Discuss Light Switch horizontal to Junction Box then vertical into ceiling? in the Electrical Wiring, Theories and Regulations area at ElectriciansForums.net

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Dean Thomas

Hi there,

I've just had a sparky come round and do this work, but i'm not sure it's correct, or even legal. But i'm no spark. Please see the attached picture.

The junction box is where the light switch used to be, but we've put a fake wall up and as such needed the light switch there and this is how he has achieved it. From what I've been reading, he has to stay within the horizontal and vertical line of the switch/junction, but you also can't bury the junction box into the wall, unless he puts a maintenance free box on there.

Do I need to tell him to jog on and get someone else in?

Thanks guys, I hope I got the right forum here.

Light Switch horizontal to Junction Box then vertical into ceiling? IMG_20120704_230920 - EletriciansForums.net
 
replace the junction box with wagos or terminal blocks in a dry lining box, and fit a blank faceplate. then it's OK .
 
yea it looks like hes done a bodge job, i would have looked to pull the origional cables up from above then re run them down to the new location. if lifting boards upstairs wasnt an option, could have gone harizontal at cieling height (perscribed zone) then down.
and yes should be a maint free box.

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replace the junction box with wagos or terminal blocks in a dry lining box, and fit a blank faceplate. then it's OK .

or you could just do that
 
Hmmm, thanks guys. We could put a blank plate over it, however we'll be having new wall cupboards there, so I guess that would be blocking it, thus being dodgy. I'll have to get someone else in then, I think.
 
it won't matter if the cupboard/s cover the blank plate. as long as it's there. imagine if you had a wall socket that was not used, and you fitted a cupboard over it. same thing. the horizontal run in the new wall is compliant as it's in the safe zone created by the new switch. the short bit from the old switch position is in a safe zone 150mm from the corner. it's just the bit that's outside the 150mm in the left wall that's not compliant.', but a visible blank plate creates it's own safe zone, horizontally and vertically
 
tell the electrician who installed it your not happy with the install, give him a chance to rectify it.

He is also supposed to be running all new sockets and new cooker cable for us next week, not sure I can trust him now.

I'll get him round tonight and see what he says, he said he would fix it. But he should know the standards.

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it won't matter if the cupboard/s cover the blank plate. as long as it's there. imagine if you had a wall socket that was not used, and you fitted a cupboard over it. same thing. the horizontal run in the new wall is compliant as it's in the safe zone created by the new switch. the short bit from the old switch position is in a safe zone 150mm from the corner. it's just the bit that's outside the 150mm in the left wall that's not compliant.

Good to know, thanks. We'll do that then.
 
He is also supposed to be running all new sockets and new cooker cable for us next week, not sure I can trust him now.
If the socket drawn on at the bottom of your photo - under the old plate switch - will be a socket then that would create a zone for the vertical - but you are right, you can't just plaster over that junction box. Perhaps what Tel suggested was exactly what the spark was going to do anyway - cover with a blank plate.
TBH - I would like to think that my customers would at least ask me first on my reasonings before questioning my work with strangers.
Best, Dave
 
He's only extending the light switch cable to the new location, by the look of things. So what's wrong with through crimps and heatshrink for the join of the cables, keep the cables within safe zones (150 mm of internal corner), then run horizontally to new light switch. Job done, simples!

Ignore this post! I'm suffering from manflue and didn't look at the picture properly before posting.
Obviously as others have said blank plate, or socket below to create safe zone.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
He's only extending the light switch cable to the new location, by the look of things. So what's wrong with through crimps and heatshrink for the join of the cables, keep the cables within safe zones (150 mm of internal corner), then run horizontally to new light switch. Job done, simples!

that horizontal run is more than 150mm
 
all complies if a blank face is fitted.
 
He's only extending the light switch cable to the new location, by the look of things. So what's wrong with through crimps and heatshrink for the join of the cables, keep the cables within safe zones (150 mm of internal corner), then run horizontally to new light switch. Job done, simples!
Nothing so long as a new socket directly below the old siwtch point or a blank plate on the old switch point "covers" the zone of the existing vertical switch drop.
 
By putting a blank plate over the JB as already suggested it cover's all the reg's (safe zones etc) so alls good...

BUT on a personal level (this being just my personal opinion only) i'd have thought putting a cupboard over it then stops access to the blank plate if there's any problems in the future....also in years to come would anyone realy know/remember there's a blank plate there thus making fault finding a nightmare scenario.

Guess it's only me that thinks alot of these later reg's made for ease of installation just seem to be wrong in certain respects, was alot easier (especialy when fault finding) when every supply cable had to go vertical (apart from abit of leeway for cooker outlet points).....even most of the public when hanging shelves/pictures understand to be aware of drilling/nailing above a socket or lightswitch.
 
Was the electrician actually going to plaster over the box or simply leave it as it is for the cupboard to cover?
 
Change the jb to maintenance free, blank plate.. Job done.

Could he actually get above bring a new switch wire down? Would you let him lift your floor boards? I'm asking because I've had this in the past, customer wants a light on the wall, and they said that they don't want the carpet lifted upstairs and I'm not allowed to damage the artex. I should of said ok no problem I'll go get my magic wand do a little spell and magic the cables into the wall.
 

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