Diy electric photo

[CortinaV8]

Is a box like that allowed\dangerous?

I ask as all my upstairs lighting runs from a central box in the loft like that, albeit a million times neater than that.

I intend to use the junction box method and run all the cables around the perimiter of the loft when I board it out later on in the year anyhow, just curious really.

 

[SgtTrojan]

LOL neds

 

[plugwash]

there is nothing wrong with a central box per-se. Having said that I see several issues with the box pictured that concern me (though I don't know what if any regs they violate)

1: the box is too small so the installer has made the bodge of terminating the earths outside the box where they are more vulnerable to damage
2: the installer has used one huge peice of terminal block to join a huge number of earth wires. Terminal block is not designed to be used that way and there is a good chance some of those earth wires are not tightly held in place. The same applies to a lesser extent to the two blocks used for what I presume are permanent live and neutral.
3: the whole thing is a bloody mess and has absoloutely no labeling. There aren't even rings of sleeving to indicate which cores are live

 

[electronicsuk]

there is nothing wrong with a central box per-se. Having said that I see several issues with the box pictured that concern me (though I don't know what if any regs they violate)

1: the box is too small so the installer has made the bodge of terminating the earths outside the box where they are more vulnerable to damage
2: the installer has used one huge peice of terminal block to join a huge number of earth wires. Terminal block is not designed to be used that way and there is a good chance some of those earth wires are not tightly held in place. The same applies to a lesser extent to the two blocks used for what I presume are permanent live and neutral.
3: the whole thing is a b****y mess and has absoloutely no labeling. There aren't even rings of sleeving to indicate which cores are live

If you think that's bad then I really should take a photo of such a box in my parents loft. At least four times as many wires as that, much more messy, no labelling, although everything does (somehow) fit inside the enclosure, albeit with the lid bowing outwards. Really should do something about it, but it would be an absolute pig to fix.

 

[RF Lighting]

POTW mothballed????

I understand it's not been here for a while, but why?

I moved companies, and only do commercial site work now, so unfortunatly, the pictures ran out

 

[plugwash]

are the commercial sites short on bodges then?

 

[RF Lighting]

It tends to be new installations mainly.

I've only been on three different jobs since last June.

 

[VanSolo]

and what did you code it as?

Code 2. Very untidy with multiple conductors in connectors and external cpc connections. No signs of heat damage and all instrument tests ok, therefore not causing an immediate risk.It is now in the hands of the client to have it rectified. Good luck to them as the only way I can see to rectifty that is to re-wire it.

 

[RF Lighting]

Which regulation(s) does it not comply with?

 

[VanSolo]

I used 421.7.

 

[RF Lighting]

Are CPCs live conductors?

 

[GaryMo]

I used 421.7.

Every termination for live conductors were inside the junction box (421.7 doesn't mention cpc's) and the junction box would have complied with an appropriate British Standard.

 

[VanSolo]

No. But look at the cables entering the unsuitable enclosure at the top and bottom of the picture where the sheath has been stripped back so the insulation is exposed.They are live conductors. I would say that 526.7 will apply also.

 

[VanSolo]

What code for this? View media item 9741

 

[RF Lighting]

Code 2 for that I reckon.
Why bodge it with connectors when there is a juntion box right there
DIY job?



BTW, I'd have given a code 4 for the other one.