Redundant Cooker cable in wall.

gutovicky

Hello MSE Forum Users,

My cooker and hob are no longer working.  When I replace them, they shall be situated elsewhere in the kitchen.

I wish to disconnect this old cooker cable from the cooker socket (and the wall) and make the cable safe in the loft space.
I would do this by cutting the cable in the loft and then isolating the component wires in a terminal block [or equivalent Wago fitting].

So, my question is:
If I turn off ALL the electrics (the main power switch) at the Consumer Unit, would it be safe to cut this cable, fit the terminal block, then turn the electrics back on??

Thanks, Vicky

SaverRate

If you cooker cable is fed from its own circuit breaker in the fuse board why don't you get an electrician to disconnect this cable from the circuit breaker? They can then use the circuit breaker for the new cooker if required? That would be the safest option.

I am not an electrician but I wouldn't want to leave a live cooker cable in a terminal strip or similar lying around in the loft. The other option I guess is to move the cooker switch to the loft and either use the original back box or get a new back box and then terminate the cable in the loft in the back of the cooker switch? 

Im guessing its not feasible to chase the wall (if required), remove the existing cable then reposition the cable to where you want the new cooker? 

FreeBear

Get your electrician to disconnect the cable at the consumer unit (fuse box), and then pull it out if you can. If the cable won't pull out, cut it close to where it disappears in to the wall both ends.

Having random bits of cable floating around that may or may not be live (even if properly terminated) is darned annoying - I have such a cable up in my loft. No idea where the other end is connected to, but it is live....

grumbler

Personally, I don't understand why anyone would need an electrician to disconnect two wires in a CU.

Just switch the MCB off and unscrew the line wire at the top of it. Then unscrew the neutral wire from the copper bus. The earth you may disconnect or leave.

If the disconnected  wires remain in the CU, insulate/terminate them. I wouldn't cut them -  in the future  you may need them. E.g., do you have a socket in the loft? If not, this cable can be used to add one.

plumb1_2

I would do the same. But I would also leave the cable in the kitchen in place. Just in case if ever need in the future 
Is the Op having gas appliances? If so they would require electric supply to these.

diystarter7

grumbler said:

Personally, I don't understand why anyone would need an electrician to disconnect two wires in a CU.

Just switch the MCB off and unscrew the line wire at the top of it. Then unscrew the neutral wire from the copper bus. The earth you may disconnect or leave.

If the disconnected  wires remain in the CU, insulate/terminate them. I wouldn't cut them -  in the future  you may need them. E.g., do you have a socket in the loft? If not, this cable can be used to add one.

Hi

Exactly what we have done in a previous property.

However, as you know it is if one feels confident and if not, do less or call a sparky.

I worry a lot and have an electrical tester so even having turned everything off, I still check if there is any current there, lol.

Thanks

Section62

grumbler said:

Personally, I don't understand why anyone would need an electrician to disconnect two wires in a CU.

Just switch the MCB off and unscrew the line wire at the top of it. Then unscrew the neutral wire from the copper bus. The earth you may disconnect or leave.

If the disconnected  wires remain in the CU, insulate/terminate them. I wouldn't cut them -  in the future  you may need them. E.g., do you have a socket in the loft? If not, this cable can be used to add one.

One reason may be that even with 'everything' switched off there may still be exposed live conductors or terminals within the consumer unit.

Some people who aren't sure what they are doing would likely feel safer leaving that kind of work to a professional.  Others wouldn't know what "MCB" and "copper bus" mean.

There's also a vital step missing from your instructions - labelling the disconnected wires so the next person knows what they are and why they aren't connected to anything.

I'd also be uncomfotable leaving the "earth" wire of a disused cable connected - if the cable is no longer needed it should be disconnected (and labelled) properly.

Section62

diystarter7 said:

I worry a lot and have an electrical tester so even having turned everything off, I still check if there is any current there, lol.

Why the "lol"?  It is a sensible (if not essential) precaution to check for voltage before working on something, rather than just assuming that operating switches/circuit breakers/fuses has de-energised the circuit.

diystarter7

diystarter7 said:

grumbler said:

Personally, I don't understand why anyone would need an electrician to disconnect two wires in a CU.

Just switch the MCB off and unscrew the line wire at the top of it. Then unscrew the neutral wire from the copper bus. The earth you may disconnect or leave.

If the disconnected  wires remain in the CU, insulate/terminate them. I wouldn't cut them -  in the future  you may need them. E.g., do you have a socket in the loft? If not, this cable can be used to add one.

Hi

Exactly what we have done in a previous property.

However, as you know it is if one feels confident and if not, do less or call a sparky.

I worry a lot and have an electrical tester so even having turned everything off, I still check if there is any current there, lol.

Thanks

Hi

This is what we have bought - the plug tester as well as I have moved a plug as well. The plug tester was used extensivley when on of kids bought their new property but the pen is the most useful and you can buy it alone and cheaper therefore


https://www.screwfix.com/p/lap-k810-ac-voltage-detector-pen-socket-tester/5449h

Thanks

PS: You can get cheaper tester pens and more expensive ones but this one works well and IMO clear

Thanks 

SergeantBaker

diystarter7 said:

diystarter7 said:

grumbler said:

Personally, I don't understand why anyone would need an electrician to disconnect two wires in a CU.

Just switch the MCB off and unscrew the line wire at the top of it. Then unscrew the neutral wire from the copper bus. The earth you may disconnect or leave.

If the disconnected  wires remain in the CU, insulate/terminate them. I wouldn't cut them -  in the future  you may need them. E.g., do you have a socket in the loft? If not, this cable can be used to add one.

Hi

Exactly what we have done in a previous property.

However, as you know it is if one feels confident and if not, do less or call a sparky.

I worry a lot and have an electrical tester so even having turned everything off, I still check if there is any current there, lol.

Thanks

Hi

This is what we have bought - the plug tester as well as I have moved a plug as well. The plug tester was used extensivley when on of kids bought their new property but the pen is the most useful and you can buy it alone and cheaper therefore


https://www.screwfix.com/p/lap-k810-ac-voltage-detector-pen-socket-tester/5449h

Thanks

PS: You can get cheaper tester pens and more expensive ones but this one works well and IMO clear

Thanks 

Your recommendation of the volt stick aka a death stick, is ok for checking if something is live but shouldn't be relied upon from proving dead.

In another post you claimed to be a diy expert. This clearly shows you're not and your advice is at best suspect. 

Section62

diystarter7 said:

PS: You can get cheaper tester pens and more expensive ones but this one works well and IMO clear

Around the same amount of money can buy you a decent multimeter - which can be used to find out much more than just whether something is live with an AC voltage.

DIYers who want to do work on their sockets should have a socket tester though. A "plug tester" is something completely different.