Code 2 or not. If so what to do.

[solarman73]

Silly question, Brass wall lights fitted to a wood panel lined room. Cables fed in MI, terminated into conduit boxes behind the panelling. single insulated conductors with connectors connected to brass wall lights with the connector pushed into a hole through the wood panel. No room behind the fitting to house connectors.

This has been coded a 2. Has not been raised in other ECR's.

Is this really a code 2 if so how can I comply without removing the wood panelling?

 

[telectrix]

Iif there's no cpc to the metal fittingm, then it's a C2. can you get a tag to the conduit box?

 

[Clive P]

Hi,

Can you drill out the paneling and fit a conduit extension box and fit the light directly to this? They come in different depths and it would help with earthing the fitting, and any connections can be made in the extension box.
May not be possible, but just a thought.

Regards.

 

[Farmelectrics]

isnt he asking about the wood

 

[Farmelectrics]

what im getting at is ive seen a code 2 given for light switches sitting on a wooden surround

 

[7029 dave]

As mentioned, can you not run fly lead down to conduit box, will need to prove earth continuity first to that point IMO.

 

[Richard Burns]

I am not quite sure which aspect of that fitting you are questioning, but if it is conductors going from conduit box to fitting then so long as the conduit box is fixed to the wood then this is using the building structure and the light fitting as an enclosure and so is not a problem.
If they are not earthed, then just earth them.

 

[Clive P]

Hi,

The way i was reading it, was that there was MICC running behind the paneling terminating in conduit boxes. The cables from the light fitting joined together and pushed behind the paneling, but not in an enclosure. To me this sounds like connectors pushed into a plasterboard ceiling behind a light fitting. That was why I was advocating an extension box or similar.

Apologies if I've got it completely wrong.

Regards.

 

[solarman73]

Thanks for the replies guys. Clive is spot on with the current method of installation. the C2 has arisen because there I no metal enclosure surrounding the connections as they are pushed back thought the hole. On some lights the conduit box is pressed up against the back side of the wood panel and others have a gap. Fitting extension rings is not an option as the base of the wall light will not cover the box. The fittings are earthed.

 

[shanky887614]

its rough but non-mf connections are allowed if there is access to maintain them, having cables behind a light is to be expected so the only code would be for no earth but that would take mins to fix.

why are people asking if there is an earth at the box, very unlikely not to have an earth as the copper sheath is the earth

 

[solarman73]

There are two C2's
1) Wall lights have no fire barriers around connection points.
2) Wall lights have single insulated cables passing though wooden panels.

are theses really code 2?

 

[Richard Burns]

If those are the code 2 then they are incorrect.
There is no requirement for fire barriers around connections.
There is no requirement for single insulated cables to avoid passing through wood.
Single insulated cables must be enclosed but they can be enclosed by wood (if they have to be).
The gap between the conduit box and the panel may be considered exposed singles but behind a wall is not really exposed much, certainly not ideal but code 3 for me I think.
If the singles were passing through a wooden panel and the item above was to be moved this would be a problem, but coming into back of a light fitting should not be a problem.

Overall improvement would be recommended, say a sleeve over the cables back to the conduit box and a junction box for the connection or just heat shrink the lot.

 

[7029 dave]

its rough but non-mf connections are allowed if there is access to maintain them, having cables behind a light is to be expected so the only code would be for no earth but that would take mins to fix.

why are people asking if there is an earth at the box, very unlikely not to have an earth as the copper sheath is the earth

I did make that comment, just because its copper sheathed you would expect it to be earthed,but not necessarily, just like T&E just because there is an cpc in the cable if it's connected further back to 2 core then it is useless.

 

[solarman73]

Thanks Chaps. Thought these might not be code 2's after doing some research myself. Just needed some conformation. I'm contesting the ECR's findings.