On 17/05/2018 16:44, John Rumm wrote:
On 17/05/2018 15:29, wrote:

Our builder tucked some live junction boxes into a cavity wall and has
plastered over them.

What kind of JBs?

If they contained maintenance free terminals, then nothing to worry about.

If they were the screw terminal kind, and the circuit is lightly loaded
- then not to the wiring regs, but probably nothing to worry about.

If screw terminals, and a circuit subject to intermittent high load,
then more of a concern.

How much of a problem is this likely to be (if at all) and in what
time frame?

The reality is there are countless examples out there installed and
causing no serious problem. However if you have concerns then discuss
with the builder.




I've seen *far* worse....

The previous houseowner of my house wanted to convert one of the two
integral garages to an extra reception room.

Example no 1:

There was just one double socket in this room. So he proceeded to remove
the existing double socket which was on a 32A ring main. No problem ,
they then wired in two brown round 32A 3 termninal JBs to extend the
ring main around the garage conversion in order to fit extra double sockets.

Trouble was, the 2 JB's were in the location of the old double socket.
So they got a cold chisel out, chopped a chunk out of the thermalite
wall, got two tesco carrier bags, wrapped the JBs in these tesco carrier
bags and pushed them into the thermalite wall and plastered over it all.

Example no 2.

There was a garage up and over door at the front and a door at the back
which went into the kitchen. Obviuously there were 2 way light switches
at both ends of the garage, A new doorway was created from the hallway,
the back door and the up and over door was then bricked up. So a cable
was run from one of the two existing light switches to the new doorway
where a new light switch was put. The two original light switches wehere
then plastered over!

Example no 3.

There was a consumer unit halfway up the wall at elbow hieght. They
decided to move the consumer unit up to ceiling level. The meter cuboard
was on the other side of the wall. So they bought in some new 100A meter
tail cables to replace the existing meter tail cables so that the CU
could go up higher. The meter cables came from the meter cupboard,
through the wall into the garage and then clipped up the wall
internally. This was then covered over with PLASTIC capping and then
plastered over.

Just imagine someone hammering a picture nail into the wall. ALl there
would be to protect them from the national grid would be a 100A cut out
fuse!.
ALl have been sorted out by myself. :-)