HELP! Drilled thru live wire

[fluffys]

Whilst putting up a curtain rail I seem to have drilled into a live wire
Sparks came out of the hole I was making with the drill and all the electics tripped off, luckiliy I didnt get a shock (apart from the shock of nearly falling off the ladder)

Now I notice that the hole I was drilling is directly above a floor level plug socket (yes, I know, durr!).

All the electrics seem to work, havent dared test the plug socket in question however - can anyone tell me what I need to do to make sure the wiring is safe - my walls are breeze block with plasterboard over, do I need to take out a section of plasterboard and then what? or is this a job for a pro?

Thanks
From a very dim female DIYer

 

[plugwash]

whatever you do its goign to be messy

afaict there are a couple of options

1: move the socket up the wall (possiblly using the intact cable as a spur to keep the original socket as well)

2: joint the cables behind a blanking plate

3: use crimps in a chockbox to join the cables (this has the advantgae that you are allowed to hide it

4: replace the cable back to the next fitting

its not hugely difficult but withotu seeing cuh things as how much cable there is slack its hard to give difinitive advice

 

[breezer]

i think yo should gain access to the cable you drilled through and let us know what you find

 

[andy]

i think yo should gain access to the cable you drilled through and let us know what you find

cable with damaged sheath and burn marks

fluffys, ne chance of a picture?

 

[ban-all-sheds]

ne

Don't start again with that SMS claptrap.

Anyway - Fluffys - Andrew and Breezer are quite right - you have no choice but to cut the wall open where you drilled and see what damage there is, and properly repair it or replace the affected cable.

The fact that everything works might indicate that you now have a broken ring, which is not good.

And you should do this asap, and avoid using the circuit you drilled into until it's fixed, as you might have partial damage which only manifests itself under load, with overheating or fire. This is very much not good.

 

[brown-nought]

Second Ban's comments.

If you drilled through one cable of a ring circuit the ring will still work after resetting the fuse - but you will be putting all the load though other ring cable. The fuse is rated to big to protect the single cable and you could be running a real fire risk.

If the socket below still works my money would be on you having a ring.

A common DIY bodge is to open up a small pocket put a connector block in then put filler over it etc. This isn't allowed. The best solution if you are unsure is to get a pro in - ok they may not do the making good afterwards but they will get you back safe quickly.

As an aside the top 15cm (6") of a wall is a permitted route for cables. If you are putting a rail in that area cables could be hiding anywhere!

 

[ban-all-sheds]

If the socket below still works my money would be on you having a ring.

Which could be broken, or with a damaged conductor, and the socket would still work. As it would if it was a spur with just damage, and not a break in the cable.

Damage rather than a break is what concerns me more - if this sort of thing has happened to a live conductor:

then the thin part could easily overheat.

 

[fluffys]

Firstly, Thank you for all your great advice

Unfortunately my broadband connection has been down all day and only just come online so I was not around to take the great advice and have gone down the classic bodge route.

Took a bit of plasterboard off and seems the drill had gone right through the middle of the wire (good effort) nicking both the live and neut cables - fixed them together with a box affair from B&Q (choc box?) and stuck a bit of plasterboard back over the top with fillers

If this is wrong and/or dangerous then PLEASE tell me as I would much rather be safe than very sorry.

Many thanks
Fluffys

 

[andy]

yes, it is wrong. unless crimped or soldered then it must be accessible: not plastered over

 

[fluffys]

I know Im not allowed to ask this question but how much do you reckon to fix this ?

 

[breezer]

cost of decent ratchet crimper and crimps + your time

 

[fluffys]

Breezer your opinion of my DIY skills is obviously higher than mine

Im not blonde but sometimes think I should be! Whats a ratchet and crimps???!!

Think its time for a phone call to the pro's before the house burns down.

 

[breezer]

fair question. see here

they sell the crimps (that go in the rathet cripmer too) but you DONT want a rathet and crim set from a shed, they are usually not ratchet crimpers

by using ratchet crimpers it insures you get a good crimp.

buy one and "test it first" as you only get one chance with a ratchet crimper

 

[fluffys]

Your scaring me - looks like an instrument of torture

I think this is one occasion where it might be money well spent to get a pro in to sort out my expensive bodge. Will let U know how much it ends up costing me, could turn out to be one expensive curtain rail !!

 

[breezer]

trust me get a ratchet crimper, it does take a bit of practice, but the choice is yours