>-----Original Message----- >From: Matthias Weingart [mailto:[email protected]] >Sent: Tuesday, May 25, 2004 5:25 AM >To: [email protected] >Subject: Re: European wiring question > > >On Tue, May 25, 2004 at 10:08:37AM +0100, John Allen wrote: > >> Thanks for the info - but I am probably not the only one who is a >> little confused as to which of the boxes shown are used >in CEILINGS to >> support light fittings. >> >> Can you point out those used for this purpose? > >I am not a electrical craftman, but what I usually see is, >that the pure >cables are hanging down from the ceiling. Often there is no >hidden box. The >clamps were hidden in the case of the lamp or a small box >arround the cable. >Often the ceilings are made from concrete. It is impossible to >hide a box >there (but the simple drilling for the cable is no problem). > >However it is possible to use in-wall-boxes as like here: >http://www.elektrofachmarkt-online.de/unterputzmaterial.htm >The first ones are used in brick walls (but this is no longer >officially >accepted here), the latter orange ones in walls made of gypsum. >Often the ceiling is taken down and you have a taken down ceiling made >of gypsum or a construction made from wood. The lamps >are integrated in the ceiling and the cables are between the >taken down ceiling and the original ceiling. (I hope you >understand :-). > >If this link does not work look for "Decken" "Gipsplattendecken" >http://www.knauf.de/html/produkte/menue.php?lang=0&lid=1|19|24|25# > >I think you should ask your question in the usenet newsgroup >news:de.sci.ing.elektrotechnik (you can post in english). I am not a >specialist. > >M. >
I'm not an expert on this, but I believe that ceiling boxes can not be made of plastic in the USA. The reason for this is that American construction often provides a simple (cheaper) lighting fixture hung from the box, but consumers often hang much heavier chandeliers, ceiling fans or large lighting fixtures when remodeling. The weight (and vibration) can cause the standard 8-32 box screws to pull out of the plastic box and dangerously drop the heavy fixture. I "think" the NEC also calls for the metal boxes to be firmly attached to the ceiling rafters (typically 2"x4"s), not just supported by the ceiling plaster or drywall sheet. I imagine that the Europeans must have arrived at similar standards for ceiling fixture boxes. Regards, Ed Ed Price [email protected] WB6WSN NARTE Certified EMC Engineer & Technician Electromagnetic Compatibility Lab Cubic Defense Applications San Diego, CA USA 858-505-2780 (Voice) 858-505-1583 (Fax) Military & Avionics EMC Is Our Specialty
