Abandoning cables in walls

[JD Hogg]

Hi, does anyone know if there is an approved method of abandoning cables in walls?

I have a customer who wants wall lights in her living room disconnected, she wants the cables buried in the wall and plastered over so she can decorate over. I can obviously disconnect the live from the switch but cannot get to the cables in the floor above due to fitted carpets etc.

Cheers

 

[High Tower]

Can you disconnect the neutral?? If you can not then IMO you need to treat the cable as live, it must be made off, insulated and within zone.

 

[imago]

I can obviously disconnect the live from the switch but cannot get to the cables in the floor above due to fitted carpets etc.

Carpets are the easiest form of floor covering to deal with, and as High Tower said if you only disconnect the line then you aren't disconnecting the cable.

 

[Paul.M]

I tell customers that I will relay the carpets after I'm finished but they never go back down the same (in most cases). Advise them to get a carpet fitter in to relay them if this is an issue. It wont cost that much for an hour or two.

 

[Daveash123]

You may find the neutral in the ceiling rose for the room, worth a check before lifting carpets

 

[telectrix]

just thought that. if he's lucky. if not could be a JB in a stupid inaccessible place. :sad_smile:

 

[RyanCheetham]

Its either carpet and floors up or pattress' and blanking plates. Clients call

 

[Fin170]

If you're lucky you'll find all the ends in the switch which you can easily make safe (another one on the long list of reasons I prefer lighting using that method), you may find them all in the ceiling rose....will be a bloody mess, but at least you can disconnect them. Failing both of them they'll be in a JB...somewhere.....

Leaving the neutral connected will lead to plenty of problems later on