I’m chasing wall light wire into the living room as part of a renovation. The light is to be in the centre of the wall and it’s sods law that vertically up from the centre point of the wall (where the light is going) there is a joist at the top making the cable run a little inconvenient.

Once the wire enters the permitted zone 120mm along the top of the wall, can it do a quick wiggle by about 65mm horizontally and back to vertical (all within the permitted cabling zone) to then come out between the joists? if not I’ll have to reconsider the wall light location.

It’s not good practice but it is allowed. Also its 150mm along the top of the wall.
Probably worth mentioning I am a NICEIC Domestic installer.

Cheers, Faz

Thanks mancubas. it’s one of those tricky situations really – have the light in the “wrong” place, or have the cable doing something slightly out of the ordinary. I can’t really see an alternative. At least I know that I can at least do it even if it isn’t “best practice”.

Can’t you just move the light to line the cable up vertically with the edge of the joist?

Even though it is in the zone, I would use metal capping and earth it.

In answer to the OP, yes that is fine. Are you extending an additional circuit or adding a new circuit? Adding a new circuit is notifiable to Building control. If it is an addition, you can comply with Part P of the building regs by having an electrician inspect and test it, then issue a minor electrical installation works certificate. A new circuit is notifiable and must be tested by a suitable qualified electrician.

It is a new circuit as I’m doing a complete rewire. So yes it is all notifiable 😉 Have already got it in hand building control and already spoken to their people who they sub out to for electrical inspections.

Yep, it’s quite alright to do what you are asking no problem. Don’t bother with the as mentioned metal capping though, complete waste of time and money, plastic capping will do the job, it’s only there to protect the cables from being damaged when plastering.