Drilled through light cable

Electricalnoob96 · Jan 1, 2022

Absolute rookie error… renovating the downstairs bathroom and drilled a hole in the wall for a shelf, went straight through the cable for the light switch on the opposite side of the wall.

Kicking myself because I actually have a wire detector and didn’t use it.

Spark came out of the hole and all downstairs lights went dark, lucky I didn’t electrocute myself really!

Checked fuse box and the downstairs lights fuse switch was down, flicked it back up to see if the remaining lights would work and it sparked and flicked straight back down again.

My question is can I get away with cutting a hole in the dry wall and crimping the wires and plastering back over? My only concern is that the fuse switch sparked and flicked straight back off, not sure if this means the fuse box/earth could have been damaged and I need to get a sparky out?

Cheers

westward10 · Jan 1, 2022

If the protective device won't reset then you have created a short between line/neutral or line/earth or all three.

Electricalnoob96 · Jan 1, 2022

westward10 said:
If the protective device won't reset then you have created a short between line/neutral or line/earth or all three.

Could this just be severed wire from drilling through it, ie if the wire is reconnected it’ll reset?

westward10 · Jan 1, 2022

Don't keep trying to reset it. Make the hole in the wall and show a pic of the cable.

Electricalnoob96 · Jan 1, 2022

westward10 said:
Don't keep trying to reset it. Make the hole in the wall and show a pic of the cable.

Haven’t tried flicking it back on since pal, thought best not to try! Attached pictures of the offending cable, thanks for the replies so far

timhoward · Jan 1, 2022

Can you take a picture of the light fitting which that cable is the switch for too, there might be a simple way to at least get the other lights on again.

UNG · Jan 1, 2022

Electricalnoob96 said:
Haven’t tried flicking it back on since pal, thought best not to try! Attached pictures of the offending cable, thanks for the replies so far

Whereabouts in Manchester are you?

Electricalnoob96 · Jan 1, 2022

I’ve attached some more photos without the grey protective covering and the light that this powers

thanks guys! I can take the light fixture off to show the wiring directly to the light if needed

ipf · Jan 1, 2022

Electrician needed. There won't be enough length on the cable to make a required connection.
It's a fair hole through the cable....seen them with red rawl plugs through them and units fitted.

Electricalnoob96 · Jan 1, 2022

UNG said:
Whereabouts in Manchester are you?

I’m in Burnage pal

Electricalnoob96 · Jan 1, 2022

ipf said:
Electrician needed. There won't be enough length on the cable to make a required connection.
It's a fair hole through the cable....seen them with red rawl plugs through them and units fitted.

Thought that might be the case, if only there was an award for an unlucky bullseye!!

Electricalnoob96 · Jan 1, 2022

timhoward said:
Can you take a picture of the light fitting which that cable is the switch for too, there might be a simple way to at least get the other lights on again.

Thanks for the reply! Light fitting picture attached

Electricalnoob96 · Jan 1, 2022

Don’t know if it’s worth mentioning that there are actually two light switches to the light fixture (no idea why)

I only use one of them, and I have drilled through the one that I do not use

timhoward · Jan 1, 2022

Electricalnoob96 said:
Don’t know if it’s worth mentioning that there are actually two light switches to the light fixture (no idea why)

I only use one of them, and I have drilled through the one that I do not use

It is very much worth mentioning. We are close to the limit of what the forum rules allow regarding step by step instructions, for safety reasons.
Take the cover off both light switches. One of them will have two cables in. One of them will have one.
Hopefully the one you do not use has just one.
Post clear photos of the back of both.

timhoward · Jan 1, 2022

(and I need to go out on a job, so hopefully someone else can take over describing the obvious next step!)

Electricalnoob96 · Jan 1, 2022

timhoward said:
It is very much worth mentioning. We are close to the limit of what the forum rules allow regarding step by step instructions, for safety reasons.
Take the cover off both light switches. One of them will have two cables in. One of them will have one.
Hopefully the one you do not use has just one.
Post clear photos of the back of both.

Hopefully I’ve struck lucky! The one I do not use has one, the one I do use has two! Pictures of both attached

timhoward · Jan 1, 2022

Electricalnoob96 said:
Hopefully I’ve struck lucky! The one I do not use has one, the one I do use has two! Pictures of both attached

You did. Turn power off.
At the switch with lots of wires:
disconnect, remove and set aside the wires from the red, yellow, blue cable (that is damaged further along). Cut the very ends off and tape up well.
The leaves you two red wires belonging to the same cable. Connect them to Common and 1, either way around.
Leave all the yellow/green sleeved stuff alone.
Put that switch back together.
Your lights should now not trip.

Electricalnoob96 · Jan 1, 2022

timhoward said:
You did. Turn power off.
At the switch with lots of wires:
disconnect, remove and set aside the wires from the red, yellow, blue cable (that is damaged further along). Cut the very ends off and tape up well.
The leaves you two red wires belonging to the same cable. Connect them to Common and 1, either way around.
Leave all the yellow/green sleeved stuff alone.
Put that switch back together.
Your lights should now not trip.

Cannot thank you enough, you’re an absolute star. Worked like a charm!!! Saved me a hell of a lot of hassle and money, all lighting back on!

timhoward · Jan 1, 2022

Electricalnoob96 said:
Cannot thank you enough, you’re an absolute star. Worked like a charm!!! Saved me a hell of a lot of hassle and money, all lighting back on!

No worries, happy new year pal.
Maybe leave the shelf until tomorrow now?!

ipf · Jan 1, 2022

timhoward said:
No worries, happy new year pal.
Maybe leave the shelf until tomorrow now?!

Next year, preferably.......

......

Electricalnoob96 · Jan 1, 2022

timhoward said:
No worries, happy new year pal.
Maybe leave the shelf until tomorrow now?!

Think I’m gonna leave the shelf full stop haha!

Happy new year to you mate, thanks again for your help really do appreciate it

littlespark · Jan 1, 2022

While your luck’s in… what’s next weeks lottery numbers?

Lucky twice.
1. Not blowing a bigger hole in yourself
2. Managing to pierce the one cable that was easiest to explain how to disconnect. Hit a red/black and it could have been anything.