Lighting circuit without earth - mounting flush posible?!

[eniacs]

Hello all;

I've got a house at the mo that im doing up and i want to mount the sockets and switches in the walls...

No problem for the sockets - just chip the walls out and fit metal boxes in the walls and fit nice new brushed metal sockets - beautiful!
However - the lighting is pre 1966 regs so has no earth cable. Im happy to fit a nice modern plastic fascia, but can i mount them in the wall - i dont think i can use the metal back boxes because of the problem of the earth cable!?? Can someone help with this?

There are MCB's fitted as the main consumer unit has been replaced very recently...

Thanks, Steve.

 

[disinfo]

Surely if your doing up the house, it would be a great time for a rewire of the lighting circuit....

 

[eniacs]

To rewire every light and switch in the house would require replastering all walls and all ceilings...

There is nothing wrong with the wiring at present it just doesnt have an earth! Im all for improving, but its not necesary here...

 

[disinfo]

Presumably if your current switches are surface mounted, you are going to have to chase in switchwires anyway?

What is the current setup with the lights? You dont have a steel conduit system do you?

 

[eniacs]

No, the wires are allready mounted in the wall. At some point the switches have been replaced with the standard plastic ones - they now look a little tatty so could do with mounting in the wall and replacing with slightly modern plastic ones.

Not sure, everywhere i've looked there arent conduits, but im yet to open all switches.

 

[sparkwright]

you may have to chip a few mm of plaster away above the switches to tell if there are conduits.

or you could have a look in the loft to give you some idea if there are conduits.

now is the ideal time to rewire the lighting, you will have far more choice in metal light fittings and switches etc; and it needs doing anyway.

 

[eniacs]

I had allready considered the rewire option and ruled it out. It hasnt needed doing for the last 50 years so im not about to do it now!

Im asking is there is a solution to mount plastic switches in the wall? Or am i stuck with 25mm plastic surface mount?

 

[sparkwright]

you used to be able to get pvc flush fit boxes some years ago, they were used on plastic round conduit systems.

i don't know if they are still available but any electrical wholesaler will be able to tell you.

 

[sparkwright]

I had allready considered the rewire option and ruled it out. It hasnt needed doing for the last 50 years so im not about to do it now!

it has needed doing for the last 40 years.

 

[disinfo]

it has needed doing for the last 40 years.

 

[eniacs]

Ok who can spot the blatant electricians in the posts above!

Why dont you just hold your chins, breath deeply and tell me how many hundreds it will cost...

It may have been regs for a few years, but the house was built in 1959. Im not going to upgrade the house every single time a new reg comes out.

Its been SAFE and WORKED for 50 years now, its not going to change in the future.

I'll go with the standard PVC box in the wall i think. I have 3 weeks to complete the house not 3 months!

 

[Johnmelad502]

Ok who can spot the blatant electricians in the posts above!

Why dont you just hold your chins, breath deeply and tell me how many hundreds it will cost...

It may have been regs for a few years, but the house was built in 1959. Im not going to upgrade the house every single time a new reg comes out.

Its been SAFE and WORKED for 50 years now, its not going to change in the future.

I'll go with the standard PVC box in the wall i think. I have 3 weeks to complete the house not 3 months!

You have my sympathy, see:
//www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=197672

 

[sparkwright]

it has needed doing for the last 40 years.

you haven't got a picture of an ostrich with it's head in the sand, have you?

 

[disinfo]

you haven't got a picture of an ostrich with it's head in the sand, have you?

Will this do you while i'm looking for one ?

 

[Johnmelad502]

it has needed doing for the last 40 years.

you haven't got a picture of an ostrich with it's head in the sand, have you?

No but I found one of an unhelpful eleccian