Inaccessible choc-boxes

Feb 14, 2008 3 Replies
D

Hi



My friend is completing his conservatory which has a roofed ceiling. It is necessary to route ring main cable in the roof space between the insulation and the plaster board. Two existing cables had to be extended and joins are made in the roof space using terminal block in choc-boxes. My friend wants to know whether it is permissable to have choc-boxes in this space because when the plasterboard is fitted the boxes will be inaccessable (without removing the boards).



Is there any regulation that forbids such an arrangement?



Is it necessary to get a Part P inspection before the plaster boards are fitted?



David


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A

Yes. Inaccessible connections should be crimped, soldered, or brazed. Crimping is what's normally done in your case.

That's up to your building control officer (or whoever he's arranged to do the Part P inspection on his behalf).

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T

How is 'inaccessible' defined Andrew? For example, a chocky block tucked into a ceiling void above a ceiling rose?

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A

It's not strictly defined. My take on it is something you can can't get to as part of an electrical system inspection. I think what you describe would be OK from this point of view, but something that required damaging furnishings/decorations would not.

As to whether you should be stuffing a choc block unprotected into a ceiling void -- that's a different matter. I know most electricians do.

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