Light switches and plugs mounted on wood

[Leecatt]

I need to issue a certificate of compliance for an old house built in 1937.
I am upgrading as best I can.
The light switches are mounted on the wooden door frames and the plug socket outlets are mounted in the wooden skirting frames and there are no steel recepticals.
What are the regs around this?
Technically the wires don't pass through the wood, the terminals are beyond the wood.
There really is no room to put a steel box either.

[Derlyn]

In my book, it's a pass. No box needed.

Often here on the coast, metal boxes rust away and the plugs and switches hang loose.

My remedy is to replace the plugs and switches with those that can accomodate hilty's in their corners. I don't replace boxes. I mount the plugs and switches with 4 nail in anchors. ( hiltys).

[Leecatt]

In my book, it's a pass. No box needed.

Often here on the coast, metal boxes rust away and the plugs and switches hang loose.

My remedy is to replace the plugs and switches with those that can accomodate hilty's in their corners. I don't replace boxes. I mount the plugs and switches with 4 nail in anchors. ( hiltys).

Thank you for that, I do understand what you're saying. Your remounting a plug onto a wall. My main concern with my own situation is with the presence of the wood. Do you think that maybe a concern that it is mounted onto the wood?

[Derlyn]

No concern at all. What if it's a timber frame house ?

[Tradie]

Looking at the pictures, the building might have been built in 1937, the wiring is certainly not from 1937 wasnt done in 1937, twin an earth has only been around since the 80's and the crabtree and lumex plug and light switch certainly wasnt installe din 1937.

Have you looked in the roof space, I would bet that the old steel split conduit was cut off at the top and hopefully the person who rewired it at least slide 20 mm conduits over the old pipes with some srt of sealer and fitted round or extension boxes on top.

These pictures would tell me that if there is still steel pipe in the roof space, ther eare open wiries with connectors blocks.

I would also guess that ther eis an 18 way surface DB over the hole wher ethe old fuse box was removed.

It is these kind of challenges, that motivate, why I tell customers to get me to check the house before they sign the sale agreement.

There are people who would issuse a COC and make the same statement about it being built in 1937, which would result in a investigation, the AIA would have to be called in to do a report and it would become a long drawn out expensive waste of time.

I would suggest the buyer get a price reduction and rewire the entire property before they move in.

For those who are might be reading this post, because they intend buying a property, this is agood example of why you should be get someone to check property before yo usign anything. you arei n for tens of thousands of rands to ugrade this kind of installation.

Post more pics so we can see other parts.