HELP!

[ash1900]

i have just screwed though a live wire (of the ground floor lighting circuit)

i have repaired a bit of plaster around the light switch earlyer today, and the switch needed changing for a new MK one, so i did it. after this i screwed the switch back on, but leaving a good few mm air flow for the plaster.

i have just gone to screw the switch on fully, but as doing this i managed to nick the sheath of the cable behind the screw. and oviusly it arced, and tripped the mcb(thank god!)

i have made safe, by keep the ground floor lighting off, and putting a bit of insulation tape around the nick(this is a 2 gang switch, the switch which has gone is a 1 way)

my question iss.. is there any way to fix this, with out replacing the cable.

i know this is my fault, as i was not paying enough attention and didn't check for clearance behind the screw. learn from your mistakes!

please respond..

 

[Taylortwocities]

How mauch wire is there to play with? You may be able to extend it by using a small of terminal block (choc block) in the switch back box and add a short piece of wire.

Take a picture and post it on here.

 

[ash1900]

not much to be honest, alot less than all the other wires in the box :S so possibly this has happend in the past and the wire has be cut and shortend.

i will post a picture tomorow when i get back at it, and when theres a bit more natural working light

 

[ColJack]

if the copper isn't damaged then you could apply some heatshrink to restore the insulation..

 

[ash1900]

heat shrinking could be a possibility, but the problem is i don't have any tubing or hot air gun.

i could do the previous suggestion, from taylor. but would this be deemed safe,

another thing i have thought of, could the arc flash have caused any mechanical damage to the switch?,

thankyou both.

i will post an image in a bit

 

[ash1900]

update: i have fixed the light switch, there was a break in the copper wire were the arc has happend. which is why the switch would not work. i have stripped the wire back to clean copper. it now works fine. although i may need to extend the wire becuase as i was screwing the faceplate back on (making sure for clearence this time!! ) the switch is now wonky... as the wire isnt long enough.

i have to say i am pretty annoyed at my self for this, as this is the first time i have ever gone though a wire, in my many years of working with electric.

sorry, i dont feel the need to post a picture now.

thankyou all for your help

 

[bongos]

the switch is now wonky... as the wire isnt long enough.

Extend it how TTC suggests, with a choc block. This is fine as it is concealed in the backbox out of harms way.

i have to say i am pretty annoyed at my self for this, as this is the first time i have ever gone though a wire, in my many years of working with electric.

I wouldn't worry - you'll always check in future so it shouldn't happen again!

 

[ash1900]

yep, thanks i have done that and it now all works

yeah hopefully i would of learnt from this lesson

thanks everyone

 

[ban-all-sheds]

my many years of working with electric.

i don't have any (heat shrink) tubing or hot air gun.

 

[ash1900]

whats that face for BAN?

 

[sparkwright]

Have you tried pulling the cable for some slack?

Most houses are wired using conduit and sometimes a small loop of slack is left above (or below) for such problem.

 

[ash1900]

no i havent tried and im nto going to. because i know this house isnt wired liek that. the cables are held onto the wall with nails. (the head of the nail resting on the cable)

but it is sorted now

 

[sparkwright]

Fair nuff.

 

[martinxxxxxx]

whats that face for BAN?

No hot air gun!

Do you not even have a hair dryer?

How can you work with electrics and not have a way of producing a lot of hot air?

 

[ban-all-sheds]

whats that face for BAN?

Just a wry smile at you saying that you've been doing electrical work for many years but you don't have basic materials and tools like heat-shrink tubing and something to make it shrink...