At home DIY:
Got some ‘fun’ electronics going on in the attic. I’m taking out a spur socket that was installed half way up a wall to support a TV on the main electronics circuit, after a chat with Joe he recommended tracing it and this is what I found, literally just hiding under some insulation. Clearly some bare copper here, but can this be made ‘safe’ or ‘up to code’ by placing inside a junction box or does it really need redone.
This is the point the spur comes off the main circuit.
I should add I’m planning to reuse the spur line, just relocating it in a different spot. So I’m not removing this connection, just needing to make it safe.
If this isn’t your home: Your landlord is responsible for this and should be able to provide an EICR showing that he’s had a qualified professional review of your home installation and rectify serious issues before you even moved in.
If you are the homeowner: I’d suggest you commission a NICEIC or other registered and qualified electrician to undertake an EICR that will report the state of your home electrical installation and flag what needs addressing.
An EICR should be undertaken every 5 years; that said, most people have probably never had one or know what it is.
The exposed copper should be the CPC (Circuit Protective Conductor), aka Earth, so being exposed poses no risk. It would have the same electrical potential as the outside of any metal electrical goods like a kettle or toaster.
A major safety concern is that there is no strain relief or protection to prevent a cable from being pulled loose or out entirely, which could be a fire or electrical hazard.
Assuming these are genuine WAGO connectors and that there is enough slack, you could rewire this (when the circuit is proven isolated) into a WAGO BOX - https://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/WAGOBOX.html
I’d imagine you also want to clip the cable. to avoid it snagging on things.
Hi Matt,
Qualified electrician here - from an electrical perspective you are correct - chuck it all into a junction box and you are good to go. Wago box would also work. Please isolate any circuit at a fuse before putting it into said box.
Please be aware that an exposed earth so close to other exposed cables IS a risk. There is a much higher chance of brushing a live cable and that earth at the same time and potentially giving yourself a very nasty shock.
The red & black cables also identify it as an older installation, so there’s no guarantee the modern protection from that earth/live shock are present - very small % chance but importantly not zero chance that shock could literally kill you.
From an EICR perspective, there should be a fuse between the existing power supply (white cables) and your new spur (black cable), as it looks like they’ve come off of a ring main there.
Thanks Peter! If I was to get an EICR done what would be a ball park figure for a 2 bed flat? Easy access to most of the electrics via attic. Sounds like what I might need to do - I’m the homeowner.
Generally £75-150, depending on size and access.
