Safe zone ?/good practice

[iandandav]

I need to run a lighting circuit cable up a bedroom wall into the loft from CU on ground floor. For ease and minimising cable length I see two options. Shown by red lines in diagram.

Questions are
1) In option 1 does the position of the window break the corner safe zone?
2) In option 2 is it bad practice to run a cable under a socket so that it uses the sockets safe zone.

Or are both these bad ideas, in which case I will need to extend the circuit to run up the corner of a different wall.

I dont have the complete regs. Would anyone be able to check if such situations are mentioned?

Te reason I would prefer to use this corner is the CU is on the wall of the ground floor beneath this corner so would be the most economical and simplest route.

 

[malcolmsanford]

IMO there is nothing wrong with route 1. I never seen a guide in any publication relating to a window. There are stipulations on doors and accessories on the other side of the walls in partions less than 100mm but that is not appliable here.

Route 2 would not be a prefered choice really but again can't see regs wise any problems with it, but just good pratice I suppose

 

[Amp David]

I'd get the window fitter back as he's fitted it on the pi55 lol.

Both routes are classed as safe in regs but for some reason i never used method 2 before. Don't know why

 

[iandandav]

That window fitter would be me then

The thing that concerns me is that strictly speaking the corner of the room (partially) would be formed by the window frame and so the cable if laid vertical will be about 30cm away from it.

The only thing that would concern me about option 2 is if someone would for some reason put an extra screw in the back box and penetrate the cable beneath. However, I could position the cable (its in oval plastic conduit) so that it is between screw holes.

 

[malcolmsanford]

In the regs 522.6.6 it does say 150mm of the angle formed by 2 walls, so now do you interpret is a window frame classed as being a wall, I would in this case to be honest.

Unless there is a building regualtion your working to that does not classify that window frame as a "wall" then IMO you should be ok.

 

[Amp David]

When i've seen method 2 used before, thy have taken the cable around either side of the backbox and not behind it

 

[iandandav]

When i've seen method 2 used before, thy have taken the cable around either side of the backbox and not behind it

Yes I have seen this when removing the old wiring. However, if youre being ---- about the regs it would go outside the safe zones at each corner.

 

[iandandav]

Unless there is a building regualtion your working to that does not classify that window frame as a "wall" then IMO you should be ok.

?? If its classed as a wall the cable would be 300mm from it.

 

[malcolmsanford]

?? If its classed as a wall the cable would be 300mm from it.

Sorry Have I missed something. Though the drawing dont give the measurement I think the OP was worried that the window was inside the 150mm clearance of the corner, as your allowed 150mm either side of the join of the wall.

 

[iandandav]

Sorry Have I missed something. Though the drawing dont give the measurement I think the OP was worried that the window was inside the 150mm clearance of the corner, as your allowed 150mm either side of the join of the wall.

What I mean is - The cable would be in the safe zone where the WALLS make a corner but as it continues past the window frame the corner is now created by one wall and the frame, and as the frame is sunk into the wall then does the safe zone also sink in at this point or does it continue ie does the safe zone do 1 or 2?

 

[iandandav]

Or is it like this

As position x isnt the top of the wall, and there is no safe zone going along the bottom part of a wall (position y). If it is like fig2 then I could bend the cable in towards the window but if like fig3 then I cant do this.

 

[swparksey]

Your safe Zone is as shown in Drawing 1.

Window recess will not effect it at all.
This would be my preferred route

The reason for safe zones is to stop the home owner putting nails through our cables. As such they ware located in areas where the home owner is unlikely to bang a nail in. Inside the window recess he will most likley fit blinds or something so would not be a safe zone