Identifying unmarked mains cables

[coopern]

Help required on best way to identify unmarked, downstairs, painted over, pair of 2.5mm mains cables. The cables are below the consumer unit (1998) just above the skirting board, and I think they are probably the start and finish ends of the downstairs ring main, but they appear out of the wall plaster and after a few feet disappear into the plaster again. There's a solid floor. Would like to know whether there's a way to find out exactly what the cables are without cutting them or pulling up floorboards etc. If they are part of the ring main they could be a convenient point to locate an extra mains socket.

 

[Spoon]

Do you have a mains/stud detector? If so you could use that. Switch off the breakers one at a time and see which one cuts off the power to the cable.

 

[coopern]

Thanks. I'll try my dodgy bosch mains/stud detector.

 

[telectrix]

or even a voltstick.

 

[Octopus]

I think you will find adding a socket to a cable where this is no slack to "play with" very difficult..

 

[The Ghost]

difficult.

Wagos!

 

[Octopus]

Wagos!

Still not going to be too pretty ...... you'd need 6

 

[The Ghost]

6

3, one side only.

 

[Octopus]

3, one side only.

So you cut the cable.... so that 's just within a metal back box, with enough of a tail to fit a wago..... which leaves too little length on the other leg to terminate in to a socket...

 

[telectrix]

cut cable. wago both ends, bridge across, spur to socket faceplate.

 

[coopern]

How about not cutting the existing conductors and overlap or twist new spur cable conductors on the old. Fasten using 3 term junction box with grub screws. I think there's enough slack.