Terminating electrical wiring

Discussion in 'Electricians' Talk' started by Leo_rossini, Mar 28, 2017.

  1. Leo_rossini

    Leo_rossini New Member

    IMG_2362.JPG IMG_2361.JPG Hi there I recently removed a old electric heater from a bedroom wall and am now in the process of having the walls replatered, the wiring that the heater was connected to was in one box and the wiring from that went to a fuse connection unit about 6" away from that. The wiring that connected the fuse connection box to the heater were removed as they just went from the one box to another but the fuse connection box has 2 red wires 2 black wires and an a single earth wire still in it that are all live. I told that apart from removing that cable cable would be difficult because no one knows where it goes so just to place each bare end of the wires into connection strips. I just wanted anybody's advice before it's all boarded over to make sure it's safe I have drawn a basic diagram of how it looked before and after. Thanks - Leo.
     
  2. bright_Spark

    bright_Spark Screwfix Select

    No it isn't safe to plaster a live cable into the wall, you may leave it like that with a blanc face plate over it, you must not just plaster over it. If you want to plaster it in the wall get it disconnected or at least get it under the floor and terminate it into a junction box where you can deal with it after your plastering is finished.
     
    Leo_rossini and CGN like this.
  3. candoabitofmoststuff

    candoabitofmoststuff Screwfix Select

    Speaking as a DIYer, If that diagram is accurate, it looks to me like you had a ring and have now broken it...
    What you have left should, (probably... the circuit needs careful examining to be sure), have the two red cables connected to each other, and the two black ones connected to each other.
    I assume they were connected to each other on the input side of the FCU?

    Regards,

    Cando
     
    Leo_rossini likes this.
  4. bright_Spark

    bright_Spark Screwfix Select

    It needs checking out by a spark first, but well spotted..
     
  5. Leo_rossini

    Leo_rossini New Member

    IMG_2363.JPG
    Yes you are right, The two reds, blacks and earth were together in the original FCU, I have connected them into separate connecters. Is that safe? Or should u put the two blacks, reds and earths together in the connectors? Thanks Leo. (Like this?)
     
  6. bright_Spark

    bright_Spark Screwfix Select

    If it was already together then put them as your drawing shows, otherwise you may have created a problem by breaking your circuit. I would strongly recommend getting a spark out to sort this out properly for you. It cannot be plastered in the wall like this
     
  7. Leo_rossini

    Leo_rossini New Member

    Hi, the main wires were wired into the fcu like this and then had a cable with one black one red and one earth running into it from the other socket. Those wires were removed. But the wires that were left were already together. Door know how much it would cost for an electrician to check it? And is it safe for now, I'm too scared to go to sleep now . And I won't be plastering it in now it will have a blank plate fitted
     
  8. Leo_rossini

    Leo_rossini New Member

    IMG_2364.JPG
    The cables circled in green are what remain.

     
  9. chippie244

    chippie244 Super Member

    It is safe for now and you're not going to burn your house down but it needs doing properly.
     
  10. Leo_rossini

    Leo_rossini New Member

    Thank you
     
  11. chippie244

    chippie244 Super Member

    You've probably broken a ring circuit and you can't just leave live wires in a wall where anybody could drill through them but at the moment it isn't dangerous and a sparks can sort it out.
     
  12. Leo_rossini

    Leo_rossini New Member

    How bad is it that the ring is broken? Is that from not grouping the red, black and earth wires together but individually or thar I removed the other cable that wasn't attached to anything? Thanks again
     
  13. chippie244

    chippie244 Super Member

    It may be that that is a spur and the ring isn't broken as presumably everything else is working but you can't leave live wires in a wall at random.
    I'm not a sparks so listen to their advice.
     
  14. bright_Spark

    bright_Spark Screwfix Select

    It could well be dangerous, If you have broken the ring, it will most likely be on a 32A breaker and as such your overloading your cables which is not a good situation, you need a sparky in to sort it out for you. You are trying to save a few pounds in doing something you don't understand.
     
  15. bright_Spark

    bright_Spark Screwfix Select

    Just seen your earlier post, ok then if you are going to leave it in a box in the wall, disconnect the supply from the circuit and join the two red wires together, the two black wires together and the two earths together, at least this way you have restored the ring and your fuse will protect the cables.
     
  16. Joe95

    Joe95 Screwfix Select

    Leo, you can't break a ring because it's dangerous to do so. Reason being, even if the cable was put in the most optimal place, it's max current would be around 27 Amps, but that'll be on a 32A breaker. The MCB won't trip at 32A, it'll allow more - this means you could have a significant overload on the cable, which could start a fire.

    I would suggest installing a blank plate over the backbox, and use 'Wago' connectors to complete the ring. Our hosts sell Wago connectors. An example of joining a ring can be found in this post: http://community.screwfix.com/threads/extending-ring-mains.186706/#post-1498945

    Remember to sleeve the earth wire!
     
  17. candoabitofmoststuff

    candoabitofmoststuff Screwfix Select

    From the original post...
    A single earth wire may also be cause for concern... There should be two. (Maybe there are two, twisted into one piece of sleeving?) Now bearing in mind that under normal circumstances, (i.e. with no faults present), the earth wire doesn't have current flowing in it, this isn't something that should cause you to not sleep tonight... but it does indicate that you should really get a qualified electrician in to test things properly.

    Regards,

    Cando
     
  18. unphased

    unphased Screwfix Select

    Cheap skate DIY'ers ha ha. Bodge bodge bodge. Can't you just leave the spur on the wall with the wires connected in it? That's what 99% of people do. Or better still, convert it to a single socket?
     
    Joe95 and bright_Spark like this.
  19. Leo_rossini

    Leo_rossini New Member

    IMG_2367.JPG Hi here are a few pictures of the socket and removed cable. IMG_2370.JPG
     
  20. sparky Si-Fi

    sparky Si-Fi Screwfix Select

    This is electricians talk, not help DIYers do OUR job ***
     

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