Jun 4, 2020
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If you're a qualified, trainee, or retired electrician - Which country is it that your work will be / is / was aimed at?
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DIY or Homeowner (Perhaps seeking pro advice, or an electrician)
Any tips / tools for finding cable runs? Sockets and outside light stopped working in an extension.

Experienced DIYer / renovator, doing some uncovering for my spark. What with social distancing and the fact that old horrible artex (ugh - will be replaced) might have asbestos - A lot of the uncovering is being done by people other than the sparky. Mostly me :)

1960s house with a flat roof extension for a ground floor bedroom with en-suite. The bedroom has two sockets at opposite ends, on a radial. One is working. On the other, the radial extends through the wall for a socket in the en-suite. Both these sockets are dead. Additionally there's an outside light which is also dead. Other lighting circuits are OK. MCB has no problems.

The house was built during a copper shortage. Some of the plumbing is steel pipe and spark has found aluminium twin and earth before now. We're hoping this is a potential cause of the fault, that it's come loose in a JB somewhere.

I'm really hoping there are no boxes above the ceiling in the flat roof area. Trying to find where the cabling comes into the rest of the house is not clear and lifting floorboards hasn't revealed much so far. To go further means dismantling built-in wardrobes.
It will be done if it needs to be done,

But I wondered if the experts have any tips?
 
You say sockets and lights "not working".
Is that the Live is missing, neutral is missing or both?
 
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They're not the cheapest of things to buy, however, you can get cable tracers that might just be cheaper than the cost of rebuilding new wardrobes!
 
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Thanks Guys.
Live and neutral are missing IIRC. Will have to ask again.

Are there cable tracers that can work through floorboards?
 
Are there cable tracers that can work through floorboards?
Yes there cable tracers that will work through floorboards although they are quite expensive and need some knowledge and experience to get the best results
 
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The landing is another challenge. It's most likely place for boxes etc. the floor boards have been fitted with hardboard sheets and grippers for carpet.

Except at some point the alarm installer ran cables over the hardboard. That's going to be fun.
 

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If you're a qualified, trainee, or retired electrician - Which country is it that your work will be / is / was aimed at?
United Kingdom
What type of forum member are you?
DIY or Homeowner (Perhaps seeking pro advice, or an electrician)

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Dead socket - finding the cabling
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UK Electrical Forum
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