Getting some Power outlets installed.

Forums › Home Workshop DIY › Getting some Power outlets installed.

3puttssuck

744 posts

Ultimate Geek

#215357 23-Jun-2017 21:54

I am about to place a computer nook into an existing double wardrobe. I am wanting to put some power plugs in the wardrobe. 2 x 4 outlets. I am wanting to put in the flush boxes and pull the wires myself and then get a sparky to connect it all up.

So the questions is, will he be able to / allowed to, run a feed wire from the existing light switch on the outside of the wardrobe wall. Or will I need to run the wires all the way back to the meter box. I hope this make sense.

TIA.

1 | 2

318 posts

Ultimate Geek
Inactive user

#1805889 23-Jun-2017 21:57

A light circuit will not be rated high enough in most instances. Is there a hot point nearby?

Virgil

Dangerous Chocolate
206 posts

Master Geek

ID Verified

Lifetime subscriber

#1805890 23-Jun-2017 21:58

No, you will not be able to loop a power point off a light switch - the wiring size is smaller for light circuits. You will have to loop of an existing power point, or back to the distribution box if this is easier / closer.

Cheers!

Lurking ...

3puttssuck

744 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1805892 23-Jun-2017 21:59

Ropata: A light circuit will not be rated high enough in most instances. Is there a hot point nearby?

I was thinking this was going to be the answer. No hot point on any wall close unfortunately.

3puttssuck

744 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1805893 23-Jun-2017 22:00

Virgil:

No, you will not be able to loop a power point off a light switch - the wiring size is smaller for light circuits. You will have to loop of an existing power point, or back to the distribution box if this is easier / closer.

Cheers!

Is there any safe / legal way to splice into a power point run?

Ropata

318 posts

Ultimate Geek
Inactive user

#1805897 23-Jun-2017 22:04

In that case, a good sparky should be able to run one up over and join the circuit somewhere with no damage to wall surfaces. Most of them don't try hard enough and just cut holes willy nilly. Sometimes easier to go under floor as there's only the bottom plate to go through then back to the board or the end of the closest circuit.

3puttssuck

744 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1805899 23-Jun-2017 22:08

Ropata: In that case, a good sparky should be able to run one up over and join the circuit somewhere with no damage to wall surfaces. Most of them don't try hard enough and just cut holes willy nilly. Sometimes easier to go under floor as there's only the bottom plate to go through then back to the board or the end of the closest circuit.

I was going to cut a couple of small holes in the gib to drill holes in the nogs then patch & paint. Concrete floor.

gzt

17127 posts

Uber Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#1805902 23-Jun-2017 22:09

In addition, lighting circuits are typically separate from appliance power circuits for good reasons.

There are regulations about where and how cables are run, it's probably better to leave it to a sparky.

AliExpress

Shop now on AliExpress (affiliate link).

tdgeek

29746 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1805905 23-Jun-2017 22:14

Any I have had done, including running fibre, was down the wall, across ceiling, etc. They have long auger drills to go thru noggins and a draw wire down to the hole created for the connection. If you want 2 x 4 outlets, I assume it would be better to run them back to the meter box? Depending what else is drawing on that same line if you had it spliced to an existing run of outlets.

andrewNZ

2487 posts

Uber Geek
Inactive user

#1805908 23-Jun-2017 22:25

You need to involve an electrician NOW.

Any work you do will need the electrician to sign their name to, so you need to find one willing (good luck, many simply won't), and they will likely want to tell you what, where, and how to run it.
It's a pretty big risk signing off other peoples work.

If you just call an electrician when it's all done and ask them to connect it, you will ~~probably~~ get laughed at.

Bung

6485 posts

Uber Geek

Subscriber

#1805914 23-Jun-2017 22:39

Any new powerpoints including additions to existing circuits must be RCD protected. In theory the house owner can do some of the work and have it inspected and connected by an electrician with an inspector's license. In reality unless it is a new build with the wall framing exposed it is difficult to show that the cabling was done correctly.

3puttssuck

744 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1806035 24-Jun-2017 12:16

andrewNZ: You need to involve an electrician NOW.

Any work you do will need the electrician to sign their name to, so you need to find one willing (good luck, many simply won't), and they will likely want to tell you what, where, and how to run it.
It's a pretty big risk signing off other peoples work.

If you just call an electrician when it's all done and ask them to connect it, you will probably get laughed at.

Thanks andrewNZ. I will follow your advice and not mess around with it and call a Sparky. I was just trying to save a couple of bucks.

Wiggum

1199 posts

Uber Geek
Inactive user

#1806038 24-Jun-2017 12:54

3puttssuck:

andrewNZ: You need to involve an electrician NOW.

Any work you do will need the electrician to sign their name to, so you need to find one willing (good luck, many simply won't), and they will likely want to tell you what, where, and how to run it.
It's a pretty big risk signing off other peoples work.

If you just call an electrician when it's all done and ask them to connect it, you will probably get laughed at.

Thanks andrewNZ. I will follow your advice and not mess around with it and call a Sparky. I was just trying to save a couple of bucks.

Bit of an over reaction there from andrewNZ. You certainly wont get laughed at. If you have a mate that is a sparky, then its easy. If not then just publish the work required to nocowboys, and you may even get a recently qualified sparky to come and sign the work off for you. They looking for work all the time, well at least in my area, Kapiti.

I have done exactly what you are proposing. I am not an electrician, but I do know what I am doing, and I learned the basics at Uni.

But connecting to a light circuit is just plain wrong. You would know that if you had a good understanding of basic wiring, and what can/cannot be done.

I have installed a number of plugs throughout my house. Put in all the cabling through to electrician board etc. I could have even connected it myself but the law does not allow me to do this.

It does help if you have a mate that is a sparky. He signed off all my work, was charged mate rates, and then we had a few beers. Every homeowner should have a mate that is a sparky. It saves heaps of bucks.

richms

28177 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1806041 24-Jun-2017 13:36

There are some occasions that they can go on a lighting circuit. From memory it is the height of it and some other things. Queried with my tame sparky once about the socket for my rangehood being on a lighting circuit - which I found out after putting a 2kw wall heater plugged into it and tripping it. It is apparantly fine for that.

Richard rich.ms

Bung

6485 posts

Uber Geek

Subscriber

#1806084 24-Jun-2017 15:40

Wiggum:
Bit of an over reaction there from andrewNZ. You certainly wont get laughed at. If you have a mate that is a sparky, then its easy. If not then just publish the work required to nocowboys, and you may even get a recently qualified sparky to come and sign the work off for you. They looking for work all the time, well at least in my area, Kapiti.

I have done exactly what you are proposing. I am not an electrician, but I do know what I am doing, and I learned the basics at Uni.

But connecting to a light circuit is just plain wrong. You would know that if you had a good understanding of basic wiring, and what can/cannot be done.

I have installed a number of plugs throughout my house. Put in all the cabling through to electrician board etc. I could have even connected it myself but the law does not allow me to do this.

It does help if you have a mate that is a sparky. He signed off all my work, was charged mate rates, and then we had a few beers. Every homeowner should have a mate that is a sparky. It saves heaps of bucks.

The law doesn't allow a regular sparky to sign off your work unless he was present directly supervising the work. Maybe you were thinking of yocowboys.

andrewNZ

2487 posts

Uber Geek
Inactive user

#1806093 24-Jun-2017 15:43

Wiggum:
3puttssuck:

andrewNZ: You need to involve an electrician NOW.

Any work you do will need the electrician to sign their name to, so you need to find one willing (good luck, many simply won't), and they will likely want to tell you what, where, and how to run it.
It's a pretty big risk signing off other peoples work.

If you just call an electrician when it's all done and ask them to connect it, you will probably get laughed at.

Thanks andrewNZ. I will follow your advice and not mess around with it and call a Sparky. I was just trying to save a couple of bucks.

Bit of an over reaction there from andrewNZ. You certainly wont get laughed at. If you have a mate that is a sparky, then its easy. If not then just publish the work required to nocowboys, and you may even get a recently qualified sparky to come and sign the work off for you. They looking for work all the time, well at least in my area, Kapiti.

I have done exactly what you are proposing. I am not an electrician, but I do know what I am doing, and I learned the basics at Uni.

But connecting to a light circuit is just plain wrong. You would know that if you had a good understanding of basic wiring, and what can/cannot be done.

I have installed a number of plugs throughout my house. Put in all the cabling through to electrician board etc. I could have even connected it myself but the law does not allow me to do this.

It does help if you have a mate that is a sparky. He signed off all my work, was charged mate rates, and then we had a few beers. Every homeowner should have a mate that is a sparky. It saves heaps of bucks.

Try calling around, The chance of you finding someone who will connect something they didn't do and can't see is extremely small. Anyone who will, probably shouldn't be an electrician.
Getting someone to connect another electricians work can be hard if the work is hidden in walls etc.

1 | 2