Puzzle created by a DIYer

[bernardgreen]

I was asked for advice from a friend who was rehanging a door for a new neighbour in a house where an avid DIYer had once lived.

There is a socket on the floor by the door. When I plugged the drill into this socket and tried to use it the light in the hall came on

The answer is known to me.

 

[1john]

The socket is fed from the light switch, thus the drill complteing the circuit?

 

[bernardgreen]

Yes it was from a switch cable. But not the obvious switch directly above it.

The socket is fed from a socket on the other side of the wall in the hall. That socket is "fed" from the red and blue in a triple and earth cable in the hall's two way switching. It had been cut to pass through the back box of the socket. Yellow ends twisted together and taped.

 

[40 watt spark]

Had something similar a while back, owner had fitted a nice shiney new shaver socket in the bathroom, when they tried to use it the landing light came on.

He had cut into the landing switchline, but was convinced the fault was nothing to do with his work, and must be a faulty switch/cable...... guess he was partly right

 

[Taylortwocities]

Darwin was right.

a salutory tale http://darwinawards.com/darwin/darwin1994-27.html