Is this bad practice?

[xdrive]

Hi.

Been to friends house who is having spot lights fitted by electrician.

It is 1.5mm cable. It's been run below joists in rectangular cutouts and covered with insulation foam . The ceiling will be plastered.

Below 50mm. Cables are protected by 6amp mcb.

Cheers

 

[RF Lighting]

It’s not the best way to do things, but is fairly common and doesn’t actually foul any regulations

 

[xdrive]

It’s not the best way to do things, but is fairly common and doesn’t actually foul any regulations

I thought according to regs the wire is suppose to be 50mm above ceiling?!

Wiuld be easy for a pin to go through wire if hanging balloons, etc

 

[Bodgedbuild]

Why did he not cut one hole, close to the joist and then drill a hole through that joist for the wire? If he used a right angled drill the hole in the ceiling would not have been much larger than the ones cut and the wire could have run above the ceiling. Mind you I would be just as upset with my spots not running parallel to each other!

 

[winston1]

He’ll be even more upset when he finds his ceiling torches don’t light up the room properly.

 

[SUNRAY]

In that situation I'd have drilled a 15mm hole about 4-5" from the joist at about 30' and include going through it. It's more fiddly but quite doable with decent rods and much easier to patch.

 

[xdrive]

He’ll be even more upset when he finds his ceiling torches don’t light up the room properly.

20 torches will light the room up. They have them in another room and are happy with the lighting.

 

[xdrive]

I've just read If its less than 50mm it needs to be rcd protected. It is so that's that sorted. 17th ammendment consumer units have 2 rcd.

Personally I'd drill through joists.

 

[EFLImpudence]

What is the difference between what has been done and chasing a wall?

 

[xdrive]

What is the difference between what has been done and chasing a wall?

Chasing wall has to be in safe zones or 50mm depth otherwise need protecting.

Again if rcd which most consumers are would that mean the rules don't apply!?

 

[EFLImpudence]

Chasing wall has to be in safe zones or 50mm depth otherwise need protecting.

Ceilings don't have safe (danger) zones.

Again if rcd which most consumers are would that mean the rules don't apply!?

No. It would not mean that.

 

[SUNRAY]

20 torches will light the room up. They have them in another room and are happy with the lighting.

Yes but in a few years time when the fashion moves away from spotlights and downlighters people will again discover the benefits of 'proper' lighting and be asking in the building section how to fill 60mm holes in the ceilings.

 

[winston1]

20 tourches is typically 100w of LED lighting, equivalent to 1kW of tungsten. Going to be a lot of awfully bright spots.

 

[SUNRAY]

20 tourches is typically 100w of LED lighting, equivalent to 1kW of tungsten. Going to be a lot of awfully bright spots.

And some aweful shadows.

 

[xdrive]

Update

No rcd on consumer unit.

Does it make any difference ?