Help - accidental drll into ring mains

philut · 28 Dec 2006

Hi,

My daughter has recently moved into a flat. She drilled some holes to put up a mirror., screwed in a bracket and tripped the RCD main switch and also the socket switch. Over the phone, with the power switched off, I got her to unscrew and she was then able to turn the switches on. I think she "nicked" an internal wire to a socket with a screw. Thankfully she is OK. I am going to see her at the weekend.
As it is a flat, I can't get to the floorboards above, so I intend

to widen the hole she screwed (plasterboard drylining), to get at the damaged wire cut the wire and install a junction box to leave behind the plasterboard. To give me some slack, I will loosen the wire at the socket.

Is this the best thing to do? Also are there any compact junction boxes around and is there a special tool for getting at the wire.

Many thanks.

MR-DIAZ · 28 Dec 2006

If your going to install a jointion box where it´s been damaged then at least let it be accessible afterwards

dingbat · 28 Dec 2006

Nooooooooooo!

You can't conceal junction boxes - all connections have to be accessible for inspection and maintenance...

...except for joints of a reliable and permanent nature.

You can crimp - but only with proper, insulated, ratchet-crimper-applied mains-rated crimps. (must also be in an enclosure)
You can solder, again, properly enclosed. And...

...you don't want to bother with the other options.

DESL · 28 Dec 2006

Ok simplest solution is cut a hole in plaster board and fit one of these

http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/MTMDLB1.html

Join cable with some of this

http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/TLCON30.html

Use some of this on bare earth wire

http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/CAGS3slash10.html

and then use one of these to cover it

http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/BG904.html

then hang mirror on two fixing points away from cable to cover balnking plate.

MR-DIAZ · 28 Dec 2006

I hope these solutions have helped you.

Just a little info for your daughter Cabling should only go up, down, left or right ( and never diagonal ) from a given point i.e from socket to socket or a feed to a light switch etc etc and should in no way be just there in the wall with no indication of it´s existence.

securespark · 28 Dec 2006

So how do you get cables that are not connected to switches and sockets up and down walls?

festa · 28 Dec 2006

I had a callout the other day where a customer had drilled a hole for some shelves and his ring main tripped.
When i got there i noticed no socket in line up or down the wall but on further investigation i found it was indeed the cable linking the downstairs sockets to the upstairs .....and this was slap bang in the middle of a wall.

philut · 28 Dec 2006

Thanks very much for the replies guys. Have taken on board not to hide the repair.

DESL thank you for the links which I will follow - very helpful.

My daughter has now got a cable detector and will take especial care over sockets!

DESL · 28 Dec 2006

Philut

Just realised you are in Essex and I've just done my self out of a job do'h

MR-DIAZ · 28 Dec 2006

Well if you did not know you can NOT run cables up or run a wall for no reason......Supplying upstairs as to say with a lighting or socket feed you would possible take it from the main board upwards meaning when you look at the mains board you will be safe if the cable are run in horizontal or vertical. I repeat you can not run cabling in a wall because it´s easy to go there it has to be for some kind of reason or leaving some kind of point i.e socket or light switch etc etc

plugwash · 29 Dec 2006

half true, you can run up within a certain distance of the corners of walls for example regardless of if they are any accessories, the same applies to an area near the top.

and you can run anywhere if you have either mechanical protection or an earthed metal layer.

MR-DIAZ · 29 Dec 2006

OK if there´s a way to do it. It´s bad practice.........

I remember years ago being pulled for this by an inspector from the NICEIC ( please no puns thank you on the word pulled

)

If you can just install a cable run within a concealed wall with no type of accessories marking it direction then yet again this is another downfall within the scope of the IEE regulations.

What would be classed as mechanical protection concealed in a wall ???

galvanized tube, steel trunking ?? Don´t tell me it´s plastic or metallic canal as this is a means of holding back cables and to aid the possible change of cable without chasing the wall again. As a 1mm thick naff strip of tin will not stop an electrical drill from perforating it.

If an earthed metal layer was used to protect cabling within a wall then an earthing point would have to be exposed and identifiable with a inspection cover required for testing. defying the point of using the mechanical protection in the first place.

Can anyone add to this !!!

securespark · 29 Dec 2006

MR-DIAZ said:
It´s bad practice.........

No it's not.

MR-DIAZ · 29 Dec 2006

No why is that then ?????

I bet i can give you a thousand reasons not to sink a cable in a wall for no reason.

ebee · 29 Dec 2006

You may go off zone if more than 50mm deep.
50mm seems a tadd too shallow for me though. 500mm I might accept

diynot

If you need to find a tradesperson to get your job done, please try our local search below, or if you are doing it yourself you can find suppliers local to you.

Select the supplier or trade you require, enter your location to begin your search.

Are you a trade or supplier? You can create your listing free at DIYnot Local

Help - accidental drll into ring mains

Similar threads