I have a question about leaving live wires inside walls
how can it be done safely?

we have an old house with lathe and plaster walls. it has rather old wires.
on the second floor (it's a duplex) we just installed a new panel and new
wiring everywhere because we broke the walls to add insulation.

we will have to break the walls in some of the rooms in the first floor
appartment too because there's no insulation in them. at the same time I'd
like to change some wires.

the problem is that these wires are common with the basement, which is
already finished. the wires most likely come from the basement (from the
floor of the room not the ceiling). the same wires split and go to many
rooms. in other words I'd be cutting some wires to add new ones, but I can't
cut power to the old wires without destroying the whole basement.

what do I need to do to make it safe to leave a live, cut-off wire inside
the wall?

I was thinking I can wrap the end in tape and put it inside a junction box
and put a cover on the box. is that OK? is there any other solution?

040115 0006 - j j wrote:

I have a question about leaving live wires inside walls
how can it be done safely?

we have an old house with lathe and plaster walls. it has rather old wires.
on the second floor (it's a duplex) we just installed a new panel and new
wiring everywhere because we broke the walls to add insulation.

we will have to break the walls in some of the rooms in the first floor
appartment too because there's no insulation in them. at the same time I'd
like to change some wires.

the problem is that these wires are common with the basement, which is
already finished. the wires most likely come from the basement (from the
floor of the room not the ceiling). the same wires split and go to many
rooms. in other words I'd be cutting some wires to add new ones, but I can't
cut power to the old wires without destroying the whole basement.

what do I need to do to make it safe to leave a live, cut-off wire inside
the wall?

I was thinking I can wrap the end in tape and put it inside a junction box
and put a cover on the box. is that OK? is there any other solution?


Just tape it up and stick it back in the wall. Nobody will ever come into
contact with it as long as it is in the wall.

"indago" wrote in message
...

Just tape it up and stick it back in the wall. Nobody will ever come
into
contact with it as long as it is in the wall.


Us the junction box!

Joseph E. Meehan

Dia 's Muire duit

It's always best to disconnect power at the source if possible ...

Failing that, are you good with wire nuts?

I guess I'd find a very snug-fitting wire nut, fix it very securely
to the hot (black or red) wire, and use a romex staple to
nail the termination firmly to a stud and out of harm's way.

Cheers,
Peetie.

On Thu, 15 Jan 2004 00:06:15 -0500, "j j" wrote:

I have a question about leaving live wires inside walls
how can it be done safely?

we have an old house with lathe and plaster walls. it has rather old wires.
on the second floor (it's a duplex) we just installed a new panel and new
wiring everywhere because we broke the walls to add insulation.

we will have to break the walls in some of the rooms in the first floor
appartment too because there's no insulation in them. at the same time I'd
like to change some wires.

the problem is that these wires are common with the basement, which is
already finished. the wires most likely come from the basement (from the
floor of the room not the ceiling). the same wires split and go to many
rooms. in other words I'd be cutting some wires to add new ones, but I can't
cut power to the old wires without destroying the whole basement.

what do I need to do to make it safe to leave a live, cut-off wire inside
the wall?

I was thinking I can wrap the end in tape and put it inside a junction box
and put a cover on the box. is that OK? is there any other solution?

"j j" wrote in message
...
I have a question about leaving live wires inside walls
how can it be done safely?

we have an old house with lathe and plaster walls. it has rather old
wires.

when you say "old wires"
do you mean
knob and tube?

"David J" wrote in message
...

"j j" wrote in message
...
I have a question about leaving live wires inside walls
how can it be done safely?

we have an old house with lathe and plaster walls. it has rather old
wires.

when you say "old wires"
do you mean
knob and tube?

no, both hot and neutral (but no ground) are present in the same tube,
surrounded by some paper-type insulation. the outer cover seems a bit
"oily".
I think wires are still in decent condition, but I can't be sure, some might
be eaten up and brittle. as a result we avoid using large loads on these
wires and I'd like to add new outlets and leave the old wires in place
because they all come from the same source (one breaker shuts off half the
house) and I can't turn power off for them without replacing every wire and
breaking lots of walls.
so I want to leave power for the lights on the old wires and put outlets
with new wires.

"j j" wrote in message
.. .

"David J" wrote in message
...

"j j" wrote in message
...
I have a question about leaving live wires inside walls
how can it be done safely?

we have an old house with lathe and plaster walls. it has rather old
wires.

when you say "old wires"
do you mean
knob and tube?

no, both hot and neutral (but no ground) are present in the same tube,
surrounded by some paper-type insulation. the outer cover seems a bit
"oily".
I think wires are still in decent condition, but I can't be sure, some
might
be eaten up and brittle. as a result we avoid using large loads on these
wires and I'd like to add new outlets and leave the old wires in place
because they all come from the same source (one breaker shuts off half the
house) and I can't turn power off for them without replacing every wire
and
breaking lots of walls.
so I want to leave power for the lights on the old wires and put outlets
with new wires.




in that case
I would cut the old wire and turn it into an outlet before switching the
light
or put it in a junction box as joseph suggested.