Touching a bare electric wire under voltage can lead to sad consequences, because the human body is a conductor and, falling into an electric circuit, becomes its part. All wires, as well as their connections, must be properly insulated, since safety is directly related to this. Reliable insulated contact eliminates short circuits as well as current leakage. But what if the bare wires were found in the living room? It is necessary to eliminate this malfunction as soon as possible.
Bare wire detection
Despite how well a person can know his home and everything that happens in it, there are places that no one has ever looked into. It is there that there may be a danger of detecting damaged wiring. Also, the insulation of electrical wires is prone to damage due to a short circuit, which can be caused by damage to the braid due to prolonged exposure to a humid environment, voltage drops, failure of a household electrical appliance. The integrity of the wire sheath can also be damaged due to careless actions during repairs or installation works. It is important to determine as soon as possible whether the bare wire is energized and take measures to ensure electrical safety.
Unknown wire
If an unknown wire is found with damaged insulation, it is necessary to immediately stop using electrical appliances and switches. Then it is worth checking the presence of voltage on the damaged wire using the voltage indicator. This can prevent damage to the wiring itself, in addition to insulation. Now you need to fix the malfunction. To begin with, this section of the wire should be de-energized and only then can bare wires be insulated.
Short circuit
Due to a short circuit, a significant increase in the current strength in the electric circuit occurs, which, in turn, leads to an increase in the temperature of the conductor. As a result, the insulation material with which the wiring is melted is melted. In addition to damage to a single wire, a massive failure of the current conductors can occur when the junction box is shorted. Here, in order to avoid an accident, it is necessary to assess the damage only after completely disconnecting the power to it. Insulation of damaged wires in the junction box is carried out in two ways:
- by cutting out the fused portion and joining the remaining part;
- by dividing the fused portion of the wiring into separate exposed wires and sequentially insulating them.
Damage during repair
Driving a nail into a wall or drilling a hole in it, a person does not always think that wires can hide in it. And getting into them, it turns out, is not so difficult, which often happens. In this case, it is necessary to remove stress from the damaged part of the wiring and, using a hammer with a chisel, expand the hole in the wall, thereby providing access to both parts of the damaged wire. Before stripping the insulation, it is necessary to check the indicator for lack of voltage and only after that proceed with repair. After successful insulation, the wall in the damage zone can be plastered again.
Wiring Isolation
Insulation of bare wires requires the right approach to safety. This can be done using a heat-shrinkable tube, PVC insulation tape or insulated terminals. The most common way to restore insulation is to use PVC tape. Wrap it on the exposed area should be at a slight angle so that the turns lay from the beginning to the end of the twist of the wires and back. In this case, it is necessary to go beyond the boundaries of the site with missing insulation by a centimeter – one and a half. Heat shrinkable tube is becoming more popular, because it is very convenient to use. To sit on a wire, it must be heated using a special building hair dryer or burner.
The connecting terminals and clamps already have a casing that does not allow electric current, so their additional isolation is not required. It is convenient to connect the bare wires in the junction box with terminals.
Compliance with all safety measures and the correct sequence of repair wiring guarantees success and safety. The main thing is not to rush and approach the matter with all responsibility, and sometimes it is better to entrust the matter to a professional electrician.