Junction box

[Newman]

Hi everyone, I'm a newly qualified electrician. Can someone please clarify for me the accessibility of the junction box. Where is it acceptable to put a junction box or not. Can a junction box be put under floor boards and in the ceiling void for spotlights? Thanks.

 

[Adam W]

Junction boxes need to be accessible for maintenance.

 

[Rockingit]

132.12

 

[trev]

Imho ceiling void is ok as you have to have a JB for terminating and they're easy to get to. Under floorboards is inaccessible therefore not ok. Opinions differ though, some say it would be ok if there's a hatch. MF ones would be acceptable

 

[Andy78]

Yes, always need to accessible. Standard junction boxes should be mounted to joists and cables clipped to the joist outside of the JB to provide cable restraint. If you can do the above for downlights then yeah no probs. If you are making off a JB and shoving it through a downlight hole, then that's not so great.
Under floor boards usually means it is accessible. You can lift carpets and boards easily. Usually leave a cut board to act as a hatch and mark it up to say the JB is there. If it's going to be under laminate flooring then is it still accessible ? Not really.

 

[telectrix]

can't really say accessible under floor and carpet as the muppets may well fit laminate the week after you've fitted the JB abd labelled the floor board " JB under here"

 

[Andy78]

Well yeah I suppose. To be honest this has always only been an assumption on my part due to the number of JBs I find under floors. I would always sooner run new legs into circuits than leave JBs.

 

[Newman]

Thanks

 

[oldtimer]

can't really say accessible under floor and carpet as the muppets may well fit laminate the week after you've fitted the JB abd labelled the floor board " JB under here"

You beat me to it Teletrix I was going to say unless it is a 30 year old installation and some muppet has put a laminated floor down.

 

[Guitarist]

Loads of debate on this subject. At the end of the day tho, any connection which isn't maintenance free should be accessible without having to rip up carpets etc. Just ask yourself if YOU were fault-finding on the system would it be easy enough to find?
Personally, I don't think it would be reasonable to tell a homeowner that all carpets must be pulled back to check for hatches.
All that said, I know there must be millions of JB's all around the world that give no troubles. The Ashley MF JB claims to be the only one "certified", so if you are worried, you could use them for all your "hidden" connections.
I just want to add that I'm not criticising anyone who chooses to use non-accessible JB's as we all have to do what we consider right.

 

[timo1]

I have stopped using junction boxes completely. Wago connectors in an enclosure for me, I prefer this even to crimps as im never that convinced that the connection is sound even with proper crimps and crimping tool.

 

[shocking_eg]

Yep,

havent used a standard JB for at least 2 years now. All i use are the hager / Ashley maintenance free boxes, not just for the maintenance free point but because there a damn sight quicker than convensional boxes to terminate. the extra price of them is compensated by the short time they take to terminate.

 

[LineProducts]

Yep,

havent used a standard JB for at least 2 years now. All i use are the hager / Ashley maintenance free boxes, not just for the maintenance free point but because there a damn sight quicker than convensional boxes to terminate. the extra price of them is compensated by the short time they take to terminate.

Use LINE, you will get all the benefits without the extra cost! http://www.lineproducts.co.uk/forumshop

See this thread: http://www.electriciansforums.net/e...s/49814-my-line-wago-products-experience.html

 

[ezzzekiel]

never tried the line, dont like wagos (mainly as the end product is too big, ashley range fit all my requirements perfectly

 

[shocking_eg]

Those line boxes are crap ! They look real messy too !
Erghh !