Advice from an electrician please?

1337_KR3W

1337_KR3W

1337_KR3W

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Cornwall
Hi,

I have a friend renting a house, who is concerned that a light switch is positioned dangerously within her property.
I've attached a picture below, it is only a few inches from the kitchen sink, and also in a position where driving rain can land on it when the door is opened.

Is she right to be concerned? Her letting agency have told her that the house has passed an electrical safety check and therefore the switch is safe, but if the opinion is that it isn't I don't mind paying for her to have a sparky out to condemn it so that they have to do something about it and keep her and her family safe.

lightswitch800.jpg

high res
 
as it's a modern house, rented has to pass tests not like a standard house so would already be done tbh, but no i wouldn't like it there either
 
I may be wrong but I'm not sure there are hard and fast rules but guidance of being over a certain distance from a sink (300mm?) and a distance up off the worktop (150mm?) and some common sense

If she's not slinging water about (I also see a toaster on the worktop?) and shuts the door when there's driving rain then .........

That said it looks like its been slapped there for ease / cost rather than on the wall which would need more obtrusive and costly wiring and I wouldn't be happy with it especially if there are young kids in the house
 
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Efour - it's a close family friend who I wouldn't want to see come to any harm, and if it has to be condemned I'll pursue the letting agency to get the callout fee back.

Davido - wires run out the back of the box, behind the carcass below the sink. Assume they then run up within the dry lining on the reveal, but haven't ripped the kitchen apart to look. Again, only an assumption - but if the wires are behind the box and the silicone fails around the sink then any water on the worktop could leak onto and run down the wires into the box.

Appreciate it if anyone replying who is a qualified electrician could make it clear in their reply so that I know I'm not just throwing money away getting one out for her.
 
Yeah, that's what I was going to say, I'd be more bothered about water running down the backs, onto the wires (as it's below the water will run down into the box)

Hmmmm, maybe post on a diy type forum, seems dodgy to me in all honesty ?
 
Left my 17th edition at work. There are rules about distances from water sources for the bathroom certainly, but i cant remember what it says about kitchens. It's definitely not a smart place to put a switch.
Honestly I don't think anyone going to take any action on it, best you can do is make sure there's a RCD on there and the suggestion for an ingress protected box is a good one too, just make sure the gland on the penetration is a tight fit.
 
its fine, I have 2 'spare' 13amp runs, terminating in a similar position (was going to back light the breakfast bar)

these are both live as we speak, and about the same distance from the sink as yours,

mine is a refurb/new extension done 2 years ago, when 17th edition was in effect.

and was passed ;)
 
A quick look at the 17th Electrical Reg, there is nothing, but in part P it mentions a minimum distance of 300mm is advisable, but that's only a recommendation.

I presume it's a 2g light switch, so why didn't they use a 2g architrave switch higher up.

EDIT: Lewism , forgot to mention that.:o
 
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Nightglow said:
A quick look at the 17th Electrical Reg, there is nothing, but in part P it mentions a minimum distance of 300mm is advisable, but that's only a recommendation.

I presume it's a 2g light switch, so why didn't they use a 2g architrave switch higher up.
Click to expand...

Sink isn't classed as a zone so normal rules apply.

What is it actually switching? kitchen light/outside light/ If the cable going in to the back of the box looks in good condition and enter the pattress with no cores showing then a bit of silicone to seal the back will do. (more peace of mind than anything) What consumer unit is in the house? Is it rcd protected? Location isn't the best but again it could have been there for yonks and just had a new switch put on it. Regs aren't retrospective.

Driving rain is a non issue. The door shouldn't be open long enough for it to saturate the switch to the point of water shorting out the circuit. Personally wouldn't worry about it. If you are that bothered about it ask for a copy of the safety certificate and in writing where you've raised the question and had that answer. Keep a copy of the photo and the above in a document somewhere so if something does happen you'll have a decent claim.

(all just my opinion, not technical advice)
 
Might not be ideal to have a switch there but i wouldn't worry too much tbh, you could probably pour a glass of water right on top of that switch and it would be ok. (obviously not recommended :) )

Had jobs where the fire brigade have hosed the place down and the elecs are still ok, no water ingress etc

If you have rcd protection on that circuit then i wouldn't worry at all

In general, just treat elecs with respect and all will be ok, abuse/mistreat them and you will get problems.
 
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