Drilled into electric cable

[lovelyhead]

Stupid me managed to hit an electric cable when I was drilling into a plasterboards wall. Here is a photo of the damage:



Is there a repair I can do or do I need to replace the whole wire?

 

[ricicle]

That looks like your main tails to the consumer unit. Is it or the meter under where you are drilling. You have been very lucky!
Due to the nature of the cable and it's damage I'm afraid you need an electrician asap. Please keep away from the cable as it is LIVE !!

 

[lovelyhead]

That looks like your main tails to the consumer unit. Is it or the meter under where you are drilling. You have been very lucky!
Due to the nature of the cable and it's damage I'm afraid you need an electrician asap. Please keep away from the cable as it is LIVE !!

Yeah it is quite near the consumer unit. Doh!

 

[Taylortwocities]

Hopefully you've already got an electrician there? If not, put a large piece of insulating material over the whole shebang.

You are very lucky to be alive. That is 230volts right there on that bare copper and only a nice meaty 100amp fuse between your hand and the electricity substation.

 

[flameport]

The whole wire will need to be replaced - and as already pointed out, this is NOT something you can do yourself.

 

[rjm2k]

Post a photo further back showing the whole lot including the consumer unit. Might be a good idea to read up on safe zones in the wiki. If its out of reach I wouldn't bother insulating since you put yourself at risk doing even that unless there is an isolation switch.

 

[DaftPunk]

Please be aware that cable will remain live even with your consumer unit switched off.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

Might be a good idea to read up on safe zones in the wiki.

Might be worth the person who installed does! But looks like it could well be within in those zones anyway!
Fancy drilling a hole near the consumer unit/fuse board, without investigating and taking precautions against this!

 

[plugwash]

Even ignoring the CU it seems like those cables are either within the "corner of room" safe zone or pretty close to it. The location he drilled in is also probablly within the "top of room" safe zone".

 

[ricicle]

The trouble being is that only electricians know of the safe zones !

 

[EFLImpudence]

That's very odd shaped damage to the cable as there is only one drill bit mark on the joist - and there is a cut at the top of the cable.

 

[kai]

That appears to be within 150mm of the ceiling and wall intersection, clearly a Safe Zone for Wiring runs.
I wonder if it is straight on top of the Consumer Unit? - if it is, that vertical area between the Ceiling and CU will also be a Safe Zone!

 

[bernardgreen]

That's very odd shaped damage to the cable as there is only one drill bit mark on the joist - and there is a cut at the top of the cable.

I bet that was the Stanley knife used to cut away the plaster.

Another very near miss.

 

[EFLImpudence]

Another very near miss.

Indeed.


Best get one of these plasterboard drills

 

[Taylortwocities]

Is that a 7mm one?