Drilled through light switch cable

[John D v2.0]

Seems reasonable but probably not a big improvement on the original. Personally I wouldn't bother, whatever the debate about regs is.
Might be prudent either way to take a photo of the wall and draw the cable path on and put it by the fuse box, just to make sure it didn't get forgotten.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

How does the cable run such that by the time it's 1m up it's 150mm off to the side? Is there a dogleg, or is the whole thing at an angle?

Basically, if you move the switch sideways will all of the cable from there to the ceiling then be in the zone created by the switch?

Also - how high up is the switch right now? If it could be 1m higher and still be perfectly OK to use you could just connect it to the cable at the point where it's damaged.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Adam - I cannot advise too strongly not to take the same lackadaisical attitude to safety as John D.

 

[John D v2.0]

If you make it higher you could fall foul of the accessory height police by making things less compliant than before
A solution if you really want to make it regs compliant without wall damage would be take the floor above up and fit a pull cord switch!

 

[John D v2.0]

Adam - I cannot advise too strongly not to take the same lackadaisical attitude to safety as John D.

Thanks for the compliment ban all shedsmaybe I should add that warning to my profile

 

[ban-all-sheds]

If you make it higher you could fall foul of the accessory height police by making things less compliant than before

What on earth makes you think that Part M applies to this?

 

[JohnW2]

I'm sure they would. I'm also sure that that is not a consideration relevant to whether the cable should be left where it is.

Obviously not a consideration relevant to whether regulations would allow the cable to be left where it is. However, as you know, my observation is that it could be relevant to what 'they' decided to do.

We haven't even discussed RCD protection. If there is none (I think all we know id that "nothing tripped" when the cable was penetrated), then it would presumably also be required by regulations in any of the situations in which re-locating the cable would be.

Kind Regards, John

 

[John D v2.0]

With a rewire I believe the requirement is if it didn't comply before it must not end up any less compliant.

What on earth makes you think that Part M applies to this?

I heard it on good authority

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Don't think you did.

Bad authority, maybe.

 

[John D v2.0]

Also i don't think part m applies, being honest I just think making it a different height from the others will be really annoying. We have just one room where annoyingly the switch is at part m regulation height, and I always struggle to find it. One day I'll get round to moving it.

 

[adamthekiwi]

Hi all,

How does the cable run such that by the time it's 1m up it's 150mm off to the side? Is there a dogleg, or is the whole thing at an angle?

Not sure, haven't dug out the rest of the cable. Where I've broken it (I've now cut a trench about 15cm vertical), it is running vertically - I suspect a dog-leg. The vertical portion that I've severed is in a line with where the ceiling rose is, if you see what I mean. No idea why they would choose to run the cables like that and then put the switch 150mm to the left, but a lot of the work that these folks did (I think it was the crew that renovated the place about 4-5 years before we moved in) that we've uncovered has been epically awful (I do not understand how they got building control sign-off).

Basically, if you move the switch sideways will all of the cable from there to the ceiling then be in the zone created by the switch?

I can't say that for certain as I've not been able to detect the cable and I've not dug any further up the wall. As above, where I have uncovered the cable, it is running vertically (just about 15cm to the left of the switch) and in line with where you would expect it to be if they ran the cable in a straight line from the ceiling rose to the wall, then vertically downwards. Also as above, though, I wouldn't lay any of my own money on it not meandering its way around all four walls...!

Also - how high up is the switch right now? If it could be 1m higher and still be perfectly OK to use you could just connect it to the cable at the point where it's damaged.

Unfortunately, that would probably be too high - about level with the top of the door frame...

We haven't even discussed RCD protection.

The circuit is RCD-protected - that's why I was so surprised that I'd managed to sever one conductor without tripping anything.

 

[JohnW2]

The vertical portion that I've severed is in a line with where the ceiling rose is, if you see what I mean. No idea why they would choose to run the cables like that and then put the switch 150mm to the left ...

I suppose that the cable position they chose might have been influenced by the position of joists but, as you say, that doesn't explain the switch not being in line with it. Is the position they've chosen for the switch perhaps 'more aesthetically satisfactory' than it would have been in line with cable?

Kind Regards, John

 

[ban-all-sheds]

No idea why they would choose to run the cables like that and then put the switch 150mm to the left,

Decided at the last minute that it would be too close to/far from the doorway?

I do not understand how they got building control sign-off.

These were signed off: https://www.theguardian.com/money/2017/apr/02/new-build-homes-reputation-problems-developers

Grenfell Tower was signed off.

Unfortunately, that would probably be too high - about level with the top of the door frame...

Fairy nuff.

The circuit is RCD-protected - that's why I was so surprised that I'd managed to sever one conductor without tripping anything.

You didn't hit the earth conductor at the same time.

And with a cordless, or a corded Class II, drill you wouldn't have created a path to earth.

 

[adamthekiwi]

Is the position they've chosen for the switch perhaps 'more aesthetically satisfactory' than it would have been in line with cable?

Decided at the last minute that it would be too close to/far from the doorway?

I suspect both of those answers are assuming more intelligent agency than was available to the guys that implemented this.

So, does this thread suggest broad approval that this plan (shifting the switch so that all the cable that I know about, plus the crimped repair, is in vertical alignment) is sufficient to be compliant *and* sensible?

 

[JohnW2]

So, does this thread suggest broad approval that this plan (shifting the switch so that all the cable that I know about, plus the crimped repair, is in vertical alignment) is sufficient to be compliant *and* sensible?

It would clearly be 'sensible', as far as it goes. To be compliant with current regs, the cable would have to remain in the safe zone created by the switch all the way up to 150mm from the ceiling.

Kind Regards, John