Is this a bodge job?

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Hi All,

I installed some new lights today and used the same cables that were there from the previous lights... I have however ran them a bit differently.

I wish I noticed at the time, but I have ran the cable 1 brick too high (in comparison with the other side) on the right light as you look on the attached image.

If I were to so it again, how would you run the cable? The grey thick cable on the lft comes from the mains box, and the white small round cable attaches the two lights.

Cheers

Mark
IMG_20161211_144641188_HDR.jpg
 
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If i had to run it externally i would run it black rubber in line with the mortar and off the door frame.

DS
 
Wife has not complained..... Yet!

So if I were to re-do the white cable connecting the two lights, would you go vertically up from the left light, horizontally above the door frame, and vertically down to the light on the right? Cheers
 
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Yup! Gives Er Indoors a reason to redecorate the hall too!
 
I'd run it inside and come through the wall into the back of the fittings ... like a proper job.

How would I run it behind the wall? I wouldn't know where to start? Would I drill from outside, through the brick wall into the inside of the house (what length drill bit would I need?) and then drill a channel across the top of the door to the other light fitting, inside the house?

Thanks.

Mark
 
How would I run it behind the wall? I wouldn't know where to start? Would I drill from outside, through the brick wall into the inside of the house (what length drill bit would I need?) and then drill a channel across the top of the door to the other light fitting, inside the house?

Thanks.

Mark

Your cabling would need to be in safe zones, easier said than done. Look at the stickys at the top of the forum for info.

300mm drill bit should get you through. I would drill from the outside, otherwise you will blow out the surface of the brick when the drill bit comes through.

Its a bit of work, but the end result will be no cable visible externally, and a neat job. Depends on your preferences I suppose, but I couldn't happily look at that external cabling every time I arrived home.
 
300mm drill bit should get you through. I would drill from the outside, otherwise you will blow out the surface of the brick when the drill bit comes through.
True, but the alternative could be to blow out the plaster (with decoration) on the inside, so one can't really win. Either way, one just has to try to 'be careful'

The other point, of course, is that the drilled hole should have a bit of a downward slope towards the outside, so that water does not run into the house.

Kind Regards, John
 
Always, when possible, drill in from outside. Interior decor can be remedied. Not so easy when half the face of a brick has been blown off.
 
Always, when possible, drill in from outside. Interior decor can be remedied. Not so easy when half the face of a brick has been blown off.
That's true, particularly in these days of SDS drills! The ideal, of course, is to drill from both sides, but that requires a degree of accuracy of aiming that is very difficult to achieve. One approach I've sometimes tried to use (sometimes with success :) ) is to first drill a 'significantly larger than necessary' diameter hole part through the wall from the inside (as you say, the interior decor can be remedied) and then aim for that from the outside to complete the hole.

Kind Regards, John.
 
If you drill from outside in if you drill into cement it should in theory be the same level on both sides of the wall (or inside out). I'd use a long 5mm drill bit first, measure the thickness of the wall plus plaster and you can mark this with some insulation tape on the drill bit. When you get close to the tape mark turn the hammer off and drill slowly without too much pressure on the drill.
 
get someone to hold a lump of 4x2 or bigger against the internal wall and let the drill hit that
 
If you drill from outside in if you drill into cement it should in theory be the same level on both sides of the wall (or inside out).
Yes, if you drill all the way through mortar (either way around), you certainly won't damage bricks, but the hole would then be horizontal, which you don't really want.

Kind Regards, John
 

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