Is this a good cable route?

[jabuzzard]

As EFLI has said, it would not be in a 'safe zone' even if it were directly below the light switch, since it isn't connected to that switch.[That's not as daft/pedantic as it may sound - it's not impossible that someone might one day remove the light switch {e.g. move it to somewhere else}, leaving nothing to indicate thatthere was a buried cable.

I know a lot of people say this, but where exactly in the regulations does it say that you can't "borrow" a safe zone? I read through the 17th edition and could not find anything saying that. The safe zones are simply defined in terms of horizontal and vertical areas from outlets. I can see why people assume that is the case but the wording of the regulations does not actually say that as far as I can tell.

Sure someone could move the fitting later on, but if they choose to do that then it is their responsibility at that point in time to sort out what would now not be in a safe zone. There is no requirement in the regulations to ensure that a safe zone remains a safe zone forever into the future.

Just to illustrate that point one could put something in the corner between two walls, which would be one way to traverse a floor level in a safe zone. However what if someone then remodels and removes the wall? Now the cable is not in a safe zone. If we follow your logic we can't use a corner because someone at some point in the future might remove the corner removing the safe zone.

IMHO running through a back box is better than a corner because you cannot remove the fitting without realizing you are losing a safe zone.

 

[EFLImpudence]

I know a lot of people say this, but where exactly in the regulations does it say that you can't "borrow" a safe zone? I read through the 17th edition and could not find anything saying that. The safe zones are simply defined in terms of horizontal and vertical areas from outlets. I can see why people assume that is the case but the wording of the regulations does not actually say that as far as I can tell.

Look more closely:

"522.6.202 A cable installed in a wall or partition at a depth of less than 50 mm from a surface of the wall or
partition shall:
(i) be installed in a zone within 150 mm from the top of the wall or partition or within 150 mm of an angle formed
by two adjoining walls or partitions. Where the cable is connected to a point, accessory or switchgear on any
surface of the wall or partition, the cable may be installed in a zone either horizontally or vertically, to the
point, accessory or switchgear. Where the location of the accessory, point or switchgear can be determined
from the reverse side, a zone formed on one side of a wall of 100 mm thickness or less or partition of
100 mm thickness or less extends to the reverse side, or
(ii) comply with Regulation 522.6.204."

 

[EFLImpudence]

Sure someone could move the fitting later on, but if they choose to do that then it is their responsibility at that point in time to sort out what would now not be in a safe zone. There is no requirement in the regulations to ensure that a safe zone remains a safe zone forever into the future.

So what?

Just to illustrate that point

There is no need to illustrate it.

one could put something in the corner between two walls, which would be one way to traverse a floor level in a safe zone. However what if someone then remodels and removes the wall? Now the cable is not in a safe zone. If we follow your logic we can't use a corner because someone at some point in the future might remove the corner removing the safe zone.

It is not my logic; it is what the regulation actually says - which you didn't think it did.

IMHO running through a back box is better than a corner because you cannot remove the fitting without realizing you are losing a safe zone.

Ok.

 

[JohnW2]

...... Just to illustrate that point one could put something in the corner between two walls, which would be one way to traverse a floor level in a safe zone. However what if someone then remodels and removes the wall? Now the cable is not in a safe zone. If we follow your logic we can't use a corner because someone at some point in the future might remove the corner removing the safe zone.....

I think there is a need for common sense and consideration of probabilities. It is far far more likely that someone will move or remove an electrical accessory than that they will remove the corner of a wall.

...... IMHO running through a back box is better than a corner because you cannot remove the fitting without realizing you are losing a safe zone.

I have already acknowledged that, in common sense terms, running a cable through a back box is far better than just screwing a blank plate to the wall (which some people seem to think is adequate to indicate the presence of a cable). You say that one cannot remove the fitting without "realising that you are losing a safe zone", but the person doing the removing may not even know what a 'safe zone' is - and, even if they do, they may decide to remove it, anyway.

I saw an example of this in my daughter's kitchen. During a refurbishment, in excavating to discover why there was a "square crack" in the wall;, we found a back box filled with plaster, and buried in plaster, with a fat cooker circuit cable passing through it! I suspect that there had once been a blank plate fixed to the back box but that someone didn't like the look of that, so removed the plate and filled the box with plaster!

Having said that, I'm sure I'm not the only person who thinks that it is rather daft that the regs allow the corner of a wall to create a 'safe zone', particularly in kitchens, since that is often the very place where people are likely to drill holes to attach wall units!

Kind Regards, John