Spot light wiring placement...

KShack79 · Mar 6, 2023

Hi everyone, I'm hoping someone here can help. I recently did some carpentry work for a new customer and I noticed their electrician had just replaced a single pendant lamp with around 8 spot lights. Under each ceiling joist the electrician had removed a small strip of plasterboard, around 100mm x 20mm, and passed the cable directly under each joist from light to light, effectively within the plasterboard depth. Is it allowed under the current regulations to run the cable directly under each joist, within the thickness of the 12.5mm plasterboard, or does it still have to be at least 50mm from the ceiling surface?

Many thanks in advance

Kev

James · Mar 6, 2023

I don't like the sound of what they have done, i think it is lazy.
however sometimes you have to do what the customer wants and they may not have wanted floors lifted above so the options are limited.
if the circuit is protected by an RCD then i cant see a problem with the regs.

MJPD29 · Mar 6, 2023

Flat roof and customer didn't want much damage to ceiling maybe?

KShack79 · Mar 6, 2023

Thank you for the replies. The room is the bottom floor of a 3 story house, maybe 5 years old. I presume everything is rcd protected given the young age of the house. The ceiling is being re-skimmed. I'll try and attach a photo of the wiring if I can get it to upload.

If it's legal and to the regs, fair enough. Just didn't look how I'd seen other wiring done.