Mounting lightswitch into side of MDF cupboard - compliant?

[rcd1976]

Hi,

Can you put lightswitches for normal mains lighting circuits in the side of a permanent, built-in cupboard?

Inside the door to the main room there is going to be a floor-to-ceiling cupboard made out of timber and MDF. The obvious place for the lightswitch would be in the side of that cupboard. But can you do that?

I can bury the cable in the wall but was thinking of cutting a single-gang hole in side of MDF, putting in standard metal backbox, then perhaps boxing in with a bit more MDF on the inside. Backbox probably 47mm to house a single-gang with two dimmer modules. MDF probably 18mm thick. Lighting circuit is on a (6A) RCBO.

Is this ok? Any regulations, minimum thicknesses, minimum distances, etcetera?

Thanks

 

[Chri5]

Why not use a deep dry line box, the deep ones will have enough depth to cope with the 'wall thickness' being as mentioned.

Keep the cable entry in to the dry box to an absolute minimum, so don't use the big circle knockout at the back.

 

[flameport]

Metal or plastic box will be fine, the main point is that the wiring must be enclosed.

Metal box will look better, as you will see the edge of a plastic box.

 

[kai]

Use white Surface Plastic Trunking, and a White UPVC Mounting Box.

 

[JohnW2]

In a hotel I recently stayed in, there was a socket and an FCU mounted on the side of a built-in wardrobe. When I looked inside, I discovered that they put standard surface pattresses inside the wardrobe, attached to the accessory plates, through the cupboard wall, with long screws. It didn't really 'look right', but it was doing the job, protection-wise. I did, however, wonder about the acceptability of having combustible material (the wardrobe wall) as part of that 'sandwich'. What do people think? Do the regs have anything to say about this?

Kind Regards, John.

 

[Chri5]

Fine. Think about all those fuse cases of yesterday year made of wood, or the fact that wood cased switches and (I believe) sockets are still available.

What does a supplier mount the head and meter on..

 

[westie101]

What does a supplier mount the head and meter on..

A fire resistant board

(And it's the DNO, NOT the supplier)

 

[JohnW2]

Fine. Think about all those fuse cases of yesterday year made of wood

Sure, but that was yesterday - which is why I was interested in discovering whether it remains acceptable.

... or the fact that wood cased switches and (I believe) sockets are still available.

Maybe, but do the modern ones have nothing between conductors/terminals and the wood other than air?

What does a supplier mount the head and meter on..

That is different, since there is a barrier (and probably a relatively fire-resistant one) between the 'electrics' and the wood, in the form of the rear casing of the meter/cutout/whatever.

Don't get me wrong - I've done it, and am personally comfortable, but was interested to hear whether anyone thought that any regs were being violated.

What about a batten holder with 'exposed terminals' and no backplate being screwed directly to wood? - I've seen that being criticised.

Kind Regards, John

 

[Chri5]

What does a supplier mount the head and meter on..

A fire resistant board

(And it's the DNO, NOT the supplier)

Ha, ha, ha- sorry, but 95% of the installations I do are pre 1940's- must make up 75% of the million plus houses in London. Fire resistant boards back then....

 

[mikhailfaradayski]

have you ever tried setting fire to MDF?

 

[Alarm]

You an arsonist?

 

[mikhailfaradayski]

You an arsonist?

lol, yep, love fire

 

[JohnW2]

Sliding a little back on-topic, can anyone tell/remind me what regs (if any) relate to situations in which there is nothing other than air between live conductors/terminals and potentially combustible materials? - e.g. a basic batten holder screwed to wood with no backplate or, indeed, an accessory mounted on a wooden pattress.

Kind Regards, John

 

[EFLImpudence]

love fire

Do Amazon own that, too?

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Yes but if you buy one and Mrs EFLI finds out you'll be in deep trouble.