Help!!! Can't turn electric off!!!

Doug81 · Feb 2, 2019

Hi, I'm currently in the process of changing all my switches and sockets and I'm coming across a few problems, like no earth wire for any of the light fittings. Similarly no earth for some of the upstairs plug sockets but the worst yet is the socket in the hallway (right by the fuse box). It has both new (blue,brown,yellow/green) and old (red,black) wires looped together -not a big issue I hear you say....well it is when the old wiring is live even when the fuse box is switched off!!! How do I go about making it safe???

[ElectriciansForums.net] Help!!! Can't turn electric off!!!

Andy-1960 · Feb 2, 2019

Are you trying to tell us that the cables in that photo are live? If you are not a competent electrician you really need to get one quickly!

littlespark · Feb 2, 2019

The red and black there is still live when the fuse board is turned off?
You have a serious problem.

How did you test that? Sore fingers?

Can you post a photo of your meter and fuseboard set up. There might be a clue as to what is wrong.

Can you safely protect those live cables from accidental touching?

How did a socket fit on that box with all that plaster taking up the top right corner?

Anyone in Nottingham up for a late night Saturday night callout?

rapparee · Feb 2, 2019

Find out where it is fed from and turn it off

Turn off the whole house if you have to.

Don't let anyone near that.

PEG · Feb 2, 2019

....I only looked at this post,coz i thought some condemned prisoner,in the USA,had managed to sneak an Iphone in the chamber....

littlespark · Feb 2, 2019

On a side note, the lack of CPC (earth wire) is worrying on the sockets.
Not so much on the lighting as it was common in older days to not include a cpc in the cables.
It just means you shouldn't use metal switches on a circuit without a cpc

Doug81 · Feb 2, 2019

Andy-1960 said:
Are you trying to tell us that the cables in that photo are live? If you are not a competent electrician you really need to get one quickly!

No just red and black are live??

Doug81 · Feb 2, 2019

littlespark said:
The red and black there is still live when the fuse board is turned off?
You have a serious problem.

How did you test that? Sore fingers?

Can you post a photo of your meter and fuseboard set up. There might be a clue as to what is wrong.

Can you safely protect those live cables from accidental touching?

How did a socket fit on that box with all that plaster taking up the top right corner?

Anyone in Nottingham up for a late night Saturday night callout?

rapparee said:
Find out where it is fed from and turn it off

Turn off the whole house if you have to.

Don't let anyone near that.

Rpa07 · Feb 2, 2019

Needs better picture than that Doug - we cant even see the labelling. Which mcb are you switching off when you are as none are off now. Puzzling!

Dave OCD · Feb 2, 2019

Doug - Are you saying that the red stranded cables are live with the main switch on the far left turned off ? If so I suspect some dodgy goings on within the CU where some idiot may have bodged in a way of bypassing, god knows why though.

Dave OCD · Feb 2, 2019

Or if you're saying no single MCB isolates the point it's probably cross-connected circuits across two devices, DIY is all well and good but I strongly recommend you get a decent electrician in - urgently. But why on earth did you remove the socket without isolating first ??!!

Doug81 · Feb 2, 2019

Rpa07 said:
Needs better picture than that Doug - we cant even see the labelling. Which mcb are you switching off when you are as none are off now. Puzzling!

It's all back on now but I switched the main red one off on the left. What do you need to see in the pic?

Doug81 · Feb 2, 2019

Dave OCD said:
Doug - Are you saying that the red stranded cables are live with the main switch on the far left turned off ? If so I suspect some dodgy goings on within the CU where some idiot may have bodged in a way of bypassing, god knows why though.

Yes that's exactly what I'm saying!! Any way of switching it off??

Doug81 · Feb 2, 2019

Dave OCD said:
Or if you're saying no single MCB isolates the point it's probably cross-connected circuits across two devices, DIY is all well and good but I strongly recommend you get a decent electrician in - urgently. But why on earth did you remove the socket without isolating first ??!!