Live wire taped off in the loft.

[Goatus]

Afternoon all, new on here and hoping someone maybe able to offer a bit of advice?

I am flooring the loft at the moment in the loft, and there is a length of wire (grey 3 core) that has just been taped off and taped to the rafters. The wire is live (240v) but isolating the MCB for upstairs lights/sockets and downstairs lights sockets makes no difference so assuming it's not to do with them! I did wonder whether it was put up to faciliate loft lighting?

As mentioned it's a fairly new build house.

I'm a novice at this and am curious as to what it was and if anybody would know?
Many thanks
Nick

 

[Fitzy]

You could try by turning every mcb off, then turn them on one by one while checking the cable until it becomes live again, then you’ll know which mcb it’s connected to.

 

[SJD]

Could well be a supply for a loft socket that whoever first bought the house didn't want to pay extra for, so was never fitted. Either a spur off somewhere (if live), or not actually terminated in the consumer unit (if not actually live, just picking up stray voltage due to proximity to other live cables).

 

[ChrisElectrical88]

If its a new house it could have been put up there for future use. How did you test it was live.

Recently did a wetroom in a new house, had a mixer shower switching to an electric shower. Found a 10mm in the board taped up with the other end in the loft ready. Had a semi all day after finding that, saved half a days work.

 

[telectrix]

the cable might be for indoor Ariel point for booster .

another poster gobbing on about washing powder. i give up.

 

[buzzlightyear]

another poster gobbing on about washing powder. i give up.

that bold coming from you .

 

[telectrix]

that bold coming from you .

gerrof. you fairy. .

 

[Pete999]

If its a new house it could have been put up there for future use. How did you test it was live.

Recently did a wetroom in a new house, had a mixer shower switching to an electric shower. Found a 10mm in the board taped up with the other end in the loft ready. Had a semi all day after finding that, saved half a days work.

What a semi detached?

 

[littlespark]

Aerial! Gees.

All these jokes are Cillet Bang out of order.
Daz n’t say much for the experts suggestions here.
Persil.... persil?.... no can’t think.

Give it time, I might have a Flash of inspiration.

OP. For the sake of safety, isolate all power in the house, check the cable is dead and terminate it properly in a secured joint box.
Then you can finish flooring the attic and worry about getting a spark to check it another time

 

[telectrix]

Aerial! Gees.

All these jokes are Cillet Bang out of order.
Daz n’t say much for the experts suggestions here.
Persil.... persil?.... no can’t think.

Give it time, I might have a Flash of inspiration.

OP. For the sake of safety, isolate all power in the house, check the cable is dead and terminate it properly in a secured joint box.
Then you can finish flooring the attic and worry about getting a spark to check it another time

well, this post has certainly wiped the floor.

 

[littlespark]

We'll be finished in a Jif-fy….
oh... its called Cif now is it?

 

[Moley]

All this reminds me of my poor old cat. She got into the washing machine and curled up asleep. No one noticed and the washing machine was turned on. At least she died in Comfort.

 

[Timbo]

Persil.... persil?.... no can’t think.

Keep Persil-vering, you'll get there.

 

[EbolaSideRoom]

Well you’ve all cleaned up nicely....

 

[Bri_uk712]

What size cable?
I’ve come across a live cable taped up yesterday while in a loft. It was the old shower feed.
Can never understand why people don’t just diconnevt the live conductor in the dB/fuse box rather than just being lazy.

 

[EbolaSideRoom]

What size cable?
I’ve come across a live cable taped up yesterday while in a loft. It was the old shower feed.
Can never understand why people don’t just diconnevt the live conductor in the dB/fuse box rather than just being lazy.

And the neutral, if the circuit is RCD protected (which, in most domestic circumstances, it’s going to be nowadays).