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removing live (obsolete) immersion switch safely

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  • 14-11-2007 3:17pm
    #1
    ScottishDanny
    Closed Accounts Posts: 288 ✭✭


    Hiya,
    I'm working on a spare room at the minute. It’s a junk room with the PC in it and I want to smarten it up and make it the home office.

    There used to be a copper cylinder in there but now we have thermostatic closed system heating and the hot water comes straight from the gas boiler.
    There is still an immersion switch and I switched it on yesterday and the indicator light went orange (still power going into it).
    The cable is in plastic conduit on the outside of the wall (not chased) going up into the attic so I want to know how to get rid of this safely.
    Should I put the electrics (exposed ends) into a junction box?
    Can I remove the cable from the conduit (mains off), tape off the ends with insulating tape and poke it back up into the attic?

    Thanks SD


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    #2
    ircoha
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,290 ✭✭✭ircoha


    the best way to do this would be to go back to the fuse board and find what fuse it is one, you could then disconnect it at the board.

    << No. You can't run a socket off this circuit. Socket circuits need RCBO protection>>

    Insulating tape not a good idea


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    #3
    ScottishDanny
    Closed Accounts Posts: 288 ✭✭ScottishDanny


    Would it be safe enough to stick it up in the attic and run it as a socket? (already have light up there). I thought it might be on a separate circuit.


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    #4
    cast_iron
    Registered Users Posts: 2,454 ✭✭✭cast_iron


    ScottishDanny wrote: »
    Would it be safe enough to stick it up in the attic and run it as a socket? (already have light up there). I thought it might be on a separate circuit.
    No. You can't run a socket off this circuit. Socket circuits need RCBO protection, and the immersion breaker will not have it.

    Best thing to do is put the cable ends into an connection box (similar to this), with connectors and leave it in the ceiling.


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    #5
    Stoner
    Registered Users Posts: 10,952 ✭✭✭✭Stoner


    however, if the circuit goes all the way back to the board, you could switch it over to the RCD side (MCB and ALL) allowing the other end of the cable to be connected to a socket.

    Also there are Sockets with built in RCDs, but doing it at the baord is the best way to handle this, but if you want this as a computer room, one option is to get a 20Amp RCBO, at you board and connect the old immersion cable to it, then in your "computer" space you would have an RCD protected circuit that would not trip everytime the iron or kettle trips the existing RCD.

    Its a sparks job though, should not cost much.


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    #6
    Copper
    Registered Users Posts: 68 ✭✭Copper


    If it was wired properly in the first place it will be on an RCD already (socket circuits and water heating circuits are put on an RCD in houses). So you can disconnect it, pull it up into the attic and stick a socket on it if you want. But if you want my advice, get an electrician and don't trust internet replies when it comes to electrics.
    << No. You can't run a socket off this circuit. Socket circuits need RCBO protection>>

    Insulating tape not a good idea

    No. You can't run a socket off this circuit. Socket circuits need RCBO protection, and the immersion breaker will not have it.

    :confused::confused::confused:


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    #7
    Stoner
    Registered Users Posts: 10,952 ✭✭✭✭Stoner


    Copper wrote: »
    If it was wired properly in the first place it will be on an RCD already

    get an electrician and don't trust internet replies when it comes to electrics.

    Ture but as you know a lot of installations have the immersion not through RCD as it was at one stage considered the thing to do and was how it was done, I remember working on a development on corporation houses where it changed half way through, and we had to go back and switch them over,

    IMO its better assume that it is wrong/unsafe then correct WRT this issue, now with the way fixed appliances are wired they all go through the RCD.

    Agreed that it is an electricians job. The RCBO is the way to go thought IMO, thats what i have and my downloads are never interupted :)


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    #8
    cast_iron
    Registered Users Posts: 2,454 ✭✭✭cast_iron


    Copper wrote: »
    If it was wired properly in the first place it will be on an RCD already (socket circuits and water heating circuits are put on an RCD in houses). So you can disconnect it, pull it up into the attic and stick a socket on it if you want. But if you want my advice, get an electrician and don't trust internet replies when it comes to electrics.
    As Stoner said, it may be the case that it is not RCD protected; best air on the side of caution in this case.

    And the best advice of all here, get an electrician for this one.


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