A relatively new solution for electrical work was the socket on the baseboard. The device allows you to avoid dirty, dusty gating walls and lay the wiring just in the cable channels of the wall border.
What is a skirting socket
A socket on a baseboard is a multibox, which is mounted directly to the wall curb by inserting it into it or by placing it in close proximity. Use a wiring element to increase the power points in the house during repairs.
Externally, the electrical outlet almost completely repeats the standard. The only difference in the body of the device is that its lines exactly repeat the bending of the skirting board in order to perfectly cut the socket into the curb.
Advantages and disadvantages
Skirting sockets have a number of positive aspects for the master:
- With the help of the multi-box, you can compactly and organically place additional power points.
- Due to the low location relative to the floor, the sockets do not catch the eye, do not visually cut a solid wall, and sometimes even hide behind furniture.
- The rich color scheme of multiboxes gives the master the opportunity to choose the product exactly to the color of the wall border.
Varieties of Skirting Sockets - All wiring is reliably hidden by the cable channel, does not lie on the floor and does not stretch along the walls.
- No risk of stumbling on old cables in the wall when installing new ones - safety for the master.
- Lack of dusty work.
- The ability to install an additional outlet anywhere in the room without reference to the norms and standards when strobing walls.
Skirting sockets have some disadvantages. These include:
- Moderate impact resistance. With frequent mechanical damage, the multibox may crack.
- Accessibility for children. In a house where there are kids, it is better not to install such sockets or mount them taking into account the arrangement of high furniture in order to block access to the food point.
- The negative effect of moisture on the entire wiring during an accidental flood in the house or a spilled bucket of water directly on the outlet.
You can protect the power point from the baby or water using hard curtains.
Specifications
To mount the outlet in the baseboard, you should know its technical parameters:
- Dimensions - 55 x 22 mm or 70 x 22 mm.
- Voltage - 220-250 watts.
- The number of phases is single-phase.
- The material of manufacture is plastic.
- Rated current - 16 A.
- Type of product - single, double, triple.
There are floor and wall baseboards. The former fit snugly against the wall curb and floor. The second - capture the baseboard and the wall, but do not touch the base of the room.
Limitations for installing sockets on the baseboard
It is forbidden to mount skirting power points in such cases:
- Laying wiring in wooden houses. Here, all cables are arranged only in an open way, and sockets use only overhead (external).
- The power point must be constantly accessible. Therefore, do not mount the outlet for complex technical equipment (gas boilers, ovens, hobs, etc.).
The baseboard socket is installed only when the object is completely de-energized.
Installation Principles
To carry out the work, the master will need:
- Hammer for forming holes for dowels.
- Hacksaw or grinder for cutting skirting boards. The grinder makes a smoother cut.
- Hammer equipped with a rammer.
- Tape measure / ruler and construction pencil.
- Side cutter to remove the braid from the cable.
- Screwdriver.
Also, for a hidden wiring device, the master will have to prepare the following materials:
- Wall curb (aka plinth), equipped with a cable channel. Its color and height can be arbitrary.
- End caps in the right amount.
- Cable (three-wire for grounding or two-wire - without it).
- Skirting socket (multibox).
It is advisable to take the cable and baseboard with a small margin.
Multibox
This is a special baseboard that has cutouts for the profile of the wall curb. Keeps close to it. There are various profile modifications on sale, so you can choose any multibox for any baseboard.
More often the overlay is used to install a conventional outlet. But in it you can place the exits for the cables of the phone, the Internet, etc. The multi-box is mounted as simple and quick as possible.
Cable channel
Despite the fact that often in a PVC skirting board there is already a built-in channel, some craftsmen prefer to use separate plastic U-shaped boxes for laying the cable. Externally, the channels vary in depth and height, which allows you to lay in them simultaneously from 2 to 5 wires. On top of the box is closed with a decorative cover. The cable channel is laid under the baseboard (except for wooden or frame houses).
Sockets internal and external
Built-in power points are mounted in a multibox, and external ones are used in tandem with a cable channel when laying wiring in wooden houses. If the internal power point can be used on any walls except wood, then there are no restrictions for using an external outlet.
Features of the installation of baseboards
There are a number of rules that should be followed when installing power points on a wall curb:
- The skirting board is fixed to a flat wall with a step of 0.5 m. If the panel has bends, the fastening step is reduced to exclude the appearance of gaps between the curb and the wall.
- Work with a puncher and installation of a dowel-nail is best done directly through the baseboard attached to the panel. This saves time.
- It is better to fill the cable channel with wires by 40%, but no more. Otherwise, overheating of the electrical wires will occur.
- It is advisable to lay the cable loose, without tension. Sometimes, if the section of the channel allows, even a small margin is made.
- If the master puts the usual overhead sockets close to the baseboard, a grinder is made in it with a grinder to the very box with wires. So it will be easier to bring the cable to the power point. And the junction of the outlet to the curb will be neat.
Noisy work with a puncher is best done on a weekday from 10:00 to 17:00 in order to minimize the level of discomfort for neighbors.
Outlet Installation
Depending on which power points will be used, the installation technique changes in some places.
Installation of baseboards
To attach the baseboard with the cable channel to the wall, you need to perform the work step by step in the following sequence:
- From the top panel of the curb, remove the protective narrow cover that covers the box. She is scooped up with a screwdriver from the edge.
- They put the baseboard against the wall and, in accordance with the markings (future location of the outlet), form an insert under the socket.
- The skirting board is attached with dowels and nails to the wall.
- Mount a multibox.
- Lay the cable and lead the wires to the outlet.
- It remains to connect them to the terminals.
Lastly, the top cover of the outlet, a decorative protective strip and end caps are placed.
Mounting the power point on the wall
In this case, the wires are laid in the cable channels according to the above instructions.But in the proposed installation location, the sockets on the back of the skirting board make a small cutout to pull out the cable.
The patch panel (multibox) is attached to the wall and lead to its terminals of the wire core.
It remains to fix the top decorative cover of the power point and put the plugs on the baseboard.
Cable duct over baseboard
If you do not want to lay the wires under the wall curb or the wiring is mounted in a wooden house, it is better to just use a cable channel. The box is fixed parallel to the baseboard on the dowel-nails. Previously, the upper cover is removed from the channel. After fixing the box, wiring is laid in it and a protective panel is put on top.
Cable tails lead to a wall outlet.
Tips and tricks for the home master
Professionals recommend that before starting work, always turn off the power to the room. This minimizes the risk of emergencies.
When installing skirting sockets, it is important to remember that they quickly accumulate dust and dirt. Therefore, you need to regularly clean the power points with a dry cloth or brush.
Before installing the power point on the baseboard, it is worth considering that the furniture in this place will not be close to the wall.
