run the gaine above a door opening in a partition wall (bedroom) at first floor level? Also, when running a lighting circuit, is it permissable to run a spur to an external wall light from an indoor lighting circuit or does it need it's own dedicated run.

 

Thanks

[oldgit72]

In the UK I believe safe zones for running cables in walls are within 150mm of a vertical or horizontal corner and also a horizontal/vertical line from an electical outlet. Does anyone know or can point me to the equivalent regs in France please?

[Chancer]

There dont appear to be any, there are some restrictions when chasing in solid conduit, eg you cannot have a horizontal chase above a door and diagonal chases are not allowed. It would make sense to follow the second but the first can be ignored on a hollow cloison.

[Nick Trollope]

Oh yes there are! Plenty, in Norme NF C 15 100, etc (400€).

Including limits above doors, lengths of horizontals runs, diameters of gaines in hollow walls, etc etc.

If yo can't afford a copy of the norme, get a copy of "Locaux d'habitation", published by Promotelec (off their website). It is all in there.

 

[Chancer]

Thanks for that Nick, I had the sneaky feeling that surely there must be some more in the normes than in my copy of L'installation electrique but didnt have €400 to blow to find out. .

Neither did/do most sparkies in my area from what I have seen of their work! In fact it was after visiting new build sites at the end of each working day to see how it was done that I said to myself "this cannot surely be right," and bought some books aand struggled to understand them with my then non existant French

The owners of these now four year old pavilions are still arguing with the constructors about all manner of snagging including many quite serious electrical and structural problems. An example of what I saw on the electrical side were gaines splitting into two (effectively  tee joints) by the expedient of twisting the wires together and wrapping with insulation tape then taping the 3 gaines together before it was all concealed by the suspended ceiling.

Thanks again I will print of the locaux habitation [;-)]

Editted, I dont know why I thought that I could print it off for free!

[Chancer]

Thanks again Nick, you are a star [:D]

I have bought a copy together with the one on coproprietes which looks like it is going to answer the questions that I have been asking for over 4 years, I just hope that I havnt made too many errors of ignorance before now that are too late to be corrected but it will be reassuring finally to have some proper information to work from.

Out of interest I saved €10.50 by buying the books seperately rather than together in their promotional pack which allegedly had a 10% discount, work that out if you can!

[tonyv]

I too have ordered a copy. Do you think Promotelec are scratching their heads at the sudden surge in orders resulting from Nick's post? [:)]

[Chancer]

He is on commission!

[Chancer]

[quote user="Chancer"]

Out of interest I saved €10.50 by buying the books seperately rather than together in their promotional pack which allegedly had a 10% discount, work that out if you can!

[/quote]

I have just got the expedition courriel and they have also sent the 2009 update to the locaux habitation book as I had gambled on.

What a cheek to bundle them together, charge more and then say that it has a 10% discount.

[oldgit72]

I found the regs on P355 of the 2009 version of l'installation electrique. Some of the regs seem bizarre for example not running vertical gaine within 20cm of the corner of a room. In the UK the regs say that vertical runs should be within 150mm of a corner which to me makes more sense. I think I'll get professional help. Anyone know a good electrician in 16?

[Chancer]

Why bizzarre?

Are you saying that the UK regs now permit vertical conduits (I dont think that gaine is yet used there) only within 150mm of corners, that is to say that any other vertical conduits are prohibited?

I am not qualified to the current regs, IEE 16th edition only but what you say surprises me.

[oldgit72]

I just thought it odd that the UK says you should put the vertical cable runs near to the corners but France wants them not to be. I would have thought nearer to corners was safer, gaine or no gaine.

[Théière]

[quote user="Chancer"]

Why bizzarre?

Are you saying that the UK regs now permit vertical conduits (I dont think that gaine is yet used there) only within 150mm of corners, that is to say that any other vertical conduits are prohibited?

I am not qualified to the current regs, IEE 16th edition only but what you say surprises me.

[/quote]

We are on the 17th edition now Chancer, vertical runs are allowed, 17th edition IEEE wiring regulations that came into force in July 2008 any electric cables that are less than 50mm from the surface (either side of the wall) must either be laid in a safe zone (recognised wiring route) with RCD protection on the circuit or must run through earthed metal conduit/trunking or have other suitable protection from screws and nails damaging them.

That said the 16th is identical to 17th in most respects except with regard to RCD's

Is it required to have an earth on sockets upstairs in France now?

[Nick Trollope]

[quote user="oldgit72"]I just thought it odd that the UK says you should put the vertical cable runs near to the corners but France wants them not to be. I would have thought nearer to corners was safer, gaine or no gaine.[/quote]

The reasoning(in the UK or France)  is that if you know where the cables can't be, then you will know where they might be. Same logic in both territories, differently implimented.