Drilled through electric conduit/cable

[Vagabond]

In an attempt to win a Darwin award, I managed to drill through some conduit carrying electric cable while drilling holes to mount my telly on the wall.

The electricity tripped, and luckily I didnt get electrocuted or anything. I was able to immediately turn the electricity back on, and there are no apparent issues, no tripping etc. I called an electrician and told him the details, and he said it was highly unlikely there was any fire risk as the wires are in conduit (from what I can tell) and modern houses (approx 5 years) have good switch boxes and will trip before allowing damage to occur.

The cable looks to run from the lounge up to under the floorboards in the main bedroom (ring wired I think), so I need to remove the floorboards from up there, as this runs under the skirting boards I assume ill have to remove these to get the boards up.

Any hints and tips for doing the job? as in being able to save the skirting boards etc, plan is as follows:

1. Remove floorboards (and skirting)
2. Find the cable that goes to the plug and pull it up
3. Repair if possible, otherwise use a connector and connect a new piece of wire to it
4. Connect the new wire to the plug socket.

Cheers

 

[Dinosaur]

Hi,
Due to the age of the house you will proberbly have those horrible sheets of chip board stuff instead of proper floor boards. getting these boards up can be a pain! If you can locate and remove the nails you might be able to lift the edge of the board furthest away from the skirting and carefully pull the board out.

If you are going to use a connector block then remember that it has to remain accessable for inspection, testing and maintenance!

 

[Vagabond]

Thanks Dinosaur, it is the nasty chipboard stuff, the nails are buried so deep into it ill have to chip a lot away to get them out.

Ill give pulling the board out a go, though inspections could be difficult, would I need to eefectively leave a panel that is removable?

 

[Dinosaur]

As Churchill says OHHHHHHHHH YESSSSSSSS. . An accessable removeable panel but this can be under you carpets. Good idea to mark the 'cover' saying whats under it. The hole will have to be big enough to allow access to the connector with a tool.

Another thing. dont stand the bed on the cover ...... you might end up sleeping on top of your telly!

 

[Vagabond]

Crud, this will be a lot more work that I expected, and we just had the whole house decorated

The wife is going to kill me, I wont have to worry about the bed, Ill be sleeping on the sofa.

Forgot to ask, would you agree with the electrician I spoke to with regards fire risk? I want to do the work over the next couple weeks, so would need to leave it as is until then.

 

[Dinosaur]

To be honest any fault/damage to electric cables is a risk, quite a high one at that my advice would be fix it quick or isolate the affected circuit. The wife may not love you at the mo but i bet you love her!!! (soppy) That is unless she is insured for a few million!

 

[montybaber]

did the electrician test anything?

 

[Vagabond]

The electrician never actually came round, that was via a phonecall, thought I might take the job on myself, but now think I should call someone immediately and get them to do it. In general, would an electrivcian handle the lifting of the floor boards etc, or would access need to be provided?

 

[Carter]

Trying to find a link to a brilliant device I came across a few years back for making access traps in particle board in situ Lifting and handling 8ft sheets is no drink of water!

Basically it was a router bit, radius bar and aluminium ring kit. You mark your centre and fix the router to the trammel/radius bar affair. Stick the special bit in the plunge router and cut a circle of the preset radius. Lift out the centre 'waste', drop one of the aluminium rings into the hole you've just cut, turn the waste bit 180 degrees and it drops neatly into the inserted spacer/ring frame like a porthole glass restoring a flush floor with a neat lift out trap. Brilliant idea. Just can't find the link.

 

[Dinosaur]

There is nothing a sparky enjoys more than distroiying chip board floors!

Seriously any sparks worth his salt should not have a problem gaining access - chop saws are great tools.

 

[Vagabond]

I have this feeling of impending doom, destroyed floor boards!! that means Id have to find a replacement floor board before the bedroom would even be useable.

Maybe I could get the electrician to tell the missus the gory details while I get a room at a holiday inn in a completely different county, she is going to hit the roof!!

 

[DYCHE4230]

One of these might be useful.....doesn't give you alot of room to muck about with but will allow access for JB and does n't create mayhem with the decorating. Skirting boards normally only attached with adhesive and a few tacks on new builds but pry away from wall carefully or the drylining will come away in lumps. if ya careful skirting will be re usable..

Armeg Solid Board Cutter 127mm - Screwfix.com, Where the Trade Buys

 

[Vagabond]

Thanks Carter and DYCHE4230 for the advice on possible tools, my only concern now is I dont want to put the family at risk while I wait for the weekend to be able to do this, so might have to call ut an electrician as an emergency.

 

[Dinosaur]

It sounds worse than it is sparks are tradesmen and take pride in their work sure it will be a tidy job.

 

[Vagabond]

Would be a LOT cheaper to do this myself, that solid board cutter gives me hope (though knowing my luck Ill cut through the rest of the wires!!).

Could cut a square into the floor board and lift hat out, then put some bracing under that panel and put it back in place.