Plastic wall plug alternatives

I have my own theory about plastic wall plugs in fire. First we were told they were OK, then we were told that during a laboratory fire test they quickly failed. However the lab test had the cables supported from the ceiling rather the walls - so the fixing holes were vertical and gravity was acting directly to pull the screws out. When in horizontal walls in walls, gravity isn't acting in the same direction at all.


So I suggest a simple test - push the screw (complete with cable clip and cable) into the hole in the wall without a plug - if it stays there on its own (which I suspect it will most of the time, especially if the screw is a reasonable length) then go ahead and fit it using a wall plug as normal - since it should stay there just the same should the plug melt or even completely burn away during a fire. Of course without the plug there's little resistance to the cable being pulled away from the wall, so no good for normal service  - but we're not required to ensure the cables are kept completely secure during a fire - just to prevent collapse (i.e. being pulled vertically downwards by gravity).


   - Andy.

I have my own theory about plastic wall plugs in fire. First we were told they were OK, then we were told that during a laboratory fire test they quickly failed. However the lab test had the cables supported from the ceiling rather the walls - so the fixing holes were vertical and gravity was acting directly to pull the screws out. When in horizontal walls in walls, gravity isn't acting in the same direction at all.


So I suggest a simple test - push the screw (complete with cable clip and cable) into the hole in the wall without a plug - if it stays there on its own (which I suspect it will most of the time, especially if the screw is a reasonable length) then go ahead and fit it using a wall plug as normal - since it should stay there just the same should the plug melt or even completely burn away during a fire. Of course without the plug there's little resistance to the cable being pulled away from the wall, so no good for normal service  - but we're not required to ensure the cables are kept completely secure during a fire - just to prevent collapse (i.e. being pulled vertically downwards by gravity).


   - Andy.