Ritual?

[Edddd]

I recently found this junction box stuffed in a stud wall.

I knew there was a break somewhere in the ring final concerned from when I previously installed an extra socket. I had tracked it down to the leg running past this point but I assumed it was a damaged cable under the suspended floor.

I opened the wall to put in another new socket so finding this was just a coincidence (though it is an obvious location to put a socket). The plan was to fix the imagined break when I crawled below to wire it in.

I can understand that someone would provide for a socket but not install one and join the cables instead. But why leave the lines disconnected??

 

[Taylortwocities]

@Edddd no picture!

 

[Edddd]

OP edited to fix picture! I blame Google.

 

[Taylortwocities]

OK. Who knows the reason why its like that!. Are those two red conductors both live? Use proper test meter between neutral and the reds to confirm.

If you connect the two reds together, do you then get continuity on the R1 conductors round the ring?

If so, you are probably all set with an easy job for your new socket!

 

[Edddd]

Yeah both live with the MCB closed, continuity between them with it open. It certainly makes it an easy job. I just wondered if there was any good reason why it might have been left like that even temporarily and forgotten about.

 

[Taylortwocities]

Untitled

• Taylortwocities
• 17 Apr 2008
• 30

 

[flameport]

The pink plasterboard is fire resistant, so the wall must be reinstated with the same material, and the socket box should be a metal one at least. A plastic dry lining box is not suitable.

 

[Edddd]

Untitled

• Taylortwocities
• 17 Apr 2008
• 30

Maybe the person who did it is here and I can indeed reach them through the ether.

The pink plasterboard is fire resistant, so the wall must be reinstated with the same material, and the socket box should be a metal one at least. A plastic dry lining box is not suitable.

Thanks, I didn't know that. The wall replaced a brick wall so it's understandable that the fire resistance should be maintained. At least while the newly-inserted, double double-leaf doors remain shut! The plasterboard is backed with plywood above the skirting and I think it would be too thick for a dry lining box anyway.

 

[Echo the husky]

That's a better attempt than one open circuit ring I was looking at, the break was at 2 cables under the floor that had been taped together. Joint box was written on the end of the cables.