# Forum Home Renovation Electrical  Is it legal to use junction box inside wall

## ecsk

I'm renovating my bathroom and want to move a power point to a different location.  Instead of replacing existing cable with longer one,  I want to extend it using junction box, I think it is quite safe but is this legal ?  
p.s.  Don't tell me to call a qualified electrician  :Biggrin:

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## rrobor

It is not recomended that you put a junction box in a point you can not find after the job is done. The reason being if you dont connect it correctly you have a fault you cant get at. But in saying that what you are doing doesnt pass code anyways so if you make absolutely certain of your wiring then who is going to know.

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## m6sports

its not a good idea  :No:  
just replace the cable for a new one its not that hard  
BTW its ilegal anyways as a junction box needs to be in a position that it can be accesed easily

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## Gooner

Don't want to hijack the thread, but I asked an electrician a similar question when installing my bathroom mirror. The mirror has a demisted glued to the back of it so that the mirror will not fog up. It is attached to the fan circuit. No transformer, so direct 240V to the demister.  
I punched a hole through the tiles and asked about how the thin demister wires were to be connected to cable fromthe fan switch. He said the proper way is to use a junction box and place in the hole in the wall behind the mirror. 
The mirror is then glued to the tiles in such a way as that to remove it means breaking it, so certainly not "easy" to access the junction box in any way. 
Certainly this must be legal. What is the alternative?

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## GeoffW1

> I'm renovating my bathroom and want to move a power point to a different location. Instead of replacing existing cable with longer one, I want to extend it using junction box, I think it is quite safe but is this legal ?  
> p.s. Don't tell me to call a qualified electrician

  Hi, 
What is often done is to put a blank cover plate where the old GPO was and wire from there. They are quite unobtrusive. Could you put a cupboard or shelf there to hide it a bit? 
Cheers

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## ecsk

> just replace the cable for a new one its not that hard

  It's not always easy,  at least in my case.  
I can not find an easy way to fish the other end of the cable out, it could be fixed in the wall stub somehow,  unless I rip out the other wall board.

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## elkangorito

The only thing in the regs I could find regarding equipment availability/accessibility, is as follows:   

> 1.4.46 Electrical equipment (definition). 
> 1.7.2 Installation work practice.
> In order to address the essential requirement of Clause 1.7.1, electrical equipment shall be installed in accordance with safe and sound work practices including the following considerations:
> (c) Adequate and safe access or working space is provided to equipment
> requiring operation or maintenance.

  A J-box is considered to be "electrical equipment".

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## peter321

Hi,
Answer is no,  a junction is not allowed where access is not available.
Best to change the cable so there are no joins.  Less joins means less problems. 
Peter (Licensed Electrician)

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## elkangorito

> Hi,
> Answer is no,  a junction is not allowed where access is not available.
> Best to change the cable so there are no joins.  Less joins means less problems. 
> Peter (Licensed Electrician)

  Hi Peter, 
Could you please cite the ruling that indicates this?

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## Frediko

i know you said you didn't want to hear it.....but fact of the matter is.....an electrician is LICENSED and for these very reasons. besides, you could save a lot of time writing this thread if you do the LEGAL thing and get an electrician to do it. wouldn't cost that much for one powerpoint to be moved. Do it wrong, and you'll end up paying a hell of a lot more later.

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## elkangorito

It is not illegal to install a J-box in an inaccessible area. 
It is, however, a very bad idea for the reasons pointed out by others.

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