Home constuction/code question

[Spelunking]

My girlfriend bought a new townhome almost a year ago, she wanted me to switch out the lighting in her downstairs bathroom yesterday, it came with the standard 4 lightbulb chrome thing that you see in EVERY house. I took it off and noticed that it's just screwed into the drywall, no outlet box, or whatever you call it. The wiring is just poking through the drywall, they cut a 2" by 6-7" hole and just pulled the wire through. Is there a building code that requires a outlet box at every source, or is that just a "nice" thing builders do?

I can't hang the new lighting as it's too heavy to just screw into drywall, it needs a better foundation, at least I think it does.

Thanks,

[Rich]

The whole point of the outlet box is to contain any sparks that may occur at the wire transitions. If they are housed inside of the light, its not an issue.

Of course, I do everything on my house by myself and I go by the code of common sense.

[Spelunking]

Thanks. Wouldn't make more sense to have a box at every connection?

[TIM TIM TIM]

then your going to see an outlet up on your wall.. itll be fine, thats how 99% of them are done.. hardwired in and tucked up in the light fixture. Go to home depot, buy some drywall anchors (bigger ones that you screw in, white in color) they claim they can hold 50 lbs, put one wherever there is going to be a screw and itll be good.

[Serbonze]

This is a picture of the anchor that Tim mentioned.

http://www.robinsonswoodcrafts.com/images/Products/threadeddrywallanchors.gif

They are GREAT and come in 30lb and 50lb versions. That is the total weight that one anchor will hold.

This picture below is what I found in my kitchen, to my surprise, when I removed an under-cabinet light.

[Spelunking]

I've used plenty of anchors. I reason why I say it won't be able to hold it is because the light fixture uses an adapter plate that mounts to the wall. The plate is barely wider than the hole created to pull the wire through. Using an anchor, or not using one, there's not enough dry wall underneath where you're screwing in the anchor to support anything.

Also, there's no stud behind that spot, so I can't mount a new outlet box, unless you don't need one and I'm a complete moron. Any advice?

[1BADP71]

pics of light ?

[Spelunking]

I meant to get them earlier, I'll have to post them on Weds when I head back over there. Thanks for the help!

[Young,Fablous,&Broke]

pics of girlfriend?

[Spelunking]

Hahaha, see profile

[TIM TIM TIM]

exactly the anchor I was talkng about...
That deal with your undercabinet light really isnt THAT shocking to me, I cant believe some of the stuff people get away with doing.

[Serbonze]

If the hole is too big, and there is not enough drywall you have a few other options. You can patch the hole with new drywall or use an "old construction" junction box. You can find the junction boxes at Lowes or Home Depot. They are typically blue or orange plastic.

http://www.smarthome.com/images/25411_big.jpg

Here is a link to a brief explanation and installation:

http://www.hammerzone.com/archives/elect/rough_in/remodel/j_boxes/wall2x4/01/thick_wall.htm

I repalced a similar light in my bathroom, and ran into the same problem as my kitchen. The wire was just hanging out of the wall. At the time, I didn't know about the plastic anchors, so I cut out a hole, installed a 2x4 and mounted one of these junction boxes to it. Then I patched the hole and installed the light.

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a245/Serbonze/Home%20Improvement/Upstairs%20Guest%20Bath/Light20Before.jpg

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a245/Serbonze/Home%20Improvement/Upstairs%20Guest%20Bath/Light20After.jpg

[Spelunking]

Sweet! That's exactly what I'm doing for my gf's house. She picked out some 3 light deal like that, but I really like the lighting you put up, who makes that one?

[Serbonze]

I'm not sure of the manufacturer, but I picked it up from Home Depot. I think they still have it. The small squares in front of each light can hold different colored pieces of glass. Mine came with yellow and blue. Neither matched the paint in the room, so I just left them out.

Here are two more pics of the support that I installed. I really wish I had known about the anchors and the junction boxes, but you live and learn!

[Spelunking]

I appreciate it, thanks again