ELECTRICAL jUNCTION BOXES UNDER FLOORS

[dave]

My newly aquired Edwardian semi has obviously had some various wiring incarnations in it's time with occasional remnants of rubber covered cable around but not used. All cable is now T&E grey PVC but some of both the lighting and the rings cabling are connected to junction boxes under the floor boards. I believe the wiring regs say that all terminations are to be accessible. Does this mean that junction boxes under the floor are not allowed? Following on from this I personally don't like hidden connections, especially on rings under wooden floors, and feel they are a possible overheating site, and fire risk. What does the panel feel, getting rid of them would mean extensive rewiring and destruction of nice decoration.

dave

[ARWadsworth]

It all depends upon what you call accessible. Lifting some carpet and a floorboard that has already been lifted up before is accessible in my opinion. If you then lay tiles or built in furniture on top of the floor boards and I would class the junction box as inaccessible.

Following on from this I personally don't like hidden connections,

A socket on a ring main is nothing more than a juction box. If the junction boxes are installed correctly I see no problem.

The frequent use of juction boxes on a ring main is often a sign of added spurs. Are you sure that the ring mains are up to scratch?

Adam

[dave]

Thanks for your reply:

I appreciate what you say about sockets being just glorified junction boxes, the difference I feel is that poor connections on a socket are likely to be noticed wheras under floor boards and carpets or in lofts the problem is likely to go unoticed until flames result. maybe I am just a pessamist.

As far as the ring juction boxes go it looks like they were used to extend the ring at various times rather than being used for spur take off.

Dave

[troubleinstore]

With regards to junction boxes, there really is some junk on the market. Tried a few in the past which literally fell to pieces, so now if I have to use any, I only get the more expensive ones. Certainly a case of, you get what you pay for.

-- troubleinstore

[Stickems.]

If you are going to use a junction box it is better to fit a larger rated one.

| > I appreciate what you say about sockets being just glorified junction | > boxes, the difference I feel is that poor connections on a socket are | > likely to be noticed wheras under floor boards and carpets or in lofts the | > problem is likely to go unoticed until flames result. maybe I am just a | > pessamist. | >

| > As far as the ring juction boxes go it looks like they were used to extend | > the ring at various times rather than being used for spur take off. | >

| > Dave | >

| > "ARWadsworth" wrote in message | > news:Www9f.141595$ [e-mail]... | >>

| >> It all depends upon what you call accessible. Lifting some carpet and a | >> floorboard that has already been lifted up before is accessible in my | >> opinion. If you then lay tiles or built in furniture on top of the floor | >> boards and I would class the junction box as inaccessible. | >>

| >> Following on from this I personally don't like hidden connections, | >>> especially on rings under wooden floors, and feel they are a possible | >>> overheating site, and fire risk. What does the panel feel, getting rid | >>> of them would mean extensive rewiring and destruction of nice | >>> decoration. | >>

| >>

| >> A socket on a ring main is nothing more than a juction box. If the | >> junction boxes are installed correctly I see no problem. | >>

| >> The frequent use of juction boxes on a ring main is often a sign of added | >> spurs. Are you sure that the ring mains are up to scratch? | >>

| >> Adam | | With regards to junction boxes, there really is some junk on the market. | Tried a few in the past which literally fell to pieces, so now if I have to | use any, I only get the more expensive ones. Certainly a case of, you get | what you pay for. | -- | troubleinstore | |