Is the electric cable live?

[dbgray80]

Hi all,

I moved home last year and am starting to redecorate some rooms. I have taken some shelves down in the kitchen and the screws for one of the brackets went straight through a plastic electric duct in the wall. The wire looks slightly damaged and I can see copper in there. There are no sockets or appliances inline with the duck either horizontally or vertically.

Is there any way to tell if this cable is live or dead as I do not want to stuff wet filler into the duct?

Cheers

 

[JohnD]

you have to assume that it is live unless you can prove otherwise. In this case it needs to be replaced or repaired.

If it is going up, it may well be taking the supply to a lighting circuit, or the upstairs sockets, or an immersion heater. If you lift a floorboard above, you may be able to see where it is going.

 

[NewOrder]

Could be anything and yes always assume its live.

 

[securespark]

Yikes!

Turn off all your main switches & investigate thruffly.

 

[lkayelectrical]

touch and see
Can you see which colour you have gone through? cables should only be up/down/left/right of s/w's or sockets or in the safety zones in the corner of the edge of the rooms. so if theres nothing near cable shouldnt be there.

Have you got RCD protection?

 

[JohnD]

thruffly