I've just spent today trashing perfectly good wiring and making it unsafe. 
As a result of my efforts there is now a redundant 3 core and earth cable burried in the wall and not terminated in the patress box, and also dangling unterminated in the ceiling void. It carries no current, but what should I do with it to make it safe?
How did I get in to this mess? I have a switched lighting circuit which originally consisted of:
Switch a) standard 2 way rocker switch with live and load wires connected with 3 core and earth to
switch b) intermediate switch connected with 3 core and earth to
switch c) standard 2 way rocker switch.
I've changed each of the original switches to these trick models (http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/VLIQ1401.html) so that I can dim the lights at 3 locations. It all works great with a master switch replacing switch a) and slave switches replacing switches b) and c).
The slight snag is that the replacement slave switch which takes the place of the original intermediate switch b) only has enough space in the terminals (!) to connect one of the red, yellow and blue (I am on old colours) 3 core and earths (and there are two 3 core and earths in the patress box - one from switch a) and one to switch c).
So, I've connected the 3 core and earth wires from switch a) and switch b) together in a junction box in the ceiling void, and use one of the 3 core and earths burried in the wall from the ceiling void connected between this junction box and switch b) to do the switching. The second wire in the wall to switch b) is unused now. So far I think I am to code, except for the unused wire.
The problem is - I have the second 3 core and earth burried in the wall and now not terminated in the patress box, and also dangling unterminated in the ceiling void. I think that's bad.
Despite the fact that this wire is carrying no current I know I should do something with it. But what?
As a first step I've taped the wires in the patress box and connected the tails from this wire in the ceiling void to an earthing block in a service box and connected this earthing block to a good earth. I figure if any of the redundant wires somehow go live in the patress box, it will trip the RCD or the circuit breaker, so I figure I am at least fairly safe for the moment (you may disagree!).
I'd like to keep the second 3 core and earth just in case I ever need to put a standard intermediate switch back so don't want to just snip it off just inside the patress box and where it disappears in to the ceiling from the floor void above. Although thinking about it, a standard intermediate switch would still work with my new arrangement I think....LOL - would a standard itermediate switch work with my new arrangement?
Space in the patress box is tight and there's no room for a chocolate block. I could dig it out and replace it with a deeper one.... and redecorate.
What does code say I should do?
Cheers for your advice!
Leighloz
As a result of my efforts there is now a redundant 3 core and earth cable burried in the wall and not terminated in the patress box, and also dangling unterminated in the ceiling void.
It carries no current, but what should I do with it to make it safe?How did I get in to this mess? I have a switched lighting circuit which originally consisted of:
Switch a) standard 2 way rocker switch with live and load wires connected with 3 core and earth to
switch b) intermediate switch connected with 3 core and earth to
switch c) standard 2 way rocker switch.
I've changed each of the original switches to these trick models (http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/VLIQ1401.html) so that I can dim the lights at 3 locations. It all works great with a master switch replacing switch a) and slave switches replacing switches b) and c).
The slight snag is that the replacement slave switch which takes the place of the original intermediate switch b) only has enough space in the terminals (!) to connect one of the red, yellow and blue (I am on old colours) 3 core and earths (and there are two 3 core and earths in the patress box - one from switch a) and one to switch c).
So, I've connected the 3 core and earth wires from switch a) and switch b) together in a junction box in the ceiling void, and use one of the 3 core and earths burried in the wall from the ceiling void connected between this junction box and switch b) to do the switching. The second wire in the wall to switch b) is unused now. So far I think I am to code, except for the unused wire.
The problem is - I have the second 3 core and earth burried in the wall and now not terminated in the patress box, and also dangling unterminated in the ceiling void. I think that's bad.
Despite the fact that this wire is carrying no current I know I should do something with it. But what?
As a first step I've taped the wires in the patress box and connected the tails from this wire in the ceiling void to an earthing block in a service box and connected this earthing block to a good earth. I figure if any of the redundant wires somehow go live in the patress box, it will trip the RCD or the circuit breaker, so I figure I am at least fairly safe for the moment (you may disagree!).
I'd like to keep the second 3 core and earth just in case I ever need to put a standard intermediate switch back so don't want to just snip it off just inside the patress box and where it disappears in to the ceiling from the floor void above. Although thinking about it, a standard intermediate switch would still work with my new arrangement I think....LOL - would a standard itermediate switch work with my new arrangement?
Space in the patress box is tight and there's no room for a chocolate block.
I could dig it out and replace it with a deeper one.... and redecorate. What does code say I should do?
Cheers for your advice!
Leighloz
