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Strange Electrical Junction box


Andy
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Hi, I just found your forum via someone who wishes to remain anonymous!

Moved to France July 2007 and am slowly getting to grips with the internal decoration of our relatively modern house, built in 1993.

I ventured up into the loft for only the second time today and found this:-

[IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v325/raelsquonk/DSCN6357.jpg[/IMG]

I have not seen it's like in the books I have nor in the DIY barns.

I know I am supposed to have a radial system (sockets etc daisy chained together) but I do not understand the need for this mega Junction Box?

I'd welcome any info on its correct nomenclature in either language.

Cheers

Andy

edit.. do you have a bar on new members posting pictures? The link works fine in "preview"
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Hi and welcome.

That looks like a fine rats nest you've got.  Can't help with that I'm afraid but the picture should have a bit of code like the following to make it display properly. 

I expect someone will be along soon to give advice on the Leccy problem

 

[IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v325/raelsquonk/DSCN6357.jpg[/IMG]

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Slightly more crowded I have to say but if it's any consolation I have 3 similar boxes scattered around my 1979 property.

I only discovered them by accident really when I was trying to trace some wiring using one of those nylon draw line jobbies (can't remember the actual name) and I just kept coming to dead ends. By sheer chance OH happened to hear a scratching noise in the cupboard just inside our front door and when I investigated I found one of these boxes full of choc bloc connectors which had been wallpapered over and subsequently found another 2, both also papered over.

I've checked the security of the connections and I don't think any of it is specifically unsafe but it's an apalling way to do a job and to be honest I'm seriously considering doing a complete rewire at some time in the future.

The worrying thing about your's Andy is that judging by the timber and plasterboard it appears to be a fairly recent construction and it looks as if the whole house is marshalled through it [blink]

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Andy, the box you have is a "boitier de derivation pour combles" or if you like in English it is a loft junction box.

see here

They are very common and I use them sometimes when loft space is available to avoid having wall mounted junction boxes in the house. The one you have has been rather messilly installed and I would never install one that looked like that !

They are used quite a lot by us electricians in new house builds too; In fact if you have a copy of the L'installation Electrique book that everyone seems to talk about, you will see the demonstration of one being used. Although you quite rightly say sockets are often daisy chained, for lighting and switching the methods we use in France mean that junction boxes of any kind are essential in most electrical installations which is mainly to avoid having loads of wires at switches and DCL outlets.

Hope that helps!

Paul

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Thank you all for the replies. If it is usual practice, even though a little untidy, then I will leave well alone.

I have an electrician coming next week I will show hin the picture just to see what comments he will make.

Do you think it is a good idea to have the fiberglass insulation on top of this box as it is currently.

I would like to add more insulation as currently the fiberglass is running over the rafters rather than in between.

Cheers

Andy

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[quote user="Andy"]Thank you all for the replies. If it is usual practice, even though a little untidy, then I will leave well alone.

I have an electrician coming next week I will show hin the picture just to see what comments he will make.

Do you think it is a good idea to have the fiberglass insulation on top of this box as it is currently.

I would like to add more insulation as currently the fiberglass is running over the rafters rather than in between.

Cheers

Andy[/quote]

Can't see why covering with insulation would cause a problem.Maybe marking one of the vertical trusses with an arrow and some indication that an electrical boite is located beneath would help.
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