Bu**ger - drilled through wire - what next?

[damurphster]

Whilst attempting to place up hooks for 'guitar hero' guitars I drilled through this and was plunged into darkness.

I have not turned the power back on (assume I can't)

To repair it what's my best? There's not much slack in the wire....

Can I just split the wire - wrap up in insulating tape and replaster?

I'm hoping its easy and this will be a cheap lesson for me to check for wire!

 

[slup]

Best way to fix that is to replace the cable.

Assuming that's not possible, the next best way is crimps and heat shrink sleeving.

Wrapping it in insulating tape is definitely not an option.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Whilst attempting to place up hooks for 'guitar hero' guitars I drilled through this and was plunged into darkness.

Did you cut that square hole, or do you think there used to be a switch there?

I have not turned the power back on (assume I can't)

Did just that circuit go, or the whole house? If the former you can leave that one off and turn the rest back on.

To repair it what's my best? There's not much slack in the wire....

What's best is to replace it, but that will probably be very disruptive.

It does look as though there's room to cut the cable where it's damaged, and not lose much of it, so you could use butt crimps to join it.

You'll need heat-shrink tubing to go over the join.

You should use a decent ratchet crimper like this:

not one of these:

A screwed join needs to be accessible, so unless you don't mind a recessed box with a blanking plate there you shouldn't use choc-block.

Can I just split the wire - wrap up in insulating tape and replaster?

Absolutely not.

I'm hoping its easy and this will be a cheap lesson for me to check for wire!

Was that cable where it should be?

See these for details of where the so-called "safe" zones are:

• http://www.voltimum.co.uk/files/gb/attachments/niu/l/attachments/c5-43.pdf
• http://web.archive.org/web/20061110111450/http://www.niceic.org.uk/downloads/concealedcables.pdf
• IEE article
• IEE Article on 17th Edition requirements for concealed cables.

[edit]Doh! Too slow. [/edit]

 

[GaryMo]

It looks like the square has been cut to view the damage as there'e no evidence of fixings for any previous backboxes.

It also looks like an RCD would have tripped due to N-E fault. The line conductor looks untouched to me (incorrect polarity issues aside).

Until you rectify the problem by one of the methods listed above you can switch off the MCB for that particular circuit and make sure the neutral and earth conductors don't come into contact with each other.

 

[damurphster]

Good answers people.

I hacked the 'box' out to have a look.

Only the fuse for the lounge lights tripped so everything else still on.

I only have one of the crappy wire crimpers - I assume I can get half decent ones (like pictured) from B&Q? Nothing on their website....just found one at scewfix for £20 - do i need to buy this?

How do I shrink the heat shrink - hair-drier enough?

I don't have loads of £ to blow if I can avoid it.

Not sure what you mean about 'was the wire where it was supposed to be' - looking at it there is a switch on the other side of the wall (but behind a concerte wall?) - basically I have been merrily hanging pictures etc and never thought to check for wires. I even have (but don't know how to use) a cheapy checker.

If I use the joiners as suggested would I need to put a barrier between the joint and the plaster? Scrap of plastic pipe?

Its definately one step forward and two back doing up my flat - depressing.



I see that none of you were fans of my insulation tape idea.....

Edit: just found some crimpers for £15 at toolstation - bit better for me!

Edit my Edit: Even better toolstation have some rachet ones for £12

 

[ColJack]

is there a switch or socket or anything else above or below that hole to indicate that there is a cable there?

this is why I'm not a fan of the "clip it to the wall" method..
there is no easy ( or even not so easy ) way to change that cable since it's clipped to the wall..

 

[damurphster]

definately no clues that there was a wire!

My wire detector did pick it up (afterwards )

Took me a while to figure out what 'clip to wall' meant (I assume you mean the wire nailed to concrete) - the clips do mean I cannot pull up a bit of slack to play with.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Only the fuse for the lounge lights tripped so everything else still on.

Can you work out if that cable would be running to/from a switch?

If it's not a switch cable then the black should not be live, and unless the black was live the MCB wouldn't have tripped.

Or is the circuit on an RCBO.

I only have one of the rubbishy wire crimpers - I assume I can get half decent ones (like pictured) from B&Q?

Dunno.

found one at scewfix for £20 - do i need to buy this?

You need to obtain one somehow.

How do I shrink the heat shrink - hair-drier enough?

Yup.

Not sure what you mean about 'was the wire where it was supposed to be'

I mean is it in one of the acceptable zones, as described in the documents I linked to...

If I use the joiners as suggested would I need to put a barrier between the joint and the plaster? Scrap of plastic pipe?

Heatshrink will be fine.

 

[bernardgreen]

When you buy the crimps the shop MAY lend you the crimper against a deposit of its full price.

The black would be switched live at the time if the OP had the lights on to see where he was drilling.

If there are no fittings on that side of the wall relative to this cable then maybe fit a box and blank plate for the joint and there by create safe zones above and below the blank plate. This will at least remind the OP there is a cable there the next time.

 

[Chri5]

Buy the crimper and get the g/f to return it 24 hours later.



As an alternative to crimping you could solder.

crimps need so space with wiring and I fear that due to the plastering in you won't get enough cable room to use the crimpers.

Since the cable is in ega tube could you pull it and see if you can get 25mm or so of 'slack' from either direction.

 

[GaryMo]

Since the cable is in ega tube

Did he say it was? I've just had another look and I'm not sure he did.

 

[Chri5]

Since the cable is in ega tube

Did he say it was? I've just had another look and I'm not sure he did.

Silly me, I should look MORE closely, for some reason I thought the cable was in a 15mm ega tube case

 

[josh1e]

if u do try to pull some through to repair it, remember to pull it gently, if it feels like it is snagged, then stop as you may end up damaging the cable behind the wall where you can't see it & do more damage...

good luck with the repair

 

[mattylad]

I'm a bit more concerned about the need to hang 2 Guitar Hero controllers!