DIY Doctor UK DIY Forums

Hello guys,

I'm a very amateur DIYer. Wonder if you can help me with a small electrical issue. I'm updating a cupboard and want to make safe a live electrical cable that is longer in use (see picture). I'd like to cut it so it sits inside the wall, which I can then cover with ply, and paint. But I don't think this is the correct thing to do. It's quite an old property, and I can't trace the route of the cable without ripping the house apart.

Any ideas what I should do?

Thanks in advance

Hi Tonyade

If you can't isolate the supply to this cable and it has to remain live inside the wall, then it's bad practice to cover it up and paint over - so your right on that thought. There will be no obvious fixture on the outside of the wall to indicate a live power supply inside the wall.

First turn off power at fuse box to this cable and confirm that cable is "dead"
Best option would be to chop out the wall and fit a 1 gang metal box, terminate live and nuetral wires using connector block as in picture, connect earth wire to earth lug on box, make sure all connections are tight, fit 1 gang blanking plate over metal box - job done and turn on power
You could do the same but use a surface mounted box and blanking plate.
Please note that I'm not a sparkie just a DIY'er so someone more informed may well have a better option.
Hope that this info may be of some use
David

Hi, I can't better the comments from TLS , David is correct, as I suspect you know as you asked the question. It's a regular problem for the reasons stated, a cover plate will draw peoples attention to the fact there is a buried cable in the area.
regards both, Mac

Thanks, chaps. Excellent advice!