Electrical advice please

Legacy_user

I understand precious little about electricity, hence this question.

Currently I have a 6 metre extension cable with four sockets running round two side of a room. No problem there. Unfortunately the power points dictate this as my desk is in the opposite corner. The for sockets are used by my laptop, router, phone printer.

In a fortnight, with fibre optic being installed, they require two sockets, router and modem, this will mean I cannot use my printer as an when required, other than removing the phone plug temporary.

It was bad enough sourcing a six metre cable several years ago and now when looking for one with either 5 or 6 gangs, is nigh impossible.

If I could find another 4 gang then we could have two cables running round the room, but don't want that.

Extending an extension cable with another, is taboo.

It has been suggested that I remove the 4 gang from the cable and replace with a 5 or 6 gang, simply by rewiring.

I need to be 100% confident that this is something safe. Even if it is, I might be tempted to seek out an electrician to do this for me.

One last thing, as a final idea, would it be better to request a local electrian /company to provide me with exactly what I want?

isofa

Get the BT engineer (assuming it's infinity fibre) to relocate the master socket next to your mains sockets, and the router can plug in directly, or via a 3-2 socket converter to give you more sockets. Most will do this free for convenience.

You can get plenty of 6 or 8 gang extensions, you can just buy one with a short cable (or no cable to create from scratch) and swap the cable out for a longer one (use a high rated 13amp 3 core cable). http://cpc.farnell.com/1/3/8-gang-extension-lead
Maplin will do loads and well.

If you aren't competent at electrics, I'm sure there are plenty of people on eBay who'll make you one up to size.

As long as you aren't exceeding 13 amps on all the extension sockets you are safe (provided the extension cable and fuse is 13 amp rated obviously!).

Else of course you could get a local electrician in to put in a couple more double sockets around the room from the ring main, if you've got floorboards this could probably be done with little disruption, if not, it'll be chasing plaster and then you'll have to do some redecorating.

bod1467

Extending an extension is not usually a good idea ... but only because people might end up overloading the source socket (where the first extension is plugged in) by having too many devices connected. For your situation (where the devices connected are low power - the computer and/or monitor is likely the highest rated device) it's nothing to be worried about.

In this situation, extending the extension is no different fitting a 6-gang socket onto the existing extension.

System

isofa wrote: »

Get the BT engineer (assuming it's infinity fibre) to relocate the master socket next to your mains sockets, and the router can plug in directly, or via a 3-2 socket converter to give you more sockets. Most will do this free for convenience.

You can get plenty of 6 or 8 gang extensions, you can just buy one with a short cable (or no cable to create from scratch) and swap the cable out for a longer one (use a high rated 13amp 3 core cable). http://cpc.farnell.com/1/3/8-gang-extension-lead
Maplin will do loads and well.

If you aren't competent at electrics, I'm sure there are plenty of people on eBay who'll make you one up to size.

As long as you aren't exceeding 13 amps on all the extension sockets you are safe (provided the extension cable and fuse is 13 amp rated obviously!).

Else of course you could get a local electrician in to put in a couple more double sockets around the room from the ring main, if you've got floorboards this could probably be done with little disruption, if not, it'll be chasing plaster and then you'll have to do some redecorating.

No, it's our friends from talktalk.

bod1467

It's still a BT engineer that does the install though.

John_Gray

A quick search on Amazon brought up this 6-gang 10-metre extension lead. And here's another

That would be cheaper than the electrician?

sillygoose

Longer 6 way extensions are not hard to find and simplest solution here..

CPC who are doing free delivery on any order size currently!

Note as its an 'industrial' supplier the price your looking at is the one in brackets as its including VAT

8 metre 6 way unswitched..
http://cpc.farnell.com/pro-elec/2068s-8m-black/extension-lead-surge-6-gang-8m/dp/PL12986

10M
http://cpc.farnell.com/pro-elec/2068s-10m-black/extension-lead-surge-6-gang-10m/dp/PL12987?in_merch=New%20Products

10M Surge protected
http://cpc.farnell.com/pro-elec/2068s-10m/extension-lead-6-gang-surge-10m/dp/PL11235

10M each socket Switched
http://cpc.farnell.com/pro-elec/1268-1n-10m/extension-lead-6-gang-10m/dp/PL12948?in_merch=New%20Products

securityguy

islandman wrote: »

Extending an extension cable with another, is taboo.

Why? The plug that goes into the wall will be fused. If you put too much load onto the extension, the fuse will blow. There is no magical difference between (say) a 10-way extension lead, such as I have my computer stuff on, and a daisy-chain of 4-ways.

It'll be a 13A fuse, but as you're connecting low power computer equipment you could put a 5A or 10A fuse in there to be doubly sure. You could further down-rate the the fuses in the extension board itself, assuming it is fused.

Wi88le

Don't think it's extension leads that are the problem as they have a fuse in the plug top, it's the plastic unfused square blocks that turn a single socket into 3 outlets with no fused protection that are the issue with overloading.

Will bt new router not replace your old one meaning you only need one extra socket?

Is the extension lead located next to your bt master socket?

Fifer

Another vote for a longer extension, but make sure that the cable is routed well away from potential damage by feet, hoovers and doors (as it should already be). It might be worth considering getting some extra sockets installed near the desk though as this sounds like a fairly permanent arrangement and it will be safer, more convenient and tidier in the long run.

System

Thanks to each of you for your input.

My desk with all it's gubbins are in one corner, the power points are opposite meaning the current cable runs along two sides of the room.

I am reluctant to have two cables running round the room.

Ideally we would have a power point close to hand and that is something for the future maybe.

Whilst I bow to your knowledge re a daisy chain of two extension cables, we don't feel comfortable with this, even though your feeling is that it is ok to do.

Bod1467 It is talktalk who will be installing the fibre optic and I casually asked when the order was being made, if it was BT Openreach who would be doing the installation and the lady in whichever country it was, so "no, we have our own engineers", so it's anyone's guess.

John, I was trying to avoid a 10 metre cable as four metres would have to be left behind the desk.

Sillygoose, that's the first 8metre I've seen and might be happy with 2 metres behind desk. Having said that, I note it is unswitched, would you think that's something I need worry about?.

and finally, Fifer the cable will be 99% out of anyone's way. My wife always gives it a wide berth when cleaning.

I now must think.