Help Finding Electrical Box in Ceiling
 

Hi -

I need some advice on how to search for a hidden electrical box. I
tried contacting the builder but he is in federal prision for fraud so
that was a dead end.

I moved into a condo this Spring and occupy the lower level of a 2
level building. I do not have any fixtures in the ceiling in my
bedroom or main living area. I do have some in the hallways.

I bought a Stud finder with AC finder and Metal finder as well. In the
bedroom it picks up a metal piece almost exactly in the center of the
room, the AC finder also seems to pick up a signal. I do have a switch
in the room that doesn't seem to do much but turn on one socket in the
back of the room (the other plug in the same socket is always live).

In the front room I found 2 metal pieces along one long stud in the
center of the room. Along the stud the AC finder also seems to give me
warning the entire length. One of the metal pieces is almost in the
middle of the room, and near the front entrance i do have a light
switch that controls nothing.

I looked at the other condos and I don't see too many with fixtures.
Could a box be up there? I've got a pretty unique finish on the walls
and it's not something I can replicate so I am afraid of making a big
hole. Even if I made a small one I'm not sure poking around with a
pick or nail would tell me much.

Any thoughts on how I can confirm if a box is up there? If a main
electrical wire is going across can I tap into that for my power?

Thanks,
Dennis.

Help Finding Electrical Box in Ceiling
 

"Dennis Jenders" wrote in message
om...
Hi -

I need some advice on how to search for a hidden electrical box. I
tried contacting the builder but he is in federal prision for fraud so
that was a dead end.

I moved into a condo this Spring and occupy the lower level of a 2
level building. I do not have any fixtures in the ceiling in my
bedroom or main living area. I do have some in the hallways.

There aren't suppose to be any concealed electrical boxes. Many homes are
built with no overhead wiring in some rooms, relying on wall outlets and
lamps, which seems to be what you have.

Tom J

Help Finding Electrical Box in Ceiling
 

"Dennis Jenders" wrote in message
om...
Hi -

I need some advice on how to search for a hidden electrical box. I
tried contacting the builder but he is in federal prision for fraud so
that was a dead end.

I moved into a condo this Spring and occupy the lower level of a 2
level building. I do not have any fixtures in the ceiling in my
bedroom or main living area. I do have some in the hallways.

There aren't suppose to be any concealed electrical boxes. Many homes are
built with no overhead wiring in some rooms, relying on wall outlets and
lamps, which seems to be what you have.

Tom J

Help Finding Electrical Box in Ceiling
 

Tom J is right. I have NEVER seen unused electrical boxes waiting for future
use such as you wish you had. (Once I discovered some unused computer
network cables, and that's because I had put them there myself a few years
earlier.)

"Tom J" wrote in message
...

"Dennis Jenders" wrote in message
om...
Hi -

I need some advice on how to search for a hidden electrical box. I
tried contacting the builder but he is in federal prision for fraud so
that was a dead end.

I moved into a condo this Spring and occupy the lower level of a 2
level building. I do not have any fixtures in the ceiling in my
bedroom or main living area. I do have some in the hallways.

There aren't suppose to be any concealed electrical boxes. Many homes are
built with no overhead wiring in some rooms, relying on wall outlets and
lamps, which seems to be what you have.

Tom J

Help Finding Electrical Box in Ceiling
 

Tom J is right. I have NEVER seen unused electrical boxes waiting for future
use such as you wish you had. (Once I discovered some unused computer
network cables, and that's because I had put them there myself a few years
earlier.)

"Tom J" wrote in message
...

"Dennis Jenders" wrote in message
om...
Hi -

I need some advice on how to search for a hidden electrical box. I
tried contacting the builder but he is in federal prision for fraud so
that was a dead end.

I moved into a condo this Spring and occupy the lower level of a 2
level building. I do not have any fixtures in the ceiling in my
bedroom or main living area. I do have some in the hallways.

There aren't suppose to be any concealed electrical boxes. Many homes are
built with no overhead wiring in some rooms, relying on wall outlets and
lamps, which seems to be what you have.

Tom J

Help Finding Electrical Box in Ceiling
 

"Dennis Jenders" wrote in message
om...


Tom J is right. I have NEVER seen unused electrical boxes waiting for
future
use such as you wish you had. (Once I discovered some unused computer
network cables, and that's because I had put them there myself a few
years
earlier.)

Well I have no basement in the condo, just sitting on concrete so I
think the wires must be going through the ceiling.

I guess it makes sense to not cover a box, sounds like I'll just have
to make a whole in the ceiling and splice the wires. Not the most
elegant solution but I think I am out of options...

Dennis

And you'll most likely be opening a HUGE can of Gremlins that you very
likely will regret having opened. There should be a receptacle outlet(s) in
those rooms (that don't have overhead lights) that are controlled by a
switch for that room......usually (but not always) the switched receptacle
outlet is the lower half of the receptacle that is closest to the switch.
Find that switched receptacle outlet then plug a lamp into it and use the
switch to control the lamp. If you're lucky those rooms will have more than
one switched outlet, allowing the lamp to be placed in different locations.