Tell me more ×
Home Improvement Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for contractors and serious DIYers. It's 100% free, no registration required.
up vote 5 down vote favorite
1

There is a 240V/30A circuit in a room of my house that used to be a patio. I think it was used for a baseboard/electric heater system. It had a surface mounted outlet that I have removed, but now I have the cable sticking out of the wall. I also disconnected the wires completely from the breaker panel, so they're hanging by it. How much of this wire should I remove to be safe?

share|improve this question
1  
Why do you want to remove it? In my experience, "home run" outlets are at a premium in older houses. Unless it's unsafe wiring, a better choice IMO is to cut in a new outlet (I assume that you just don't like the surface mount). – kdgregory Dec 12 '11 at 19:47
@kdgregory, True, but it's 10/3 cable, kinda heavy to deal with, and I presume that that's not really conducive to a normal outlet. What other thing could I use this for? – Aaron Dec 12 '11 at 22:52
10ga wire is enough for a 30A subpanel, which you could use to feed more branch circuits in the vicinity. – Jay Bazuzi Dec 13 '11 at 5:57

1 Answer

up vote 7 down vote accepted

If the wire is completely disconnected from the panel, and you've confirmed with appropriate testers that there is no voltage running through it, the line is safe. You can cut it back as much or as little as you like.

I'd suggest that you cut it back on both ends - so that it cannot reach the panel and be hooked up again in the future by someone else who doesn't know better.

share|improve this answer
9  
If you are going to cut it off, it's a good idea to short out the wire -- connect white and black with a wire nut -- so that if someone ever does mistakenly hook it up, it blows the breaker. This is much better than having live power on a wire that goes nowhere. – gregmac Dec 12 '11 at 20:33
4  
Label it. Someone will thank you down the road. – Steven Dec 12 '11 at 21:16
Is it "safe" to then wallboard over the hole in the wall? – Aaron Dec 13 '11 at 1:02
Yes, as long as the wire is deactivated (and follow gregmacs advice on shorting the wire as well), you can safely cover it up. With no connection on either end to electricity, its harmless. – The Evil Greebo Dec 13 '11 at 13:10

Your Answer

 
discard

By posting your answer, you agree to the privacy policy and terms of service.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.