Safely terminating a live wire in the wall.

[sediener]

I've got some under counter lighting which are direct wired. I'm planning to replace 2 single bulb fixtures which are in the corner with a single three bulb fixture (the old ones seem to be getting overheated and turn off randomly). So I have two wires hanging out of the wall and only need one.

If I cap each lead with a wire-nut and cover it with electrical tape before pushing it back through the hole, is that safe and sufficient or is there a better way to do it? I'm not planning on ripping up the wall so please don't say that's what I need to do.

thanks,
Steve

 

[Joe Scharle]

I'd wire nut them and leave them in the box with the live one.

 

[Bigdog72]

I'm not an electrician but wire nuts and electric tape should be ok. The preferred method would be to have the wires terminate in a covered box, though.

 

[Makinsawdust]

My guess is that would be okay if you wire nut it and stuff it back into an electrical box with a cover. I don't think I'll stuff it back into just a hole in the wall.

 

[Matt Schnurbusch]

As has been said, wire nuts securely tightened and then taped off (if you like) will do it. By NEC code they must be in a box with a cover. If it were my house I wouldn't want them just "shoved" inside the wall cavity.

You can pick up an "old work" handy box and cover for less than 2 bucks, and install them in a few minutes. Then all your bases are covered.

 

[sediener]

Thanks everyone... I don't think I can put a box in since the wire was actually drilled through the lower lip of the cabinet just above the tile backsplash. (an early grave would surely come if I ripped out some tiles to put in a covered box)

I think I'll just cap it off for now and maybe grab another single bulb fixture. That area will be very bright but oh well, at least I won't have to go fishing for a wire if the house gets inspected when we sell. Back to lowes...

 

[Matt Schnurbusch]

Is there enough wire to pull it into the new fixture? Would it be visible, and U-G-L-Y?

If you can find a way to stow it in a box, even the new fixture, you will be much better off.

 

[sediener]

That might work except they put up the lighting fixtures before grouting the tiles... so where the fixtures currently are are un-grouted thus I need something to cover the area anyway. grumble grumble....

 

[Matt Schnurbusch]

Steve, I'm confused. You said:

Thanks everyone... I don't think I can put a box in since the wire was actually drilled through the lower lip of the cabinet just above the tile backsplash. (an early grave would surely come if I ripped out some tiles to put in a covered box)

Which implies that the wiring is in the cavity beneath the cabinet. But then you say:

That might work except they put up the lighting fixtures before grouting the tiles... so where the fixtures currently are are un-grouted thus I need something to cover the area anyway. grumble grumble....

By this I have to assume that the old fixture was mounted very close to the wall. If the new fixture is going to be mounted further out then that ungrouted area will need work anyway. If the new fixture will be mounted in the same spot then pull the unused wire into the new fixture... Am I missing something?

 

[sediener]

The old ones were mounted against the wall and screwed into the underside of the cabinet. The wire protrudes through the lip of the cabinet below the dado where the bottom shelf is set into. The fixtures cover about an inch or so of the tile backspash. The two fixtures are on adjoining walls of the kitchen back in a corner so if I caddy corner the new one, I might be able to get the extra old wire into the new fixture but am not sure how much slack I have there. I haven't pulled the old ones out yet to see how much slack there is but if I do that the wires won't be hidden nicely like they were. I'll see how it looks once I get the old stuff out later on tonight.

I should probably grout that area right anyway. I thought I was checking something off the list doing this, not adding to it.

 

[Matt Schnurbusch]

That's how every honey do project I tackle at home works out too. One "this'll only take a minute" project turns into at least 5 trips to the borg and at least half a day labor. And I do this for a living?:gar-La;:rotflm::gar-La;:rotflm:

 

[petebucy4638]

I've got some under counter lighting which are direct wired. I'm planning to replace 2 single bulb fixtures which are in the corner with a single three bulb fixture (the old ones seem to be getting overheated and turn off randomly). So I have two wires hanging out of the wall and only need one.

If I cap each lead with a wire-nut and cover it with electrical tape before pushing it back through the hole, is that safe and sufficient or is there a better way to do it? I'm not planning on ripping up the wall so please don't say that's what I need to do.


thanks,
Steve

NEC requires that any wire splice of this nature be enclosed inside an approved electrical box, with a cover plate, and not concealed inside the wall. The splice could also be enclosed inside an aproved lighting fixture too. Just putting on wire nuts on a conductor and pushing it back inside the wall is not the way to go.

 

[Gotcha6]

IF the initial installation was proper, you could trace the wire back to another junction box location or switch & terminate it there. You'd then be safe to clip off the wire & push it back into the wall cavity. If the wire is looped to the next light, you'll only need to terminate it there. Terminating wires inside an enclosed box is the only way to do it safely. You could also use a 'pancake box' that's 1/2" deep & secure it to the bottom of the cabinet, nut off the wires, & put a cover plate over the whole thing. You wouldn't see this if the new light is in front of it or if you have a light rail underneath the cabinet.

 

[aplpickr]

Re: Just like Matt S. said

Back when I did remodeling in restaurants, I did most jobs as time and materials with trusting customers. When forced to give a hard quote, I fiqured the job. Then I doubled the materials and quadrupled the labor. I occasionally made money. There are all kinds of gremlins hiding in those walls!

 

[vdubnut62]

That wire should come out at at least one of the fixtures as 2 sets of wires twisted together. Separate the two set of wires and that will kill the extra circuit. Be Careful! Check for voltage. I use a
TIC, it looks like a pen with a light and a beeper. Place it close to a live wire and it'll beep and light up:icon_thum.
A Multimeter or a test light will work too, but BE CAREFUL!!!!! I don't want anyone to electrocute
themselves. And if you do decide to wirenut and tape them off -TERMINATE THE WIRES IN AN APPROVED ELECTRICAL BOX WITH A COVER!!!! Preferably a metal one with the bare 3rd wire bonded to the box.
My opinion is probably worth what you paid for it!
Ron