How to find a junction box in the wall?

What is the difficulty of the search?

The main difficulty lies in the fact that it is rather problematic to find a junction box behind decorative wall decoration. It’s one thing when you did it yourself installation of electrical wiring in the apartment and you know where to be, and it’s another matter when you just drove into new housing and have no idea about the location of each electric point.

Another problem is that you need to carefully find and open the box to damage the minimum area of ​​decorative wall decoration. If you accurately determine the location of the object, it will be enough to tear the wallpaper a bit or bring down a layer of decorative plaster, instead of completely destroying the finish of the wall.

How to search for an object?

So, in order to minimize damage to apartment repair and at the same time quickly find a junction box, we recommend that you consider the following tips:

1. In panel houses of the Khrushchevka type, metal containers were installed that fixed the lid with the so-called "ears". These clips are very difficult to disguise and therefore, as a rule, they bulge out of the wallpaper by several centimeters. If you look at the walls of the Khrushchev, you will not be able to find what you are looking for. Also, the installation site of the object can give out characteristic spots of a rusty hue that arise when the metal is corroded.
2. During the construction of "brezhnevka" junction boxes were installed at the junction of walls and ceiling. They looked like voids, covered with a galvanized sheet. It will be difficult to find the junction box in the wall, as builders applied a rather thick layer of putty on top of the galvanized sheet. In this case, it is recommended to use homemade metal detector either special devices for finding electrical wiring in the wall. All you need to do is set up the device and guide it along the wall from a wall outlet (or switch). Focusing on a characteristic sound or light indication, you can quickly track the product.
3. The owners of the "Stalin" to find this electrical point will be able to deaf sound. All you need is to tap the wall at a height of 2.5-3 meters above the outlet or switch (usually the error to the right / left does not exceed 40 cm).
4. You can find the junction box in the apartment based on the standard requirements for electrical work: the product is installed at a height of 15 cm from the ceiling strictly above sockets or switches.
   

   Correct marking of walls for electrical wiring

5. In more modern buildings, plastic containers are used, which also protrude slightly from the wall. Most often, the owners of apartments put up with a slight violation of the interior and seal the protruding lid with wallpaper. In this case, the search is not difficult.
6. If you need to find a junction box under the drywall, you will have to use a professional device, as a home-made metal detector will respond to the profile frame to which the sheets are attached.
7. If you are sure that the container is closed with a lid of metal, you can try to find it using a conventional magnet or compass.
8. The concrete wall of a panel house can be checked with an ordinary indicator screwdriver, if you lead it from the outlet straight up. The brightness of the bulb will help you find the approximate location of the node. If the junction box will be searched from the switch, use it to increase the signal. If you decide to look for a point from the outlet, connect any electrical appliance to it.

That's all the methods to quickly and at the same time correctly find the junction box in the wall. We hope that our tips have helped you in this event!

We also recommend that you watch visual video instructions:

Related materials:

• How to find a short circuit in the wiring
• How to replace wiring in an apartment
• Why does the outlet spark when turning on the appliance