John,
A socket above the bookcase would certainly be possible though channeling the cable for it into the wall would be a pretty unfortunate disruption.
I'm inclined to go with a straightforward extension of the solid-core cables from the original switch position to the new one, with the run boxed in (and perhaps a notice of what's been done, as suggested by Brian). The bookcase will be a permanent fixture, almost an extension of the wall itself.
There are bookcases and then, I suppose, there are bookcases. I had this once with a run of Ikea style Billy bookcases. For both a light switch and for a switched double socket lower down. Maybe not something you could do with a priceless antique, or something of her mothers, but as the shelves were adjustable and so presented no problem access wise it was simply a case of cutting the requisite size holes in the back. Two frames were then made, ISTR 4mm ply top and bottom,
6 x 1 pine at the sides, wide enough to allow acess to both switch and sockets. The sockets required an adaptor as there wasn't sufficient clearance for plug leads otherwise. The sides of these frames were disguised by pasting book jackets onto them and they were screwed in place with IIRR just the one screw at the bottom into the shelf.michael adams
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I have one suggestion. Although I don't know if this is what you had in mind.
Swap the existing lightswitch for a flex outlet plate[1], do whatever connections you want/need to being the flex outlet plate and run a flex to your new switch that is on a plastic patress. Box the plastic patress in if you want to.
[1] eg
Unfortunately there isn't enough clearance behind the bookcase (10mm maximum). My latest thought is to use chocolate blocks inside the existing back box to extend the solid-core cabling with flexible. I can either bring the flex out through a hole drilled in a blanking plate or perhaps even (since the bookcase will fit flush to the wall and prevent any access) leave the box open.
One more question, if I might. There are three cables to extend: two go to the common socket of the light switch, the third to one of the live sockets. Can I join the two common wires together at the chocolate block and run just a single flex from there to the switch? The length of flex would be approximately eight inches.
Many thanks.
You can get a similar item without the fuse. This makes no great difference electrically, but is less confusing and possibly cheaper.
Is there space to put the socket where the light switch currently is?
(its really a a case of can you accept the protrusion of the small plug behind the bookcase / boxing)
When you say "cables" do you mean wires? and for "sockets" do you mean terminals?
^^^^^^^^^ less confusing to someone seeing it in the future, I mean, especially if the fuse ends up in the switched live side.
I do. Can I join the two common solid-core cables together in the back box and run a single flexible cable the short distance from there to the common terminal on the switch?
Roger, thanks for that. Unfortunately, the clearance at the back of the bookcase is 10mm: not deep enough for a flex outlet.
There is, but the clearance at the back of the bookcase is just deep enough for that and nothing more.
It would certainly be possible to cut a hole in the back of the case to permit a plug to be fitted, but I'd prefer not to if there's an alternative method.
A flush clock connector would have a very low profile.
Thanks for that. I can't find the exact dimensions for that - it doesn't seem to be listed in the pdf file which the page links to - but it certainly does look slim.
Ah, I found it. It's not listed as a clock connector which is why my word search didn't turn it up. It seems that the projection is 9mm, which is just workable, though the flex would have to come straight out of the connector and through a hole in the back of the bookcase, meaning that any slack would have to be inside the case itself, which isn't ideal.
OK, the standard bottom flex outlet plate from MK (K1090) is 13mm, perhaps a bit lower if you can chip some plaster away. But they do one with a front flex outlet, about half way up and to one side which is only 9mm thick, but I can't find it or even its part number, on sale. The following is from Ebay, depends if the light switch box meets the bookcase at a good place for the flex to enter!
If they are already joined in the *same* common terminal, yes.
Roger,
Thanks for that: it's a lot cheaper than the MK version which Mike Clarke linked to!
The problem is not so much the location (though that isn't ideal) as the fact that any slack in the flex (and it's surely desirable to have some) would have to be inside the bookcase, taking up valuable space.
With connectors inside a back box, I could either not have a front plate at all, or use either an ultra-thin blanking plate with a hole drilled in its face or a conventional one with a hole in the bottom edge.
Yes, that's the present situation: two solid-core cables to the same common terminal. I'm suggesting joining them in a separate connector and running a flexible cable from there to the terminal. Like a sort of mini spur.
Yes, I was looking at the MK site and they don't seem to list one in that range. Or I'd have linked to it!
You can get some where the flex emerges downwards through a slight bulge at the bottom. That might work.
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