Making safe

[benjammind]

We moved home last week and discovered in the kitchen 4 bare wires coming directly out of the wall. I turned the power off and used terminal blocks to make it safe for the time being but I was wondering if anyone can recommend a more permanent solution? I don't know what was mounted on the wall previously nor is there a back box recessed into the wall which would make things a little easier. Does anyone have any ideas? thanks

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

A photo will help, but have you any means to find out if the wires might be live?

 

[benjammind]

I will work on getting a photo but I have taken the view that the wires are live

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

I will work on getting a photo but I have taken the view that the wires are live

Lacking any means of testing - Power off, add individual connectors/ choc block, then connect lamp + lampholder + with flex across cable pairs, then turn power on to see if live. That should then be able to give you some clues as to which circuit on the consumer unit they are on...

 

[CBW]

I will work on getting a photo but I have taken the view that the wires are live

Using test equipment should be able to confirm if, live, but depending on accessibility, sink a back box and fit blanking plate.

 

[mattylad]

A photo is important so that these guys can figure out what it was.
As it's in the kitchen, try and figure out what was there before ?
See if you can turn it into a socket, there will always be uses for extra sockets in the kitchen

 

[conny]

When you say 'bare wires' I assume you mean the insulation had been stripped back exposing bare copper?
What colours are the cables? It may indicate possible fixtures that may have been there. Is it 3 different colours with 1 bare one or all 4 have coloured insulation? Can you see an outer sheath surrounding them?

 

[ETAF]

do you have the photos from the Estate Agent at all - often you have quite a few images including Kitchen, perhaps a clue in those pre-sale photos

 

[ericmark]

When I moved in I found a wire sticking out of the wall in the hall, this I found went to the Utility room where the central heating programmer was located and was dead, it now is live again 12 volt DC and is used for thermostat.

Often position gives a clue, clock connection, wall light, and until tested you really can't start to guess.

 

[securespark]

What's more worrying is that the house changed hands in this condition.

Someone obviously thought,
"I'm not leaving that behind....."

 

[ETAF]

Should have been noted in the home sellers pack. I had a situation before the sellers pack came into force in 1991 when moving in to a house , The wall lights had been removed, wall light switches , bare wires hanging out of a bedroom wall.
My solicitor obtained compensation from the seller , as this was deemed leaving in an unsafe condition and was NOT mentioned , even though the solicitor did ask , we also had lots of rubbish in the garage and garden.

 

[benjammind]

Thanks for all the replies, much appreciated. I checked through the estate agent photos and there is a large double ice making fridge in the way, along with a water supply (which I assume was for the fridge ice maker), so not sure if the ice maker needed a separate electric supply? By 'bare' wires I mean wires that are not connected to anything, there are 4 of them (3 with an outer sheath are blue, yellow and red) and 1 bare earth wire.

 

[ETAF]

Sounds like a 3core & Earth power/lighting cable OLD colours
https://theengineeringmindset.com/guide-to-lighting-and-power-cables/
Images would help

 

[securespark]

Could be for a disused two way light switch or a central heating programmer.

But you wouldn't really have either behind a huge fridge.

Maybe that's why it was moved?

 

[sparkwright]

Sounds like a 3core & Earth power/lighting cable OLD colours
https://theengineeringmindset.com/guide-to-lighting-and-power-cables/
Images would help

Edited for being wrong.