Safe zone?

[iandandav]

I need to run a lighting circuit cable up a bedroom wall into the loft from CU on ground floor. For ease and minimising cable length I see two options. Shown by red lines in diagram.

Questions are
1) In option 1 does the position of the window break the corner safe zone?
2) In option 2 is it bad practice to run a cable under a socket so that it uses the sockets safe zone.

Or are both these bad ideas, in which case I will need to extend the circuit to run up the corner of a different wall

 

[londonboy]

I have never been in this situation, I have always managed to run up through an airing cupboard etc or straight up through a switch.

Can you not use the lighting cables that are (presumably) already at ceiling level?

 

[iandandav]

I have never been in this situation, I have always managed to run up through an airing cupboard etc or straight up through a switch.

Can you not use the lighting cables that are (presumably) already at ceiling level?

No previous circuits present, everything stripped out and render hacked back to bare stone, airing cupboard also gone and not going to be replaced. I could use a different corner but as I mentioned I would like to be as efficient as I can with the circuit route. The consumer unit is just underneath this window on the wall of the ground floor so would be the shortest easiest path to the attic

 

[Taylortwocities]

Is this the feed for the upstairs lighting circuit? If so, run it up through one of the light switches.

Alternatively, there must be a service duct up the building. What about the soil pipe?

 

[iandandav]

Is this the feed for the upstairs lighting circuit? If so, run it up through one of the light switches.

Alternatively, there must be a service duct up the building. What about the soil pipe?

yes.
Switch not ideally placed I would have to cut into ground floor ciling joists to get to it. If the options suggested are not a good idea another corner would be better than the switch.
No service duct or soil pipe. Were a bit primitive here in Wales we still have downstairs toilets

 

[iandandav]

Not much feedback, maybe I havent explained myself well. What I'm asking is does the safe zone in the corner go like fig 1 2 or 3. If 1 then Im OK, if 2 then I could bend the cable in to the window frame to bring it back into the zone.

Might fig 3 (below) be the case? Where position 'x' is not the true top of a wall so no horizontal safe zone here, and no safe zone horizontally at bottom of wall (position y). If fig 3 I would take it up behing the socket back box or find a different corner.

 

[chivers67]

To me it's a little bit of a grey area too but you'd be mad to run a cable into then out of the window void, I was keeping an eye on this thread to see what some more experienced peoples' thoughts were on it.

If you want to run it this way can you bury the cable deeper than 50mm and/or put it in metal conduit? Since there's no plaster seems that it would be best to do that?

 

[echoes]

Option 2 seems good, since it uses an accessory to demarcate the safe zone clearly. Nothing wrong with running the light cable through the back box AFAIK.

 

[1john]

earthed steel conduit?

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

A few ways you can get away with option one, using mechanical protection. Metal conduit, metalic trunking.
Earthsheild or armoured cable etc..
Installing a back box for the cable to run through and a blank face plate over it, then it would be identified as a safe zone.
Running the cable at 50mm depth

 

[iandandav]

Option 2 seems good, since it uses an accessory to demarcate the safe zone clearly. Nothing wrong with running the light cable through the back box AFAIK.

Through? Now thats an idea. Maybe better than behind as it could be clearly seen when the socket plate is removed. Anyone else think this is a good solution? If so I think I will go this route.

Dont want the extra hassle and expense of earthed steel conduit but thanks for the suggestion.

 

[Taylortwocities]

Through is jsut fine. If you can, use a deeper box so the transit cable doesnt impact on terminating/accessory space.

re:

A few ways you can get away with option one, using mechanical protection. Metal conduit, metalic cap.
Earthsheild or armoured cable etc..

A metallic cap is not one of the accepted methods of providing earthed protection for cables.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

A metallic cap is not one of the accepted methods of providing earthed protection for cables.

Sorry for error, metal trunking will edit mistake.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Good luck burying metal trunking...

 

[oharaf]

Is it me or is the solution fairly obvious here.

assuming the socket is not already a spur!!

Fit a FCU next to the socket, fuse down at 5A, 1.5mm up the wall from FCU to switch to Light fitting!!!