Disconnecting outdoor electrics?

[djohnson]

If anyone able to help me much appreciated. The units in the picture feed disused outdoor lights and plug sockets. I want to pave over where one of the plug sockets is but don’t want to leave potentially live wires beneath the paving and so want to disconnect it. If I switch off everything in the left hand box is it then safe to assume I can safely open up the right hand box to disconnect? Or is it more complex than that? Electrician job? Many thanks.

[alfabeat]

I am not an electrician or qualified in any such way, BUT, first off pop to Screw fix and get one of these;

https://www.screwfix.com/p/lap-ac-non-contact-volt...

Personally, I would then, leaving the outdoor consumer unit turned on, remove the junction box cover and see if it is live in there using your new probe. Then turn off the outdoor consumer unit and check again (ie checking that it is actually connected to that consumer unit). If it is, then I would go to the main house consumer unit and work out which fuse is supplying that outdoor consumer unit and remove/turn off. Then check inside your junction box again that nothing is live, then, when 100% confident that all wires are not live, pull it apart and remove whatever cable you want to.

But... that is just the way I would proceed....50 years of home DIY and still alive....but, never assume anything with electrics. Double check.

[Geffg]

Possibly is that easy.
Open up both boxes and see which way the supply comes in. If it comes in on the small db then leave that in place and remove everything else. Should be easy to sort out if you take the covers off to make sure which cable is which etc.

[djohnson]

Thanks both

[98elise]

alfabeat said:

I am not an electrician or qualified in any such way, BUT, first off pop to Screw fix and get one of these;

https://www.screwfix.com/p/lap-ac-non-contact-volt...

Personally, I would then, leaving the outdoor consumer unit turned on, remove the junction box cover and see if it is live in there using your new probe. Then turn off the outdoor consumer unit and check again (ie checking that it is actually connected to that consumer unit). If it is, then I would go to the main house consumer unit and work out which fuse is supplying that outdoor consumer unit and remove/turn off. Then check inside your junction box again that nothing is live, then, when 100% confident that all wires are not live, pull it apart and remove whatever cable you want to.

But... that is just the way I would proceed....50 years of home DIY and still alive....but, never assume anything with electrics. Double check.

Don't buy that one. I bought one and it was unreliable (false positives) so it went back.

Reading the reviews it's a common problem not just a one off.

Edited by 98elise on Saturday 25th May 14:36

[Geffg]

If getting a volt stick / pen go for a good make, Megger or fluke etc.
But don’t rely on it 100%

[98elise]

Geffg said:

If getting a volt stick / pen go for a good make, Megger or fluke etc.
But don’t rely on it 100%

Yes some are fine. I bought the LAP one when my RS Voltstick went missing. The RS one has worked perfectly for 30 years and never given a false reading. The LAP one was telling me every cable was live.

Fortunately my RS one reappeared.

[No ideas for a name]

Geffg said:

If getting a volt stick / pen go for a good make, Megger or fluke etc.
But don’t rely on it 100%

This, and it may be obvious, but test it on a known live every time you use it so that you know it is working.

[Sporky]

No ideas for a name said:

Geffg said:

If getting a volt stick / pen go for a good make, Megger or fluke etc.
But don’t rely on it 100%

This, and it may be obvious, but test it on a known live every time you use it so that you know it is working.

Second both of these. I have the Fluke and test it against the circuit several times (breaker on and off) before proceeding.

Electricity is ouchy if you get it up you.

[Easternlight]

You need to find where it's being fed from.
Consumer unit in the house or wherever and turn it off and isolate it completely i.e. remove the breaker so it can't be accidentally turned on and made live.