Electrical question

Status
Not open for further replies.

CU

Platinum Member
Aug 14, 2000
2,416
51
91
My wife wants me to replace the Hollywood style strip lighting in our bathroom. The problem is there is not a box to mount a light to. The current light doesn't require one. The light itself is the box. The problem with an old work box is that a pvc pipe, maybe a vent pipe, is dead center of the mirror it will mount above. I can think of two solutions which don't involve cutting the pipe.

1. I may can slide a 1/2 inch piece of wood between the wall board and pipe then screw the board to the wall board. Then screw a pancake box to that piece of wood which is now over the pipe.

2. What if I mount a painted, rounded edges, nice looking board to the studs, but on top of the wall board. Then recess mount a pancake box in that board. The board would look like a frame or molding that the light is mounted to?

Does either break any wiring codes?

P.S. If someone knows a good electrical diy forum let me know.
 

Modelworks

Lifer
Feb 22, 2007
16,240
7
76
You can surface mount a box any way you want to and it will be fine with the codes as long as you have all the wiring inside the box .
 

CU

Platinum Member
Aug 14, 2000
2,416
51
91
You can surface mount a box any way you want to and it will be fine with the codes as long as you have all the wiring inside the box .

Cool that clears my #2 option. What about #1? It would not be surface mounted to the outside of the wall, but to a flat board flush against the backside of the wall board. the board would be screwed to the wall board not the studs.
 

CU

Platinum Member
Aug 14, 2000
2,416
51
91

Squisher

Lifer
Aug 17, 2000
21,204
66
91
Before you get too far, won't a single point source for a light over bathroom mirror be insufficient? I have four sconces over my mirror and I wish there were room for sidelights on each side of the mirror.

Maybe you could duplicate the situation with some sort of temp light?
 

CU

Platinum Member
Aug 14, 2000
2,416
51
91
do you have a pic of the box

What box the box the light game in from the store? Or the electrical box. I don't have an electrical box yet. But something like I linked to in my last is what I need.
 
Last edited:

CU

Platinum Member
Aug 14, 2000
2,416
51
91
Before you get too far, won't a single point source for a light over bathroom mirror be insufficient? I have four sconces over my mirror and I wish there were room for sidelights on each side of the mirror.

Maybe you could duplicate the situation with some sort of temp light?

I am actually doing this in two bathrooms. The hall bathroom has a 3 light strip light that I am replacing with another light that has 3 lights. The master bathroom has a 8 light strip light that I am replacing with a light that has 6 lights. I think it will be OK.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.