Getting by until the Electrician turns up

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Ive got some walls to take down that have sockets in them and the Electrician isnt due for a few weeks. So i'd like to check that the way I intend to move them is safe until everything is replaced with new cables,
So is this ok? -
Turn off the circuit at the consumer unit, check the sockets off
Take the sockets out the wall
reconnect the wires in a junction box, under the floorboards
And for something thats not a ring circuit like the cooker cable do you just put that in a junction box also and leave off at the consumer unit?
Cheers
 
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Have patience & leave well alone
Is it quite as simple as just 'patience'?

I took it to mean that the OP wanted to remove some walls (and presumably do other building work) before the electrician comes to do the re-wiring ("until everything is replaced with new cables"). He could, of course, get the electrician to come on a second, earlier, occasion to do something temporary with the existing installation, but I suspect the OP is hoping to avoid the need for (cost of) that.

Kind Regards, John
 
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What method will you be using to check sockets are off? You need to be confident that the circuit you’re working on is dead.
I would think that in a situation like the OP describes, 'switching everything off' (with a 'Main Switch') would be the most sensible course (assuming one is confident that there is only one CU/Fusebox/whatever!) - but, even then, a proper confirmation of 'dead' would, as you suggest, would be desirable.

Kind Regards, John
 
Most people just bash the walls down and to hell with the electrics.
Kudos to the OP for wanting to do it properly.
Indeed well done for asking first. It makes a refreshing change.

It sounds to me like OP is trying to make things safe during building works and knowing how difficult it can be to get trades in for a very short visit for such an operation I empathise with the question.

If you are comfortable working with the cables yes a temporary job can be done with junction boxes as long as they can be safely protected against damage during the building work, such as under the floor.

PM sent.
 
It's more likely that when the electrician turns up, he will want to leave the electrics as they are, and for you to knock the walls down leaving the electrics in situ first.

You see, if he turns up now, what can he do?

He can only take the faceplates off and put in connectors - waste of time.

If you start taking things off and joining things, he can't be sure of how it was originally - so waste of time.

Chances are, with the walls removed, the electrician has a better chance of carrying out the necessary work because he will then have access to work as their will be holes in the ceiling.

Whatever you decide, isolate the electricity fully before starting any work.
 
Last edited:
Thanks for replies. It was the electrician that told me what to do. But he talks fast so I thought I'd double check on here.
I've got one of those pen shaped testers and the plug thing that tells you if a sockets wired up properly, made by GAP. I figured I'd make the circuit short as possible and leave it under the floor close to the unit. And assumed if in doubt to use a heavy duty fuse box. Wouldn't mind a pro doing it but all trades are hard to get hold of in this area.
 
I would think that in a situation like the OP describes, 'switching everything off' (with a 'Main Switch') would be the most sensible course (assuming one is confident that there is only one CU/Fusebox/whatever!)
Kind Regards, John
The trouble is John, OP didn’t state switching everything off, leading me to suggest checking dead
Ive got some walls to take down that have sockets in them and the Electrician isnt due for a few weeks. So i'd like to check that the way I intend to move them is safe until everything is replaced with new cables,
So is this ok? -
Turn off the circuit at the consumer unit, check the sockets off
Take the sockets out the wall
reconnect the wires in a junction box, under the floorboards
And for something thats not a ring circuit like the cooker cable do you just put that in a junction box also and leave off at the consumer unit?
Cheers
 
The trouble is John, OP didn’t state switching everything off ...
Indeed he didn't (he said just "turn off the circuit at CU"), which is why I suggested it to him.
.... leading me to suggest checking dead
Again, indeed - and I agreed with you in the rest of my sentence (which you omitted from your quote of what I had written to you) ...
... - but, even then, a proper confirmation of 'dead' would, as you suggest, would be desirable.

Kind Regards, John
 
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