Live cable end found in garage - what to do with it?

[sjw64]

Hi

I was pottering around my garage this afternoon & I came across this grey cable that comes out of the wall. Its about 8" long and is simply taped off with black tape.

My contact-less 'pen' indicates its live so I was wondering the best way to make it safe.

Ive no idea where it goes to on the other side of the wall (my kitchen - somewhere in the ceiling) but its safe to say it serves no purpose at all as Ive lived here for 10yrs and its not my doing!

Im thinking - turn power off completely and buy some box or other to screw to the wall. Does that sound right?

Untitled

• sjw64
• 9 Mar 2014
• 1

 

[rjm2k]

Yes you could buy a surface mount back box and blanking cover then terminate the cable into a terminal block, one wire per terminal.

 

[THRIPSTER]

How do you know that your voltstick is not picking up a live indication from the adjacent cable?

Regards

 

[sjw64]

How do you know that your voltstick is not picking up a live indication from the adjacent cable?

Regards

I dont but I will settle for it being live and play it safe for now. Its not causing any trouble and tucked up inside a blanking box will tidy it up. thanks

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

If the cable is live you will need to isolate prior to making safe.
A voltage pen/stick is not something best used to test for voltage, the instrument is a two pole voltage indicator, which will confirm voltage, polarity and will offer you safer method of proving the circuit is dead prior to making safe.
If it possible you would be best making the circuit redundant and permanently powering down, if not possible the cable ends need to be placed in suitably sized connectors and placed in an enclosure that prevent accidental contact to live parts and that can be securely fixed to the surface where cables are, I would also recommend that the enclosure had the facility of a cable grip.