Drilled Through Incoming Electrical Cable Protector

[Chris Jones]

[SIZE=10pt]In a moment of stupidity I have drilled a hole directley below the main fuse box.  When I realised what I had done I took the brick out that I had dilled through and can see I have gone direclty through the ‘armoured pipe’ that carrys the main cable into the house.  I didn’t hit the cable (as far as I can tell, and am guessing I would have known it if I had – or even worse not known!).  The ‘pipe’ is in the cavity.  In a panic I counted myself lucky and patched the wall back up.  Now I have calmed down I am wondering if I should have patched the hole in the pipe first.  Should I open the wall up again and patch the pipe – I’m a bit concerned about moistrure getting in- it was a small hole 5mm so no risk of redents getting in.  [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]Thanks[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]Chris[/SIZE]

 

[ProDave]

Is it really just the "pipe" you drilled through, as in what we know as conduit?

Or did you catch the edge of an armoured cable.  Did you expose what look like lots of stands of wire around the outside of the cable? did you just graze them or cut through them?

I don't suppose you took a picture before you put the brick back.

P.S. to anyone reading, it is NOT a good idea to drill holes directly above or below an incoming supply.

 

[Murdoch]

Are you not aware of "safe zones"?

From any accessory, be that a socket,switch, a fuseboard they are horizontally or vertically, plus 150mm from the corners of a room or the ceiling

 

[Chris Jones]

Is it really just the "pipe" you drilled through, as in what we know as conduit?

Or did you catch the edge of an armoured cable.  Did you expose what look like lots of stands of wire around the outside of the cable? did you just graze them or cut through them?

I don't suppose you took a picture before you put the brick back.

P.S. to anyone reading, it is NOT a good idea to drill holes directly above or below an incoming supply.

Thanks for replying - I didn't take a picture but could see a large black cable, I couldn't see any damage to it.

 

[apprentice87]

Hi There, How old is your house?? What did this "pipe" look like?? what material and colour was it?? what did the cable look like?? [The cable itself. not the pipe it was in]

john...

 

[Chris Jones]

Hi There, How old is your house?? What did this "pipe" look like?? what material and colour was it?? what did the cable look like?? [The cable itself. not the pipe it was in]

john...

Hi John

Built mid to late 60's.  The pipe was cream colour, it looked like plastic and metal.  The cable looked black.

 

[ProDave]

It looks like you drilled through the "hockey stick"

you were lucky this time if the cable inside was not damaged.

As already stated but worth repeating, never drill directly above or directly below ANY electrical accessory, that's where the cables are supposed to be.

 

[Evans Electric]

I think the other guys have this covered Mr Jones .  You were lucky to be honest .   I can't a hole in the hockey stick causing any problem .

Murdo rightly  mentions the "Safe zones" .......the trouble with them of course is that only the electrical trade are aware of them .

 

[Chris Jones]

It looks like you drilled through the "hockey stick"

you were lucky this time if the cable inside was not damaged.

As already stated but worth repeating, never drill directly above or directly below ANY electrical accessory, that's where the cables are supposed to be.

Thanks for taking the time to reply.  Yes I agree, got very lucky.  I did know about that rule but common sense just deserted me.  Lesson learnt.

 

[bluetobits]

It looks like you drilled through the "hockey stick"

you were lucky this time if the cable inside was not damaged.

As already stated but worth repeating, never drill directly above or directly below ANY electrical accessory, that's where the cables are supposed to be.

Or indeed to either side

 

[ProDave]

Or indeed to either side

Very true.

I personally think safe zones were not thought through properly.  Firstly nobody other than electricians knows about them. but secondly, if someone wants to hang a picture on a wall, and there is a socket below where the picture is going, then they are very likely to get their tape measure out and put the nail in directly above the socket so it "looks right".  Oops.

 

[Essex1]

It looks like you drilled through the "hockey stick"

you were lucky this time if the cable inside was not damaged.

As already stated but worth repeating, never drill directly above or directly below ANY electrical accessory, that's where the cables are supposed to be.

Errrr - He was lucky this time he did not light himself up?  

 

[Lurch]

I personally think safe zones were not thought through properly.  Firstly nobody other than electricians knows about them. but secondly, if someone wants to hang a picture on a wall, and there is a socket below where the picture is going, then they are very likely to get their tape measure out and put the nail in directly above the socket so it "looks right".  Oops.

How would you do safe zones then?

 

[ProDave]

How would you do safe zones then?

Difficult question, but I like to stick to putting cables right at the two edges of a safe zone with nothing actually right down the middle (remember the safe zone is as wide as the accessory) so when Mr tape measure puts his nail right in the middle, it doesn't hit anything.

 

[Essex1]

I am sorry but common sense must prevail. If someone puts a nail in directly above a socket that is their fault. To be honest I have never heard a picture being put up based on socket positions ever.

 

[Sharpend]

To be honest I have never heard a picture being put up based on socket positions ever.

This may be because you have not lived in Scotland? It is a common occurrence due to drinking habits that the vision may be somewhat disoriented and during this time a blank wall will look just that, however a wall with a socket provides a point of reference and once the pair of sockets have stopped moving the nail is placed above and between the two. In the morning it becomes apparent that there was in fact only one socket and as such the nail is perfectly placed in the centre line of this socket. Resulting in a damaged cable due to safe zones being incorrect.

HTH's

 

[Lurch]

Difficult question, but I like to stick to putting cables right at the two edges of a safe zone with nothing actually right down the middle (remember the safe zone is as wide as the accessory) so when Mr tape measure puts his nail right in the middle, it doesn't hit anything.

By default I usually end up with drops to accessories on one edge anyway due to using knockouts one one side or the other. I'd quite like to do everything in galv tube, that would also solve many other problems but I doubt I would get much work on domestic!

To be honest I have never heard a picture being put up based on socket positions ever.

Sockets not so much, light switches regularly, usually the landing as there is not normally a lot of wall space there.

 

[IzzyS]

My local post office has it's certificates of employer's and public liability insurance screwed to the wall immediately above the grid switch for the lights. At least the details will be handy when someone gets a belt off the aluminium picture frames...

When I EICR'd my own house after moving in, I found, within easy reach, a live nail on a pipe clip where a professional plumber had nailed into a (not-very) safe zone.  There was no RCD protection.  A section of cpc had been vaporised, so he must have known he'd done something wrong.  But it still worked when he'd reset the breaker, probably several times until it cleared the "fault", so it that was how it was left.

As other's have said, only sparks are aware of safe zones...

Maybe the "electrical safety charities" should do more to highlight the issue, rather than banging on about only using NICEIC contractors cause they're all great.

 

[kerching]

Well I have a customer who had a piece of YT2 inside a cupboard

Fastened to the lid was an Ikea carrier bag storage unit, held by 2 25 mm screws...both through the live side of the supplynto the CH Prog

 

[Andy™]

Well I have a customer who had a piece of YT2 inside a cupboard

Fastened to the lid was an Ikea carrier bag storage unit, held by 2 25 mm screws...both through the live side of the supplynto the CH Prog

i guess that beats my trunking used as a pin board...