How to make wall light safe before decorating

[sharonbetty]

Hi, want to take off old wall light fitting and wallpaper that wall. Don't want to put old light fitting back on, but make it safe "for now" by capping off or whatever the technical term is! Please can someone advise how we do this - what piece of "kit" do we need? My husband's father is elecrically savvy so am sure he will do this safely for us!

 

[phatboy]

If you want to protect it just whilst you hang the paper, connect the cable(s) in a terminal strip, and wrap it well in electrical tape.

Although, if you don't want to put the light back and hide any evidence of it being there you need to remove the cables from the wall - back to the ceiling or floor, wherever they came from. This could be a disruptive messy job, so maybe best doing it before wallpapering!

 

[knowall]

Ask your father in-law to trace the supply to the wall light and disconnect it at the source. Making the cable 'dead' in the wall
and then safe. I would not be ripping the wall apart to remove a dead cabe.

KA

 

[NewOrder]

Probably far easier just to replace it with a new fitting.

 

[phatboy]

Ask your father in-law to trace the supply to the wall light and disconnect it at the source. Making the cable 'dead' in the wall
and then safe. I would not be ripping the wall apart to remove a dead cabe.

KA

Removal may be easy - if you can access it at the top or bottom of the wall, then it could be pulled back, and terminated

 

[sharonbetty]

Thanks everyone for taking the time to reply - I may not have made it clear that we will be replacing the old light fitting with a new one - but not until we've found what we like - so we don't want to actually remove the wiring/electricity supply.

 

[OwainDIYer]

fit a flush BESA box and lid. You can wallpaper over the lid and it'll be fairly inconspicuous, but still count as a visible accessory for anyone drilling into the wall

http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/MT20BX1.html
+
http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/MTLID.html

You will also need a pack of M4 screws as shown on those pages as they aren't included with the boxes or the lids.

The BESA box will form a suitable mounting point and terminal enclosure for most wall lights intended for use in Britain so you won't have to dig it out of the wall later.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

If you paper over it, then the permitted safe zone is not visible, so that is not an ideal solution.
Your best option would be to leave any connection enclosed to prevent accidental contact and visible. If the wall lights are operated by a wall switch, if you disconnect the switch live at the switch and place this in a connector within the switch enclosure, that will prevent the cables at the wall becoming live, providing they are not looped in at the wall light?

 

[Taylortwocities]

Thanks everyone for taking the time to reply - I may not have made it clear that we will be replacing the old light fitting with a new one - .

He's going to put a new one in teh same place, so the last few posts don't make any sense.

The first reply you had (from Phatboy) is the one you want

connect the cable(s) in a terminal strip, and wrap it well in electrical tape.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

He's going to put a new one in teh same place, so the last few posts don't make any sense.

Why does my post not make sense, taking in to consideration what was previously advised?

If you paper over it, then the permitted safe zone is not visible, so that is not an ideal solution.
Your best option would be to leave any connection enclosed to prevent accidental contact and visible. If the wall lights are operated by a wall switch, if you disconnect the switch live at the switch and place this in a connector within the switch enclosure, that will prevent the cables at the wall becoming live, providing they are not looped in at the wall light?

I personally would terminate conductors and place in a choc box, if I wanted to prevent the cables becoming live, I would disconnect the switch live at the switch and terminate in connector and leave safe.
Makes perfect sense to me and super safe, if done correctly!
I don't consider electricians tape safe to be used as protection against electrocution!