switch that does nothing

[jefoss]

hiya and thanks in advance for any help, in my kitchen i have a switch that does nothing! i want it removed, would i be able to just take it off and tape up the wires, and bury it into the wall???

 

[Spark123]

Not if there are live wires in it. Can you trace where the wire goes to?

 

[RF Lighting]

Do you have a disused immersion heater supply?

 

[jefoss]

i honestly have no idea what its for, it has a red light on the box that works. so it is live.

bugger! sounds like i need a sparky to call round then.

 

[RF Lighting]

Certainly sounds like a 20A DP switch if it has a neon on it.

Most likely to have been an immersion heater supply.

 

[Dartlec]

Calling a Sparky in would be the safest option.

However, if it was an immersion heater you may find it runs from its own fuse/breaker in the consumer unit. trial and error removing fuses or tripping breakers may isolate whether it is a) on its own isolator and b) nothing else is connected to it.

If that's so you may be able to isolate it at both ends - do you have a multimeter?

Is there only one cable running to it? It could also have been underfloor heating (perhaps unlikely) or someone's attempt to control an under-worktop socket for washing machine, dishwasher etc. - in that last case it might be on the main ring.

 

[streetlighter]

you could put the wires into suitably rated connector blocks and fit a blank plate over the back box.

 

[jefoss]

thanks for all the advice, the only way forward i see should be a sparky, safer in the long run