Nightmare

[HawkEye244]

Whilst replacing a wooden installation box for a metal one and fitting a 2 way dimmer instead of an old 2 way switch, one of the wires has snapped off at the base of this metal conduit and there's zero slack on the cable.

Any bright ideas? This is a complete mindfuck.

 

[footprints]

Maybe a dremel tool and cut a slit up then peel back the conduit?

 

[Bosswhite]

Property Rewire !!

Cabling gone Brittle

 

[HawkEye244]

Depends on how stable a dremel is going to be on a non-flat surface. I've got a multitool but it's an oscilating blade and I wouldn't trust it on this.

The dremel's start around £80 on screwfix website.

Would this work? : http://www.toolstation.com/shop/p81111?table=no

£25.

Means ANOTHER tool.

This looks the bizz but £190 FFS :

http://www.screwfix.com/p/dremel-4000-platinum-175w-multi-tool-kit-230v/3791r

Bosswhite, not practicable in this case, will just have to be more careful.

 

[deadshort]

Property Rewire !!

Cabling gone Brittle

Yes by the state of that wiring it needs replacing, please do not bodge it, all your work on your property will be wasted. Do it right ! If that conduit is not earthed your wiring is lethal.

DS

 

[seasickstevie]

This is what you need.

https://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Produc...L887jd8x59A-TkX8YG2OYeP7Mfbo-2BsyYxoCR8rw_wcB

 

[HawkEye244]

Ok well I know it's been bodged and I don't want to double bodge and will try and do what I can to remedy but re-wiring the cable is too much work.

Firstly this is what's going on (this is what I saw when I opened up) :

So the two earth covered wires were going to L2 and the wire you can't see was going to Live.

Now there's two wires wrapped in red/brown that were not connected up. Would these be earth? I've no way of testing.

It's a two way switch controlling one bedroom light with a pull cord in the middle of the room (well middle of the wall).

-------------------------------------------

Close up :

The snapped wire is in the left conduit.

 

[deadshort]

Listen mate, you must rewire it. Can you get access above? Do not try to power the lighting circuit until this is resolved.

DS

 

[HawkEye244]

I'm trying to earth it as you said if the earth is here that's what I'm trying to do ?

 

[Speedy23]

Carry on with that cable and the only earth you will need to worry about is the stuff they shovel onto your coffin...

 

[deadshort]

Please do not take offence, you need to get an electrican, sorry but wiring of that age and condition requires replacing urgently. An electrician will advise you as to exactly what is required. DO NOT POWER UP THAT WIRING until an electrican has made it safe.

DS

 

[HawkEye244]

Dead mate it's a ground floor flat. Brick/block/steel. What do you suggest I do? Chase that all the way back to the C/U that's at the other end of the flat? This started out as a bedroom decorating job. I think your over exagurating, this is a 1930s build making it 90 years old and nobody has yet died from it. You clearly know I can earth it but to make it worse for me your telling me to do a full rewire instead. Make it easy for me man I've had a rough enough day as it is. I probably pulled it too hard simple as that. It's doable I'm not contacting fukc all.

 

[stillp]

Try not to kill anyone else while you're committing suicide won't you.

Seriously, that looks lethal, and if you go connecting wires more or less randomly you'll only make things worse.

 

[phatboy]

Dead mate it's a ground floor flat. Brick/block/steel. What do you suggest I do? Chase that all the way back to the C/U that's at the other end of the flat? This started out as a bedroom decorating job. I think your over exagurating, this is a 1930s build making it 90 years old and nobody has yet died from it. You clearly know I can earth it but to make it worse for me your telling me to do a full rewire instead. Make it easy for me man I've had a rough enough day as it is. I probably pulled it too hard simple as that. It's doable I'm not contacting fukc all.

There is no helping you is there?

Cabling pre 1960s is rubber covered and particularly in a lighting circuit now is lethal. It has gone brittle and the insulation will very likely be falling apart.

Just because it hasn't killed someone yet doesn't mean it won't. You are being extremely foolish in truing to do anything other than getting it replaced. It MUST be done without further delay.

We had this in my house when we moved in, it was the first thing I got dealt with as I didn't want myself or my family to be killed by electrocution or a house fire.

Stuff your new wallpaper, you can't see it when you're dead.

 

[stillp]

Also, being a ground floor flat, if it starts a fire you might have some liability for damage to the rest of the flats.