Switch Heights

Risteard81 · 13-08-2020 8:29pm #1

Does anyone know precisely when the current switch/socket heights became mandatory?

The scenario is a reconnection of an installation constructed (badly) in 2001.

Amongst a myriad of other issues the switches are all at a height of approximately 1600mm (or slightly higher).

Tuco88 · 13-08-2020 11:55pm

I can't remember those hights in the old 3rd edition (Yellow Book) I dumped it years ago I should have held on to it....

I would think they came in with the red 4th edition etci rules.

meercat · 14-08-2020 7:14am

Risteard81 wrote: »

Does anyone know precisely when the current switch/socket heights became mandatory?

The scenario is a reconnection of an installation constructed (badly) in 2001.

Amongst a myriad of other issues the switches are all at a height of approximately 1600mm (or slightly higher).

sockets between 400mm-1200
switches between 400mm-1200mm
distribution board max height top 2.25mts/min height bottom 1.4mts

For a reconnection the regulations aren’t retrospective.

Sorry I read your op wrong. Not sure when the current regs were introduced

14-08-2020 7:41am

I wired a house before the 4th edition of ET101. I think it was introduced around 2001.

Risteard81 · 14-08-2020 9:33am

2011 wrote: »

I wired a house before the 4th edition of ET101. I think it was introduced around 2001.

Interesting. So would the existing heights (as well as being awful) be wrong?

14-08-2020 5:50pm

Risteard81 wrote: »

Interesting. So would the existing heights (as well as being awful) be wrong?

I would argue that they are. My logic is that the rules that were in place at the time should have been complied with. I will try to find out what year I wired that house in. I remember this was the first house I wired when the new heights were a requirement and it resulted in a row.

Risteard81 · 14-08-2020 6:38pm

2011 wrote: »

I would argue that they are. My logic is that the rules that were in place at the time should have been complied with. I will try to find out what year I wired that house in. I remember this was the first house I wired when the new heights were a requirement and it resulted in a row.

Cheers. That would be very helpful as I don't want them to think I'm pulling a fast one.

14-08-2020 6:48pm

I just got the guy on the phone. The house was built in 2002.
I’m just wondering if this was a building regulation originally that was subsequently reflected in the regulations?

I remember at the time it was my brother that made me aware of this new requirement (he wired the house with me). I will see if he remembers how he became aware of it.

15-08-2020 12:12pm

Tuco88 wrote: »

I can't remember those hights in the old 3rd edition (Yellow Book)

It looks like you are correct.
I just found a copy of the 3rd edition as well as amendment no. 1 which was issued in 2001.
I don't see any mention of switch heights in either. I would expect this to be the relevant page:

Risteard81 · 15-08-2020 10:44pm

2011 wrote: »

It looks like you are correct.
I just found a copy of the 3rd edition as well as amendment no. 1 which was issued in 2001.
I don't see any mention of switch heights in either. I would expect this to be the relevant page:

I appreciate your help with this. Looks like I can't state that the heights are incorrect (although certainly less than ideal). There are a whole host of other issues with the installation which need corrected though.

dathi · 16-08-2020 10:21am

building regulations part M (2000)

1.29 Door handles should be located at a height of 900 mm to 1200 mm above floor level. Electric light switches should be located at a similar height.

came into force for all work started after jan 1 2001

16-08-2020 11:17am

dathi wrote: »

building regulations part M (2000)

1.29 Door handles should be located at a height of 900 mm to 1200 mm above floor level. Electric light switches should be located at a similar height.

came into force for all work started after jan 1 2001

That makes sense (in post #8 above I was suggesting that this may have been a building regulation).

Risteard81 · 16-08-2020 12:35pm

dathi wrote: »

building regulations part M (2000)

1.29 Door handles should be located at a height of 900 mm to 1200 mm above floor level. Electric light switches should be located at a similar height.

came into force for all work started after jan 1 2001

Thanks. But I can't really enforce it as an electrical Rule then as obviously certification is pertaining to the Wiring Rules. Perhaps the building was designed before then and not subject to the new Building Regulation? It's not something I'm terribly happy with but they don't really want to do any work which they don't actually have to do in order to have it certified.

Unfortunately many seem to hold the view that having a house recertified is straightforward and merely a formality. The concept that certification requires compliance seems to elude them!

16-08-2020 1:54pm

There may have been an amendment to the rules to reflect this building regulation. I know it was not the first amendment to the 3rd edition (as I have it) but it could have been a subsequent one.

Just thinking back: I installed switches in public buildings in the nineties including the civic offices in Dublin and in buildings for DIT and even back then the current height was applied (not in domestic installations at that stage).

Risteard81 · 16-08-2020 2:10pm

2011 wrote: »

There may have been an amendment to the rules to reflect this building regulation. I know it was not the first amendment to the 3rd edition (as I have it) but it could have been a subsequent one.

Just thinking back: I installed switches in public buildings in the nineties including the civic offices in Dublin and in buildings for DIT and even back then the current height was applied (not in domestic installations at that stage).

I suspect it may have been adopted in public buildings in advance of a formal requirement for domestic dwellings. Obviously buildings open to the public couldn't argue that they didn't want or need it as it is entirely conceivable that someone in a wheelchair may wish to enter.

It's funny how odd old heights look nowadays. You get used to the new accessible heights. Strangely the socket-outlets are all at 400mm in the building - just the switches etc. which are high.

LenWoods · 19-08-2020 9:45am

I recently raised all of my downstairs switches to 145cm from the floor to the bottom of the switch plate as part of home improvements, i was repainting the rooms and being 6ft tall i found the original locations less comfortable,
have i created a problem by doing this; how much is the rule per say a law?

also please excuse the Ikea Mat temporary flooring in the third picture, the grey mats were the cheapest temporary covering I could source and can be disposed of weekly in a domestic wheelie bin when finished with; which meant I could get rid of the original flooring along with everything else in the one skip rather than purchasing a second skip at a later date; the matts worked out cheaper than hiring a second skip to dispose of the flooring.

anyway; back to main topic.
thanks

19-08-2020 11:00am

^^^ What you have done is move the switches to a height that is above the regulation height. I would advise that you comply with the regulations.

[Deleted User] · 19-08-2020 11:03am

Talk about making work for yourself!

Risteard81 · 19-08-2020 10:05pm

LenWoods wrote: »

I recently raised all of my downstairs switches to 145cm from the floor to the bottom of the switch plate as part of home improvements, i was repainting the rooms and being 6ft tall i found the original locations less comfortable,
have i created a problem by doing this; how much is the rule per say a law?

also please excuse the Ikea Mat temporary flooring in the third picture, the grey mats were the cheapest temporary covering I could source and can be disposed of weekly in a domestic wheelie bin when finished with; which meant I could get rid of the original flooring along with everything else in the one skip rather than purchasing a second skip at a later date; the matts worked out cheaper than hiring a second skip to dispose of the flooring.

anyway; back to main topic.
thanks

As @2011 has pointed out, what you have done is not permissible.

dathi · 20-08-2020 10:06am

this is taken from building regs TGDs part m 2010

3.5.1 Objective The objective is that switches and socket outlets should be located at accessible heights and are easy to operate in the accessible areas of a dwelling.

3.5.2 Switches and sockets Electric light switches in accessible areas should be located at a height between 900 mm to 1200 mm above floor level

so from a building reg perspective he cannot raise the switches in the downstairs rooms as they are regarded as accessible areas of the home. however the upstairs rooms are not classed as accessible areas so could be raised

20-08-2020 11:12am

dathi wrote: »

so from a building reg perspective he cannot raise the switches in the downstairs rooms as they are regarded as accessible areas of the home. however the upstairs rooms are not classed as accessible areas so could be raised

Yes but the electrical regulations for switch heights apply throughout the installation, not just downstairs. So the fact that the building regulations only apply downstairs is of no consequence.

Switch Heights

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