Underfloor Junction Boxes ... again

[Vic55]

Found this forum (just joined) whilst seeking some clarification on some work (DIY) I am planning to undertake in my house. It concerns, primarily the useage and siting of ... yes junction boxes.

I know there have been other threads on this but having read some of them I'm still not sure of the conclusion... if there even was one.

In the course of planning to add a couple of additional sockets to a ring I have found a couple of instances where I'm sure the regs are breached ( and the existing work was done around 2001 as far as I know by a "professional" spark).

Under a floor I have found an unsecured 30A junction box in line with the ring, from this JB there are 2 unfused spurs, one to a twin 13A socket and the other to a twin and then on to a single - that's def not right. My plan was to change the feed to the twin plus single to go via a fused outlet thus converting it to
a fused spur. The other twin socket spur I would leave in the JB.

However with current regs I now run into the inaccessible JB dilemma ( sorry to bring it up again).

Whilst I ponder my options, I wanted to ask if anyine knows if there is an official route to query the suitability of the "Ashley maintenance free JB" for inaccessible locations?

I've read the various other threads (well some of them) on this and can see both sides of the arguments being put.

Also I've a strong suspicion from direction of cable and location of some of the other sockets that there are probably a couple of other underfloor JBs in the existing install.

What do the regs say about pre-exisitng items that were OK under the 16th but no longer allowed under the 17th?

Vic
(this looks to be a really helpful forum and very useful for my planned work).

 

[holmslaw]

..

 

[sparkwright]

Reality, ie ignoring the regs, there is no reason in modern wiring why there should be any hidden junction boxes.

Reality is there will always be the need to alter wiring.

 

[RF Lighting]

And there is always a way to alter wiring without the need to install a hidden joint box.

Using a hidden joint box might be the easiest way to do the job, but easiest isn't alawys best.

 

[Vic55]

And there is always a way to alter wiring without the need to install a hidden joint box.

Using a hidden joint box might be the easiest way to do the job, but easiest isn't alawys best.

Thanks - I'm not necessarily after the easiest way - I haven't ruled out a solution without a hidden JB - I can think of a
couple of ways one will be more intrusive visually the other a bit of a PITA to carry out.

I'm torn three ways:
1 most aesthetic (to please the missus),
2 technically safe (to please my concience) and
3 formally correct (to conform to IEE).
I know where I stand on the first two, it's the last one that seems to be, let
us say, borderline depending upon whose opinion/interpretation I take.

Of course that still leaves a possible remining couple of JB's elsewhere that I haven't located yet... they're hidden