I've messed up - electric shock after plastering wall

[Larry1990]

Hi Guys, can you please help me? I've messed something up but I'm not 100% sure what. I plastered a wall in my hallway today, I was pretty happy with the result but DIY dream has turned to DIY nightmare.

I've gotten an electric shock (not flying accross the room but ow type of tingling and yanked my hand away immediately) just now from the light switch on the wall. Plaster has been drying for about 4 hours. I've turned off the lightswitch with a piece of wood and turned it off at the consumer unit, but beyond this what needs doing to make it safe? Does it need to dry out/need a new switch or does an electrician need to do a full test of it?

Thank you, L

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

It may be as simple as water got in behind the switch from your efforts with the plastering. If it is definitely off at the consumer unit, take the switch plate off, leave it off and allow it to dry out fully before replacing. Guess you do not have an RCD, or it would have tripped?

Another possibility is that you plastered over a damaged cable, which made contact with the live cable. Perhaps you can comment on that possibility?

 

[Larry1990]

Hi Harry, thank you for help. Yep its off at the consumer unit and I'm sat in the dark haha. I do have an RCD but it didn't trip anything. I will turn everything off to be sure and screw off the front and get myself a new light switch sorted.

Cheers

 

[Larry1990]

Sorry I missed your second question, I did two coats of multi finish over a really bumpy wall, didn't knock any old plaster off the wall and I couldn't see any cables.

I have a wire/stud detector in the garage somewhere I will dig it out and run it over it see if it shows anything somewhere in the wall

 

[terryplumb]

Is the light switch metal plate or plastic ?
Show us a full pic of your consumer unit .

 

[Larry1990]

Hi Terry,

Its a plastic switch. I've attached a picture of the consumer unit, sorry the lights are off so not the best one. I'd already just screwed off the front of the plate and there was a bit of loose red wire in there, it looks like it was being used as a repair of sorts? The neutral wire coming out of the right hand cable (white) is not long enough to fit into the terminal.

 

[sparkwright]

Any plasterboard nails, screws, angle bead been used?

 

[sparkwright]

Hi Terry,

Its a plastic switch. I've attached a picture of the consumer unit, sorry the lights are off so not the best one. I'd already just screwed off the front of the plate and there was a bit of loose red wire in there, it looks like it was being used as a repair of sorts? The neutral wire coming out of the right hand cable (white) is not long enough to fit into the terminal.

A bad wiring job in the first place.

Do you know where each wire went?

You will need to strip some of the wiring back to re-terminate.

Wires can be extended with 1.0mm2 cable and 6 amp connector blocks.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Its a plastic switch.

That is a plastic box intended for surface mounting. It looks like it might be 1960's wiring (no earth). Do not fit a metal faced switch, it would need to be earthed.

The bare wire, with the white sheath needs to be sorted out, its a terrible botch.

 

[sparkwright]

That is a plastic box intended for surface mounting. It looks like it might be 1960's wiring (no earth). Do not fit a metal faced switch, it would need to be earthed.

There IS an earth, there is a bare earth wire going to the back box terminal.

 

[Larry1990]

Any plasterboard nails, screws, angle bead been used?

Hi Sparkwright, yes I used a metal stop bead the length of the brown door on the right. I've put a tack through a cable havn't I?

Cheers L

 

[sparkwright]

Hi Sparkwright, yes I used a metal stop bead the length of the brown door on the right. I've put a tack through a cable havn't I?

Cheers L

I think the fault is most likely to be at the crumby wiring at the switch, that's the place to start.

 

[terryplumb]

Both cables appear to have bare earth conductors ,the white sheathed cables cpc isn't connected up to anything. Poor wiring for sure .
I can't see the consumer unit clearly ,but it appears that the lighting circuit in question is not RCD protected ,can anyone clarify ,I am only viewing on a phone at present.

 

[Larry1990]

A bad wiring job in the first place.

Do you know where each wire went?

You will need to strip some of the wiring back to re-terminate.

Wires can be extended with 1.0mm2 cable and 6 amp connector blocks.

Thaks Sparkwright, yes I took some pictures before I disconnected it so I'm reasonably confident I could get it back how it was before.

That is a plastic box intended for surface mounting. It looks like it might be 1960's wiring (no earth). Do not fit a metal faced switch, it would need to be earthed.

The bare wire, with the white sheath needs to be sorted out, its a terrible botch.

Thanks Harry, how would I sort the bare wire? Does it need replacing or would some insulating tape around it do?

Unfortunatly this wouldn't be the first bodge I've uncovered. Really appreciate all your help guys.

 

[Larry1990]

Both cables appear to have bare earth conductors ,the white sheathed cables cpc isn't connected up to anything. Poor wiring for sure .
I can't see the consumer unit clearly ,but it appears that the lighting circuit in question is not RCD protected ,can anyone clarify ,I am only viewing on a phone at present.

Hi Terry, how would I tell? Sorry in my ignorance I thought that having a lot of individual switches was RCD.