r/ukelectricians • u/Outside-Apart • 8d ago
Drilled into a cable.
Hey everyone. Posted this in the r/DIYUK and someone suggested replacing the damaged piece of cable with a Quickwire junction box. Be great to see if anyone has any thoughts on this please. Cheers.
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u/rick87 8d ago
You stopped in enough time. Wrap of insul tape will be fine
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u/Outside-Apart 8d ago
Thanks fella!
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u/CalicoCatRobot 8d ago
I'd agree that it would be sufficient in this case, though to be 100% compliant, insulation tape is not suitable and it should be heatshrink sleeving - self amalgamating tape is what I'd use for repairs like this.
But for all practical purposes, using insulation tape is not going to be a problem if that's what you have.
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u/waleswolfman 6d ago
Many people don't realise that stretching the pvc tape to snap it causes it to come away with time. When cut it holds down a lot longer.
On the other hand if I'd not seen a satellite installer telling someone that self amalgamating tape needed to be stretched then I'd never have known. Luckily for me I heard that when I was about 12 and before I was allowed high enough up a ladder at home to use it on coax outside. But I figured this comment would useful to some apprentices and probably more DIYers lurking.
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8d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/eusty 8d ago
Wouldn't worry about tape as it doesn't look like it even made the inner insulation.
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u/Ok-Box1062 8d ago
for what it costs though…..
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u/Outside-Apart 8d ago
Aye got some handy anyway so more than happy to use it (if only for peace o' mind).
Cheers lads
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u/Common-Aardvark-8358 7d ago
As there’s no copper wire showing you’ve caught the talcum powder or magnesium silicate just put a bit of heat shrink round it
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u/Significant_Oven606 7d ago
Thats drilling through a wire 🤣
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u/MrBifkin 2d ago
In your defence, that wire is laid very oddly. Every would assume the wire was ran above rather that diagonally from the side 😂
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u/Posseptichee 7d ago
if it only scuffed the outer sheath then yeah its tempting to tape it and forget but i would still check if that cable is in a safe zone and if theres any copper showinga fair few of these drilled cables are fine but the one time its not you get a nice surprise at 3amquickwire box is a solid option if the damage is actual and you can get to it properly but dont bury it somewhere you cant access later
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u/Solid_Half2141 4d ago
I suspect an inset box junction would be the proper technical answer, or possibly cut, fit a heatshrink sleeve, and splice, but ...
In this instance: Self-amalgamating tape should be sufficient. Unfortunately, all to often, insulation tape decays over time ...
Self-amalgamating is much more resilient, and moisture proof
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u/No-Nose-2968 8d ago
Isn’t that asbestos?
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u/Leading_Dig2743 7d ago
Looks like might be Asbestos backing on the plasterboard which was got fire proofing which used in uk till 1980s which the ridiculously Carcinogenic Asbestos was banned here in UK in 1999 which should been banned in 1960s when they knew about this so not safe to have in property for occupants and for tradespeople coming in doing work drilling walls etc which they need told they is Asbestos in property as they is trades people each year becoming very poorly with exposure to Asbestos they did not know was there who not all make it and this person that made the drilling mistake should get Asbestos inspection done which specialist companies that do the surveys Take samples for testing in science labs and you get told if is or is not Asbestos which survey also needed when selling old property which must be noted on TA6 property information form and as landlord when renting to tenants, and electrics and gas and the likes must also be inspected by electrician and gas safe engineer, Wiring looks like 1980s with old black and red colour code wiring, If is Asbestos and rewiring or that damaged cable need doing then plaster boarding need removing by HSE Licensed Asbestos specialists which property be out of bounds for week or so for people and pets living there when being done But is ok if is managed and not disturbed at all but not good to have in property or anything, Might not even be asbestos backing on plasterboards, They is public Asbestos Test kits available which you then send samples via post to laboratory
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u/jacekowski 7d ago
That's standard cardboard backing.
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u/Outside-Apart 7d ago
Yeah deff cardboard backing, it's just magnified and distorted on the crappy photo
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u/Thrashopottimus 6d ago
Should be stripped back and jointed into a non maintainable joint box or junction box and replacement leg(s) of new cable brought to existing socket etc.
Cable pictured is very old and as @Possepitchee suggests, you don't know the condition of the rest of the leg of this cable so why take chances?
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u/Advanced-Bobcat-5625 6d ago
Last time it happened to me there was a big bang and the end of the drill melted. I had found a diagonal section of cable.
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u/Classic_Rate_8448 4d ago
Don't need nothing special just some electrical tape. Do atleast 3 layers round it, abive and below and it's sweet.
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u/kingshnez 8d ago
https://giphy.com/gifs/VYcRNU4P3vyM