Sparks, is this an electrical danger?

[veedee]

Friends manky bathroom pull cord is detaching from ceiling.

It's currently being held up by one rawl plug and screw, when there should be two of both. Wiring is slightly exposed

They want me to come 'sort it now' because they're scared the electrics is dangerous', it could cause a spark, which could lead to a fire and burn their house down

Sparkies are her concerns legit? Or can i tell her to 'chill out', nothing to worry about I'll sort it next week?

 

[crystal ball]

Hard to tell without seeing the switch

 

[pete01]

Depends if she lives in a petrol station lol , but exposed wires are dangerous, as above without seeing it who knows.

Pop round and screw it back up be a good friend.

 

[opps]

I am not an electrician.

It may end up pulling out of the ceiling. That will make it difficult to the pull the cord, and it is possible that it will result in the cables being pulled out of the fitting. But I don't see how that would lead to sparks that will set fire to the house.

Again, I am not an electrician.

 

[veedee]

.

 

[Taylortwocities]

Is the pull switch for a light, or a power shower. If the latter then it’s high current and more to worry about.

In any event, I hope they’ve been told not to pull the thing until you get there?

 

[pete01]

Is the pull switch for a light, or a power shower. If the latter then it’s high current and more to worry about.

In any event, I hope they’ve been told not to pull the thing until you get there?

It's a lighting pull cord, he deleted the picture for some reason.

 

[Taylortwocities]

It's a lighting pull cord, he deleted the picture for some reason.

Hard to tell without seeing the switch

 

[plugwash]

IF the rawlplugs fail than that is likely to leave the switching hanging by the wire, depending on how hard they pull, how well the wires were terminated in the first place, how many times they use the switch after it comes down the wires could pull out of the fitting. As they are pulled out of the fitting they could touch each other and short out which could produce some pretty big sparks. If the electrics are correctly designed and the short persists for more than a brief moment, a breaker (either overcurrent or residual current) should detect the fault and disconnect the power.

Unless you live in a tinderbox, this is unlikely to start a fire but I don't think it can be entirely ruled out.

 

[DetlefSchmitz]

Probably cross 'cos he had to go out?

 

[pete01]

He posted a picture then removed it, surely crystal ball would know anyway.

 

[FrodoOne]

Friends manky bathroom pull cord is detaching from ceiling.

The "pull cord" is not attached to (or detaching from) the ceiling.
It is attached to a "Switch", which should be properly attached to the ceiling.

It's currently being held up by one rawl plug and screw, when there should be two of both. Wiring is slightly exposed

If the "Switch" is currently being held up by a "Rawl Plug" ("Trade Name" for a plastic "Wall Plug") - and screw -
the ceiling must be Concrete (or similar "Masonry"),
since a "rawl plug" is not a suitable fixing to use on/in a "Plaster Board" ceiling.

 

[securespark]

What, not even a plasterboard rawlplug?

 

[ericmark]

What, not even a plasterboard rawlplug?

Not really a pull switch should be as secure as a lamp, and

In places where the fixing means is intended to support a pendant luminaire. the fixing means shall be capable of carrying a mass of not less than 5 kg.

and one can't really support 5 kg from plaster board, so lamps can't be fixed to plaster board, so really neither should the switch.

However if left on, so no one pulling at the switch, then should be safe enough for a week or two, and a 15 watt bulb left on for two weeks will cost around £1.60 so just leave it on until you get there.

 

[DetlefSchmitz]

To my mind, after having pulled it out that far, we have no idea if a partially loose wire is now getting hot, so the only safe advice anyone can, with a clear conscience, give to anyone else is to fix it straight away. If it's actually off, then a few days may be fine, but it could get turned on whatever one says.