Hi

I need to 'move' a lightswitch. (the previous owners 'moved' a doorway
from one end of the room to the other, leaving the switch in the
middle of a wall)

I don't have any problem with cutting holes and running cable etc,
etc, but I thought i'd just ask what is seen as the best way to join
the 4 foot of t&e that i'm using as an extension to the original cable

regards

Mike

p.s. - if anybody can recommend a website for this sort of info,
please let me know.

wrote:
Hi

I need to 'move' a lightswitch. (the previous owners 'moved' a doorway
from one end of the room to the other, leaving the switch in the
middle of a wall)

I don't have any problem with cutting holes and running cable etc,
etc, but I thought i'd just ask what is seen as the best way to join
the 4 foot of t&e that i'm using as an extension to the original cable

If the join is 'accessible' then you can use a junction box.
Accessible can mean in something like a roof void or under floorboards
even if you'd have to pull nails to get access. What is *not*
accesssible is buried in plaster or something like that.

If you want to make the joint somewhere inaccessible (e.g. buried in
plaster or in some sort of sealed up cavity) then the join must be
crimped or soldered. Making a good soldered joint is difficult unless
you have the right equipment and skills. Crimping is relatively easier
but you need to get a proper ratchet crimp tool and some crimps. A
crimp tool can be bought for £20 or so nowadays and a box of crimps in
the three standard sizes around a tenner or something like that. If
you're never going to use them again that may be a bit expensive but I
find having the crimp tool and crimps around very useful for quite a
few odd jobs (extending wires which are 'just too short' for example).

If you're just going to bury the crimped connections in plaster I
think it's a good idea to sleeve them as well, otherwise put them in a
box of some sort and bury that. It's probably a good idea to sleeve
the crimped connections whatever you do.

--
Chris Green )

On 11 Nov 2003 12:43:13 GMT, wrote:

wrote:
Hi

I need to 'move' a lightswitch. (the previous owners 'moved' a doorway
from one end of the room to the other, leaving the switch in the
middle of a wall)

I don't have any problem with cutting holes and running cable etc,
etc, but I thought i'd just ask what is seen as the best way to join
the 4 foot of t&e that i'm using as an extension to the original cable

If the join is 'accessible' then you can use a junction box.
Accessible can mean in something like a roof void or under floorboards
even if you'd have to pull nails to get access. What is *not*
accesssible is buried in plaster or something like that.

If you want to make the joint somewhere inaccessible (e.g. buried in
plaster or in some sort of sealed up cavity) then the join must be
crimped or soldered. Making a good soldered joint is difficult unless
you have the right equipment and skills. Crimping is relatively easier
but you need to get a proper ratchet crimp tool and some crimps. A
crimp tool can be bought for £20 or so nowadays and a box of crimps in
the three standard sizes around a tenner or something like that. If
you're never going to use them again that may be a bit expensive but I
find having the crimp tool and crimps around very useful for quite a
few odd jobs (extending wires which are 'just too short' for example).

If you're just going to bury the crimped connections in plaster I
think it's a good idea to sleeve them as well, otherwise put them in a
box of some sort and bury that. It's probably a good idea to sleeve
the crimped connections whatever you do.

Ta

It will be in the cavity of a studded partition - i'd assume that
counts as inaccessible ?

In message ,
lid writes
On 11 Nov 2003 12:43:13 GMT, wrote:

wrote:
Hi

I need to 'move' a lightswitch. (the previous owners 'moved' a doorway
from one end of the room to the other, leaving the switch in the
middle of a wall)

I don't have any problem with cutting holes and running cable etc,
etc, but I thought i'd just ask what is seen as the best way to join
the 4 foot of t&e that i'm using as an extension to the original cable

If the join is 'accessible' then you can use a junction box.
Accessible can mean in something like a roof void or under floorboards
even if you'd have to pull nails to get access. What is *not*
accesssible is buried in plaster or something like that.

If you want to make the joint somewhere inaccessible (e.g. buried in
plaster or in some sort of sealed up cavity) then the join must be
crimped or soldered.
snip

It will be in the cavity of a studded partition - i'd assume that
counts as inaccessible ?

Yep, unless you have a removable access panel.
--
Chris French, Leeds

wrote:
On 11 Nov 2003 12:43:13 GMT, wrote:

wrote:
Hi

I need to 'move' a lightswitch. (the previous owners 'moved' a
doorway from one end of the room to the other, leaving the switch
in the middle of a wall)

I don't have any problem with cutting holes and running cable etc,
etc, but I thought i'd just ask what is seen as the best way to join
the 4 foot of t&e that i'm using as an extension to the original
cable

If the join is 'accessible' then you can use a junction box.
Accessible can mean in something like a roof void or under
floorboards even if you'd have to pull nails to get access. What is
*not* accesssible is buried in plaster or something like that.

If you want to make the joint somewhere inaccessible (e.g. buried in
plaster or in some sort of sealed up cavity) then the join must be
crimped or soldered. Making a good soldered joint is difficult
unless you have the right equipment and skills. Crimping is
relatively easier but you need to get a proper ratchet crimp tool
and some crimps. A crimp tool can be bought for £20 or so nowadays
and a box of crimps in the three standard sizes around a tenner or
something like that. If you're never going to use them again that
may be a bit expensive but I find having the crimp tool and crimps
around very useful for quite a few odd jobs (extending wires which
are 'just too short' for example).

If you're just going to bury the crimped connections in plaster I
think it's a good idea to sleeve them as well, otherwise put them in
a box of some sort and bury that. It's probably a good idea to
sleeve the crimped connections whatever you do.

Ta

It will be in the cavity of a studded partition - i'd assume that
counts as inaccessible ?

If you are going to permanently fill the hole where the current switch is
then yes.
If you say replace it with a blank plate, then no.

wrote:
Ta

It will be in the cavity of a studded partition - i'd assume that
counts as inaccessible ?

Marginal but, yes, I would think so unless there was access via (for
example) removing a double socket to get to the junction box. If you
just blanked off the old switch with a blanking plate then that would
give access. However if you fill the hole and plaster/paint over it
then it's inaccessible.

--
Chris Green )

That's me off buying a crimper on the way home (i presume i should be
able to find one at the borg)
- I do like to think i've done the job properly.

ta very much

Chris Green wrote
| Marginal but, yes, I would think so unless there was access via (for
| example) removing a double socket to get to the junction box. If you
| just blanked off the old switch with a blanking plate then that would
| give access. However if you fill the hole and plaster/paint over it
| then it's inaccessible.

Also if the original switch is removed and plastered over the wiring may no
longer be running in the permitted zone up/down/across from a visible
accessory, so the wiring might have to be mechanically protected. This might
apply not only to the new wiring but also the existing.

I think I'd run triple-and-earth to the new switch and have two-way
switching. No doubt then that the cables to the switch are still live and
what they do.

Owain

In article ,
wrote:

I don't have any problem with cutting holes and running cable etc,
etc, but I thought i'd just ask what is seen as the best way to join
the 4 foot of t&e that i'm using as an extension to the original cable

This has been done in our house - old switch is left there and an extra
switch added at the new location. Old switch is used to join the cable
and both work as wired in parallel. I assume that this is permitted and
maybe an option.

Darren

In message ,
wrote:

That's me off buying a crimper on the way home (i presume i should be
able to find one at the borg)
- I do like to think i've done the job properly.



Is it not possible to pull the switch wire up into the attic/ceiling
void and then re-route it to the new location, or possibly just
disconnect the old wire and fit a new switch wire? I suppose if the old
wire is plastered in, it'd be difficult to remove it easily so there's
then the question of chopped-off dead cable left buried in wall to
frighten someone putting up shelves a few years hence...

It would be my prefered option, rather than leaving a bit of live wire
buried in some indeterminable part of the wall, probably unprotected.

Hwyl!

M.

--
Martin Angove: http://www.tridwr.demon.co.uk/
Don't fight technology, live with it: http://www.livtech.co.uk/
.... Every little BYTE helps