Bathroom cabinet, sconce install--old work! Help!

[garyofnyc]

Hi all;

Pics of work here
Gary Krauss - misc photos

I'm installing a new medicine cabinet and a small sconce in my old NYC bathroom. The walls are lath and plaster, and I have already removed the 1940's cabinet that was recessed. I sheet rocked up the hole, and want to use the original sconce electrical mount and keep the 2 socket outlet that's already on the wall. I cannot open the wall to do any work, and I don't want to/cant replace any of the ancient wiring that exists. The cabinet is a wall-mount unit and has built in lights and a single socket, prewired by the manufacturer with two pairs and a ground wire that I need to connect to power as well. Without ripping out all electric and replacing/re-running wiring (not allowed by building), how can I safely wire the cabinet, wall sconce and existing outlet? Thanks in advance!

[Pulpo]

There are various types of extender boxes available. It's basically a wall mount junction box.

[ray2047]

Given the liability I'm not sure he should do anything and he did say New York City. Call the landlord and get permission to hire an electrician at your cost is about the only solution.

If you were to add a cord set to it you would violate the original UL rating. The suggested extender box if you did it would be unlicensed electrical work without a permit. Think of the potential liability civil and criminal if there was a fire even if it was not directly caused by your work. How could you prove it wasn't?

[ArgMeMatey]

Originally Posted by garyofnyc

...I cannot open the wall to do any work
... I don't want to/cant replace any of the ancient wiring that exists.

...Without ripping out all electric and replacing/re-running wiring (not allowed by building), how can I safely wire the cabinet, wall sconce and existing outlet?

Have you heard the phrase "Mutually exclusive"?

Well, you've already gotten the warnings that you expected. Because you live in NYC, in an old building, you have a potential liability exposure for any work you do, besides the threat of Don Corleone's electrician leaving a horse's head in your bed.

I don't live in New York. I wouldn't advise anybody to mess with old wiring anywhere, because it gets brittle and once the insulation starts cracking and flaking off, you're going to have bigger fish, or should I say framing, to fry! Nobody can look at your photos and judge what is or is not safe, regardless of the jurisdiction. Small bathrooms are a lousy place to experiment with electricity. You already know all that, right?

That said, a solution that might approach compliance would be to:

1. Shut off the power. Disconnect the surface outlet and toss it in a drawer.
2. Put a Wiremold extension ring over the octagon box.
3. Run Wiremold to a suitable spot for a GFCI receptacle.
4. Put another wiremold box in that spot and mount your GFCI there. Or, maybe there's a wiremold box that is capable of mounting over an octagon box AND has room for a GFCI recep.
5. Use the feed-through terminals on the GFCI recep to feed your cabinet lights & recep. To do this you would have to find a compliant way of getting from the surface-mounted Wiremold system into the wiring area of your cabinet fixture. If that fixture has a 1/2" knockout somewhere that might be easy. If not, you'll have to figure something out.
6. Turn the power back on.

[garyofnyc]

Thank you guys. I'll take the photos and your advice to the hardware store and pick up what I need. Much appreciated.