Neutral disconnected and taped over - what to do next?

[D4dog]

Hi - recently changed sockets in a room - and behind one, I discovered one of the neutrals had been disconnected and taped over. Sockets do not show any neutral faults, so the ring is complete one way - but when I connect the "taped over" neutral and remove the other, I get a neutral fault. Hence, I can assume that the taped over neutral has been cut or disconnected elsewhere on the ring.

Question - how do I find where the break/fault is? This is the entire downstairs ring, bar kitchen and utility, so whilst the load is low (TV, PC etc) it concerns me that I effectively have a live ring with a neutral spur! I assume I could disconnect one neutral at the CU and find which sockets report a fault - if none, then the socket with the taped over neutral must be the last in the ring, if several then I need to slowly work around those with both neutrals connected back to the CU until I find the one that is next in the circuit to the one with the disconnected neutral?

Any advice appreciated.

 

[Spark123]

If it is part of the ring it will need to be disconnected at two points to clear a fault like this but as you say, you then don't have a completed ring which isn't correct and could cause overloading on one leg.
I take it that it is tripping an RCD?
Firstly try to locate the other end of the same faulty piece of wire.

 

[D4dog]

Hi Spark - Now in the process of taking all sockets off to see if I can find the other one that has the neutral disconnected - and in so doing have discovered a new spur, and a new socket which has been inserted into the ring - and a wall light that is fed from the mains ring, with no isolation.

Happy days!

 

[securespark]

[Churchill]Oh yes![/Churchill]

 

[Taylortwocities]

Hi Spark - Now in the process of taking all sockets off to see if I can find the other one that has the neutral disconnected - and in so doing have discovered a new spur, and a new socket which has been inserted into the ring - and a wall light that is fed from the mains ring, with no isolation.

Happy days!

Reality bites!