Drilled through kitchen light cable repaired with crimps now none of my lights work up or downstairs

[LindaK]

My son was moving a cupboard for me & deliberately went diagonal from light switch to avoid cable. Then no bang or flash of light he just stopped & said I’ve went through a cable. After seeking advice on how to repair, we attempted to use cable crimps. Turned the power back on & not only did my kitchen light not come on but none of my lights came on which is strange because they all worked before the repair.
Got an electrician coming out tomorrow who will probably replace the whole wire but I just wanted to know what would cause them not to work. It has my handy mans (he done the repair) head done in. Any advice gratefully received ?

 

[Baddegg]

Have you reset the breakers mcb/rcd sometimes an rcd will need physically turning off and on again once tripped, but I would stress do not turn it back on if you aren’t sure you’ve repaired the cable properly ?

 

[LindaK]

Have you reset the breakers mcb/rcd sometimes an rcd will need physically turning off and on again once tripped, but I would stress do not turn it back on if you aren’t sure you’ve repaired the cable properly ?

Ah I don’t think he tried that. He was totally stuck on why it hadn’t worked. I know he turned all my electrics off then back on again but nothing ?

 

[Mike Johnson]

Inside your consumer unit there will be a red double switch at one end, this is what is used to isolate your supply and is what your handy man probable turned off and on, along side the red double switch there will be a number of breakers, and they should be denoted as lights, sockets etc, one of those may have tripped and needs to be re-set, it may need turning off completely i.e. switch down and then back up, if it will not switch back on/up then the cable is still compromised and you need an electrician to help you.

All switch's should be up, try the one that is down first, but don't keep trying it, as above if it will not stay up then call an electrician.

 

[Markyd]

And that is why a "Handyman" is not an Electrician

 

[Mike Johnson]

Reading the first post again, it was her Son that drilled through the cable trying to help his mother, the reference to repair says "We" so I assume they did it themselves, does not seem a third party was involved, but they have an Electrician coming today, I wonder how much he will charge, for what I think may be just switching the RCD back on?

 

[suffolkspark]

Reading the first post again, it was her Son that drilled through the cable trying to help his mother, the reference to repair says "We" so I assume they did it themselves, does not seem a third party was involved, but they have an Electrician coming today, I wonder how much he will charge, for what I think may be just switching the RCD back on?

Well it sounds like that cable wants replacing too, crimps on t/e often hold poorly, and the cable is diagonal, I'd have it out and jb in the ceiling

 

[Mike Johnson]

Yes we all would if we could, but this is real life and a domestic problem they have tried to resolve themselves, and they haven't killed themselves or set fire to anything yet.
[automerge]1598545037[/automerge]
I often used to use crimps on T&E where the cable has been cut short inside a box, usually found on a socket that has reverse polarity, I defy anyone to pull them apart after I have had a go with the hydraulic crimper. I always wondered how the cable got so short and why someone thought it was OK to reverse the cables, strange world, glad I'm retired, must open another bottle of Rosé.

 

[ferg]

must open another bottle of Rosé.

I dont mind the odd bit of gentle trolling but this time you have taken it just too far..

Rosé indeed.

 

[telectrix]

why rose when you can have proper red wine?

 

[Mike Johnson]

why rose when you can have proper red wine?

Because it's the middle of the afternoon and I am sitting by the pool.

 

[Markyd]

Reading the first post again, it was her Son that drilled through the cable trying to help his mother, the reference to repair says "We" so I assume they did it themselves, does not seem a third party was involved, but they have an Electrician coming today, I wonder how much he will charge, for what I think may be just switching the RCD back on?

Maybe if you had read a bit more you would have seen this My son was moving a cupboard for me & deliberately went diagonal from light switch to avoid cable. Then no bang or flash of light he just stopped & said I’ve went through a cable. After seeking advice on how to repair, we attempted to use cable crimps. Turned the power back on & not only did my kitchen light not come on but none of my lights came on which is strange because they all worked before the repair. Got an electrician coming out tomorrow who will probably replace the whole wire but I just wanted to know what would cause them not to work. It has my handy mans (he done the repair) head done in. Any advice gratefully received
Source URL: Drilled through kitchen light cable repaired with crimps now none of my lights work up or downstairs - https://www.electriciansforums.net/threads/drilled-through-kitchen-light-cable-repaired-with-crimps-now-none-of-my-lights-work-up-or-downstairs.189859/#post-1653961

 

[Mike Johnson]

And your point is?
[automerge]1598567941[/automerge]

I dont mind the odd bit of gentle trolling but this time you have taken it just too far..

Rosé indeed.

Sorry I may have miss-understood was that an attempt at humour?

 

[Markyd]

And your point is?
[automerge]1598567941[/automerge]


Sorry I may have miss-understood was that an attempt at humour?

If you read it she says its her handyman that done the repair......

 

[Mike Johnson]

I took the handyman to be her son who moved the kitchen cabinet and did the repair.

 

[Taylortwocities]

Got an electrician coming out tomorrow who will probably replace the whole wire but I just wanted to know what would cause them not to work.

How did you get on with Your electrician? All fixed? What was done to resolve the problem?

 

[Mike Johnson]

We will probably never know, DIY's only ever come on to ask about something they don't know, very rarely do they come back on to give any feedback.

 

[LindaK]

Hi thank you for reply. Thank you for all the replies. I got an electrician the next day as stated & 3 rcds were broken. He fixed those & to be honest the House is in need of complete rewire which will be done very soon. He replaced wire that my son drilled through ( not my handy man, he tried to fix it but then no lights came on....reason being 3rcds knackered.
P.s.Not all diyers are rude, I’ve just been really busy renovating to update you lovely people on what was wrong. Many thanks again ???

 

[mattg4321]

3 RCD’s are broken?

Are you sure that’s correct as it doesn’t really add up with the problem you described. Or any problem come to think of it!

 

[LindaK]

Yes 3 were broken. The wiring is really old & out dated. I knew it needed doing. I didn’t understand how 3 had gone but he showed me. As soon as he fixed/changed them ta-dah the lights came back on ???