Extra Socket 

Wanted an extra mains electrical socket on the front chest for plugging the TV into and while I was at it fit an Aerial socket.

Plan of Action: Fit sockets to the rear of the chest, run cabling through the near side front seat locker to the consumer unit situated at the rear, aerial cable to go to the wardrobe.

Disconnected the mains power before starting.

This is where the TV was designed to go with power and a TV point (I previously recovered this shelf with new ply see: Here)	We like to watch TV on the centre chest sometimes so that we can stretch out on the front seats (one each).	The power for the TV has to come from this socket, which is no good when the front bed has to be made!
Looking at the rear of the chest, there is enough space for the new mains socket to fit.	To make life easier, removed the chest, held on by four screws.	Fitted the back box to the rear of the chest with 2 3/4inch screws, drilled small pilot holes first.
Used 1.5mm, 16 amp, flexible cable.	Stripped ends, made connections to socket. Note: cable tie to stop it being pulled out.	Also fitted an aerial socket.
Placed next to the mains socket for easy access.	Cables to be routed through the near side seat locker base, two holes were needed.	Attached cables to the drawer frame at the rear with cable cleats.
Keeping them out of the way of the double bed slats, which slide into their cubby hole at the back.	In the seat locker, mains cable to follow others and the aerial cable around the other side to the wardrobe.	Other cables on the floor going to...
the mains unit in the corner. Black box is the 12v charger.	At the mains unit, remove facia then remove four holding screws, which releases the unit.	The new mains cable will be connected to the circuit breaker in the middle.
The cable connections made, the wire is clamped behind the circuit breakers, had to remove small screws that hold the circuit breakers to the case.	I now found a problem, the drawer would not close! In my infinite wisdom thought there would be enough space at the rear for the wires.	Some head scratching- decided to take the wires through the side of the chest above the drawer back.
Cleated the wires to the side of the chest.	When the cushions are back in place, they are hardly noticeable.	Also found that when I put the chest back in place, a plug could not be placed in the socket, solution: turn the socket through 90 degrees.
The aerial cable goes through the front seat to the wardrobe cupboard.	Inside the cupboard, the top cable is the new addition, it can be plugged into the status aerial or the outside aerial (bottom cable is the outside aerial connected to the TV shelf)	We now have the option to watch it here...
Or here.	The new mains and aerial sockets in use, I will make some small cables to tidy it up.

Toyed with the idea of putting the sockets on the front shelf, but decided against it as underneath is the gas locker and I did not want to go through it. The intention was to hide the cables as much as possible.

Kept the aerial cable away from the mains cables so there will not be a problem with interference. I used cable that is used with broadband, I believe it to be superior to normal co-ax.(But of course that could be used too).

Of course, I should have checked the clearance behind the draw before starting, but if you notice on any drawer at home there is always  a gap behind them so it just did not occur to me, luckily I managed to get around it, but I did not completely hide the wires from view.

Costings: Single mains socket and back box approx £4, 5 metres 16 amp 1.5mm flexible cable 55 pence per metre, both from Taskers. Aerial socket typically a £1 or two. The aerial cable I had already.

Page Created 25th November 2007