Chasing light switch/cable into wall - how to do it properly?

travel_freak

Hi,

I have one light switch which looks dreadful. The cable itself has been put into plastic trunking and just basicaly stuck to a wall (and stuck crooked as well making it look even more terrible)!!

I would like to chase the cable and the switch into the wall. Please could someone give me any pointers as to how to do this properly?

I have chisel hammer etc., but am not sure if the cable itself needs to be run inside the same type of plastic trunking within the wall?

I realise I will need one of those metal box things to put in the wall for the switch itself, but am I correct that that's all I need and I can use the existing "face" of the switch to screw into the metal box once it's in the wall?

Many thanks in advance!!

mopsey

Turn off the power to the lighting circuit.
Remove switch.
Remove cable from trunking and remove trunking from wall.
Using the lines where the trunking was fixed chase down the wall to switch position. 25mm deep.
Mark out box and cut hole in wall deep enough to accept switch box.
Slide small oval conduit over cable. Slide cable through knock out on box. Use rubber grommet around hole.
Fix box and conduit to brick work.
Make good.
Re-connect switch.
Re-connect power.
Test.

mopsey

Just to add, I have it on good authority that cables not buried more than 50mm in the wall need to be protected by an RCD.

andyhop

mopsey wrote: »

Just to add, I have it on good authority that cables not buried more than 50mm in the wall need to be protected by an RCD.

yes this is part of the 17th edition now

travel_freak

Hi Mopsey,

Thank you so much for your helpful and detailed reply - much appreciated.

Just a quick question, is the "small oval conduit" to go over the cable made of plastic or metal or doesn't it matter? The trunking on the outside at the moment is plastic, just wondering if I could reuse this but put it in the wall?

How would I sort out an "RCD"? I think this would be beyond my capability and a job for an electrician? Do you know what the cost would be?

It's a Victorian house and I have no doubt (given all the horrors I've discovered so far) that there will be many other cables not buried to proper depths.....I'm just going to be extremely careful whenever I'm drilling anywhere...!!

Thanks again.

Regards,

mopsey

The conduit is plastic. You can find it in the sheds (b&q etc) and costs pennies. .
You can find out if you've an rcd quite easily.
Look at the distribution board. There will be a switch on it to the left or right. If it has a test button on it it will be an rcd. The test button will be pretty obvious.
There may alternatively be an rcd 'in line' between the meter and dist. board. Again this will be fairly obvious.
RCDs used to be very expensive but now that they are required pretty much all the time the price is dropping however this is a job for an electrician.

sparky883

What makes you think the op will go to the expense of having RcD protection when all she wanted to do was bury a cable in the wall.
The advice is good but you end up costing her £200 + to bury a cable
Also if you take the switch off remember where the wires went!
The house sounds like it needs Rewiring and the OP more than likly knows this,But the question asked was how to bury a cable.
So are we saying An qualified Electrician cannot bury the cable if there is no RCD,it comes down to how the regs are interpretted.
All the OP wants to do is some cosmetic work leaving circuit as was,It is noted how not one of you mentioned earthing arragements.
Although this job would not require any qualifications under Part P (the law)
it still needs to be carried out by somebody competent (the law) and in my opinion if you need to ask you are not competent.
Worst Case Senario:
The switch is not 1Gang And all the wires get mixed up (need Electrician)
There is no slack on the switch wire to go to Pattress box(need Electrician)
Pulling the cable through box damages it (need Electrician)
These are things that a Electrician knows to look out for as well as looking at the rest of the wiring at the same time and reccomending RCD Protection.
That is why i would always use a Competent Person/Electrician even for this minor job (but then again i'm biased)

hewhoisnotintheknow

what room is it in?

are there any better alternatives such as a pull cord or the switch outside of the room?

madjay

[quote=sparky883 'in my opinion if you need to ask you are not competent.'

I agree with you statement but as an electrician I know this job is not rocket science it only chasing a cable into a wall not a major rewirer!!

sparky883

I agree Madjay was just trying to put people off as we are a bit quiet,I also agree with your other post on "cooker cable".
Most of the Electrical advice on these forums is not good,And as such i would say Either use an Electrician or at best get and take advice from somebody you know is one!
Somepeople think they are helping but really they Aint Got A Clue.

madjay

So True... its not the best thing to play about with!!!