[Help] Advice from an electrician please

[Rugrat]

I think it's fairly simple.

I've got a crappy old outside light on my rear wall that doesn't work, is ugly and and isn't needed. I want to take it off, tape up the wires and push back into the hole before filling. I then thought if I took off the switch on the inside of the wall disconnected the wires and taped them up then everything would be left safe.

Quite clearly I know the square root of nothing about electrics (except shutting everything down before I start) but is what I'm thinking OK?

 

[AmexRuislip]

I'm thinking 5 minute job......

 

[McTavish]

I think it's fairly simple.

I've got a crappy old outside light on my rear wall that doesn't work, is ugly and and isn't needed. I want to take it off, tape up the wires and push back into the hole before filling. I then thought if I took off the switch on the inside of the wall disconnected the wires and taped them up then everything would be left safe.

Quite clearly I know the square root of nothing about electrics (except shutting everything down before I start) but is what I'm thinking OK?

I'm not an electrician either but that sounds as if you will still have a live wire in the wall with no indication at all that it is there which could be very bad news for someone in the future. Yes, people should use a stud finder before drilling, but if there are no switches or sockets to indicate the possibility of wiring then most people won't bother.

 

[scooter1]

I'm not an electrician either but that sounds as if you will still have a live wire in the wall with no indication at all that it is there which could be very bad news for someone in the future. Yes, people should use a stud finder before drilling, but if there are no switches or sockets to indicate the possibility of wiring then most people won't bother.

I'm not a sparky either, but this...


A friend of mine drilled into a wall and hit a live wire that shouldn't have been there and lost a lot of skin off one arm, a lot of his fringe and had an extended stay up at the County.
Get a pro in

 

[beorhthelm]

if you're disconnecting wires switch end, sounds good. try and write a tag somehow, always fun finding a cable and not knowing where it goes to be sure its dead.

 

[CAPTAIN GREALISH]

I think it's fairly simple.

I've got a crappy old outside light on my rear wall that doesn't work, is ugly and and isn't needed. I want to take it off, tape up the wires and push back into the hole before filling. I then thought if I took off the switch on the inside of the wall disconnected the wires and taped them up then everything would be left safe.

Quite clearly I know the square root of nothing about electrics (except shutting everything down before I start) but is what I'm thinking OK?

Not a good idea mate

 

[schmunk]

Also not an electrician.

Does it need to be completely made good? It'd save you a lot of hassle and all the safety/legality concerns if you could replace the light with a blanking plate.

Alternatively, replace with a light switch, to give the next owners hours of fun trying to work out what it's for...

 

[Rugrat]

if you're disconnecting wires switch end, sounds good. try and write a tag somehow, always fun finding a cable and not knowing where it goes to be sure its dead.

That's what I did. Disconnected and labelled. Shoved wires back into outside wall and marked.

Didn't blow up when switched mains back on so hoping all ok

 

[Icy Gull]

That's what I did. Disconnected and labelled. Shoved wires back into outside wall and marked.

Didn't blow up when switched mains back on so hoping all ok

I also know nothing but if you cut, tape and push back into the wall and then fill, will it not make it dodgy for a future owner/tenant who may drill into the wall in the same area for whatever reason, as they wouldn’t be aware that there was a live cable running behind the wall?

Having re read your op it seems that you will be disconnecting from the inside as well, so the cable would not be live.

As I said, I know nothing but it seems I can’t read properly either

 

[JC Footy Genius]

Not an electrician, but wires inside a terminal block then wrap block with tape and mark where they are located

 

[maresfield seagull]

That's what I did. Disconnected and labelled. Shoved wires back into outside wall and marked.

Didn't blow up when switched mains back on so hoping all ok

What exactly did you disconnect? Can you put up a picture ?

 

[Rugrat]

I also know nothing but if you cut, tape and push back into the wall and then fill, will it not make it dodgy for a future owner/tenant who may drill into the wall in the same area for whatever reason, as they wouldn’t be aware that there was a live cable running behind the wall?

Having re read your op it seems that you will be disconnecting from the inside as well, so the cable would not be live.

As I said, I know nothing but it seems I can’t read properly either

LOL - hopefully no live wires and I've attached a label at switch that says precisely where the other end is

 

[Justice]

Not an electrician, but wires inside a terminal block then wrap block with tape and mark where they are located

The world has moved on terminal blocks are a thing of the past my friend.

 

[JC Footy Genius]

The world has moved on terminal blocks are a thing of the past my friend.

Story of my life .... what do they use now?

 

[Rugrat]

What exactly did you disconnect? Can you put up a picture ?

Live and neutral at the switch, the light end had earth too. Disconnected and taped up both ends

 

[Justice]

To be fair the OP is right disconnect the switch line in the switch in doors and if possible the neutral and all will be well.

 

[McTavish]

LOL - hopefully no live wires and I've attached a label at switch that says precisely where the other end is

OK so your'e leaving the switch on the wall?

I thought you were taking the switch off and filling in the hole which would leave the live feed to the switch inside the wall with no sign that it is there. If the switch (or a blanking plate) stays, then that's different

 

[Weststander]

Shocking thread.

 

[giveusfalmerplease]

ive got a diffierent question for the leccies around here our whole house rewired 3 years ago whilst we were away. the comedians that did it thought it was ok to merely place the new wires external to the wall and run plastic tubing over them. Now we have Lathe(sp?) and plaster walls and i want to recess the cabling and get a plasterer in to then plaster it over. If we dont physically remove any wires and literally just recess the cables and switches ourselves as we decorate each room would that be okay? seems weird to even ask the question - 20 years ago everyone did small jobs like this all the time and didnt batter an eyelid

 

[Justice]

ive got a diffierent question for the leccies around here our whole house rewired 3 years ago whilst we were away. the comedians that did it thought it was ok to merely place the new wires external to the wall and run plastic tubing over them. Now we have Lathe(sp?) and plaster walls and i want to recess the cabling and get a plasterer in to then plaster it over. If we dont physically remove any wires and literally just recess the cables and switches ourselves as we decorate each room would that be okay? seems weird to even ask the question - 20 years ago everyone did small jobs like this all the time and didnt batter an eyelid

I’m guessing you have surface sockets to must look disgusting depends on how much slack you have to work with. Lathe and plaster is a pain you can flush the sockets I normally find the joists cut out the box size and screw to the joist. Like I say it’s a ball ache but with some care you can flush the sockets and switches.