where should this be?

[thershow1]

Hi everyone
I just put a new washing machine in my kitchen and found an unconnected wire.
Ive traced it as far as i can but wanted an opinion on what i need to do with it.
I have a double socket on the wall with a wire coming out of it and into a junction box. Then from the junction box into a single socket(spur) for the washing machine.
On the opposite side from where this wire is coming from i have an unattached wire which goes to a double socket which is obviously not working.
It looks as though it was attached to the junction box but has been taken out rather than fallen out?
Is it safe to reconnect it?
Tia

 

[stillp]

Do you mean a cable, containing three wires? It is not safe to connect it unless it has been tested, it was probably disconnected for a reason.

 

[thershow1]

Yes a cable of 3 wires. Would it be too much power consumption from a spur?

 

[stillp]

Possibly, depends what's connected to it. Do you have any test equipment?
Can you explain this in a bit more detail:

a single socket(spur)

 

[thershow1]

All i have is a volt meter. Its just a single socket off of the junction box which has obviously been done for the washing machine as is right next to the inlets and waste pipe

 

[stillp]

No fused connection unit (FCU) in the spur?

 

[thershow1]

Nope should i put one in?

 

[stillp]

Are you competent to do so? You don't have the test equipment to test the cable, so perhaps not. Sorry if that sounds insulting, but 'not competent' does not mean 'not capable'.
Without a FCU you cannot have a single socket-outlet and a double socket-outlet on a spur.

 

[thershow1]

Your right Im capable! Do i need to get someone in to put the fcu after the junction box? Do both spurs then go to the fcu? Like u say im not competent but want to know what im going to be asking to be done

 

[stillp]

If I've understood you correctly, what should be done is to check that the first double socket is on a ring final and is not already a spur, remove the junction box and replace it with a FCU, then connect the single and double sockets to the FCU.

 

[thershow1]

Thanks for your help i could probably connect everything up but i wouldn't know if the first double socket was on the ring final or not. If it is and just needs doing as you suggest what time/price should i be expecting quotes of?

 

[stillp]

No idea, I'm not a pro electrician. Anyone else care to venture a guess? It'll only be a guess without being able to see it.

 

[thershow1]

Ok no problem thanks again

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Is it safe to reconnect it?

 

[winston1]

As a washing machine can take almost 3kW on heating to put a fused spur feeding 3 sockets including the one feeding the washing machine is not good practice.