Wall lights in bedroom wired to a plug

[ctm28]

My girlfriend has just bought a house as is doing it up. In one of the bedrooms there is a sink with a wooden cupboard under it. Above the sink are two wall lights which had a pull switch on each light. These two lights are both wired to a standard plug which is plugged into a wall socket in the corner, the wiring is plastered into the wall behind the sink unit up to the lights, but then it is loose in the back of the cupboard and goes out of the cupboard to a plug.

I'm aware this is not ideal and not how I would do it, but it's what's there and I want to avoid having to channel the wall out and redecorate to put in a proper lighting circuit.

The problem I have is she has bought new lights without switches on them and I want to put a switch on the side of the wooden cabinet to allow them both to be turned on or off together (the plug is difficult to reach). My plan is to buy a standard 1W 1G light switch and a plastic back box. Drill a hole about 20mm through the cabinet to recess the internals of the switch and then put long screws through the wood to hold the back box, essentially sandwiching the wood between the switch and back box. This holds it in place and the holes will allow the wiring. I'll need to cut the cable, so was planning to connect the earths to the terminal in the back box, lives through the switch and neutrals connected by a piece of chocolate block in the back box.

This should work and look ok, however my question is does anyone know of any regulations I'm breaking or anyone thinks this is particularly unsafe? I'm well aware it's not perfect or the way I'd do it from scratch, but so long as it's safe and compliant then it will do for now.

Thanks

 

[Johnmelad]

Are these metal light fittings?

 

[Chri5]

Cut a proper hole and use

That is a dry line box, depending on the depth of the wood you might get away with a shallow one.

The top one is 45mm, the second 35mm, the difference is?

The wings, the red bits or the blue, 45mm box has deeeper wings thus is better for walls with double plaster board or depth to about 25mm.

The 35mm box covers shallow depths to about 15mm

 

[ctm28]

Yes, they are chrome/glass, but wires are double insulated and earth will be connected all the way back to the plug

 

[Chri5]

And make sure the plug is fused at 3 amp red.

 

[ctm28]

Thanks Chri5

Only issue with cutting a proper hole for those boxes is access is a bit of a pain.

Plug will be fused to 3 amp.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Only issue with cutting a proper hole for those boxes is access is a bit of a pain.

You'll be surprised how much of a pain it will be to cut a hole just the right size for the switch internals to fit through and not be too big for your plan of fixing through the cabinet to a surface box.

It'll be much easier just to put a surface pattress on the side.

But however you do it I'd be worried about the suitability of a washstand for mounting a light switch on.

 

[ctm28]

The washstand is big square and solid, with a big marble type sink that over laps, so I'm not concerned about water. My only concern is sandwiching wood in the switch box. Obviously it's none conductive, but in the unlikely event of a fault could it be a fire risk?

 

[Chri5]

There always the issue of wiring zones and water / special location...

 

[ban-all-sheds]

In one of the bedrooms there is a sink with a wooden cupboard under it.....