How can I safely utilize a tight electrical wire protruding from my basement wall to power an outdoor light without hiring an electrician?
Asked by Modesto Murillo 
4 months ago
Last Updated: May 17, 2024
Update:
Hey everyone, just wanted to give a shout out for all the help! I used those Wago 221 connectors and voila, power is back on for the light!
So, I made a little boo-boo… I was so sure that this electrical wire in my basement was just a spare one. I mean, there have been so many random wires in the past that didn’t lead anywhere. But this time, turns out it’s connected to a light switch for an outdoor light. Any ideas on how I can make use of this wire? It’s really snug against the wall, with just half an inch peeking out. I’m hoping to avoid calling in an electrician to rewire two whole floors if possible.
You may not have much left to salvage for a good splice, so you might need to install new wiring instead. Normally, you could use a junction box, but there may not be enough wire for that.
Maybe you can use this as your guide line when running the new wire?
Wago 221
Look into this tool from Home Depot. It’s designed for situations like this. I accidentally drilled into a wall and hit an electrical wire with no slack. This attachment snaps on and worked perfectly for me. I hope it helps.
Hey , check out this cool piece of technology I never knew about but always wished was real! Thanks!
Ensure they are approved in your area, . They’re not permitted in Canada.
Make sure to place it inside a junction box, .
No need for a junction box for this connection, .
There’s a difference between what is possible and what is required by code, Swearingen.
According to the product, no junction box or cover is needed, says .
I don’t think that would be enough to comply with all state zoning laws, .
These can be used without a junction box approval. I actually have one installed inside a wall.
I’m from Ohio, and according to code, these do not need to be placed in a box.
Try using linemen pliers to gently tug the line back up in order to have enough wire for the junction box. It seems like there’s not enough wire for a junction.
To add a piece of matching romex, splice it in and ensure the connections are inside electrical boxes. It’s an easy task.
Come on, it’s not that simple. 😂😂
🤷♂️🤷♂️ what’s the issue?
Do you really believe you can fit the connection into a box with only 1/2 inch sticking out of the wall, Mike? It’s obviously a wood wall in a very narrow space. We would have to cut the wall to add a box, and even then it would be a tight squeeze. A surface mount box won’t work here. It’s definitely not as simple as you think.
I totally agree with you, Kacie. It seems like that guy has no clue what he’s talking about.
I really wish I had left more wire so I could splice it. But I ended up cutting off way too much to give it a shot.
We use an oscillating tool to cut in the direction of the wire travel, exposing more wire. Do the same on the other side if necessary, strip the wire, and use Wago’s to splice in an extra section of Romex wire – it’s really not difficult at all.
So you hacked the floor joist, huh? I guess where there’s a will, there’s a way. But that’s definitely not the right way, man.
I’m considering taking out the floor joist section and maybe part of the foundation. It should be a piece of cake, not tough at all.
Hey , I think you should just go for it and burn it out! 😂
That idea is so silly, I don’t even have a chimney!
I felt like I was staring at a chocolate pie for some strange reason
Ensure that the wire is completely dead before connecting butt splices to both ends in order to extend them. Also, remember to place them in a junction box (4-square) and connect the wires by matching the colors.
To avoid accidentally burning down all your hard work, it might be a good idea to hire someone who knows what they’re doing.
Haha, looks like you’ve gotten yourself into a mess. You’ll probably need to open up the walls to properly fix it.
Probably not. It seems like it’s old work. A skilled electrician or someone good with electrical work shouldn’t have much trouble pulling another wire.
It might be challenging/impossible with staples but you can’t know for sure.
If the work is old like it seems, it might not be stapled in the walls. Testing it out is simple enough.
Yes. There’s a small possibility regardless.
I always start with the easy fix, just to be safe.
Cover it with a junction box and make use of these instead. They require much less wire than wire nuts.
That’s exactly what I was thinking as well.
Try using a wire stretcher.
Were you simply cutting wires that you thought were not in use?
I’ve been working on cleaning up the old wires in ‘s house for a couple of years now. I discovered a wire in the basement that was connected to another in a junction box, but both were dead and had always been dead. It turns out the wire was supposed to power an outdoor light from a switch, but since we never use the light, the wire was never live. Now I’ve learned that the light doesn’t turn on anymore.
Is power going from the switch to the light? Does the wire shown become energized when the switch is on, and inactive when it’s off?
One interesting aspect of old wiring is that drilling a hole in the basement often leads directly up to something. If the building has balloon framing (studs from the sill to the roof, instead of each floor being framed separately), the switch, outlet, etc. could be on the second floor, directly above. It’s not always the case, but it’s a common occurrence.
Oh, I can relate. The switch in my house is actually two floors directly above. There was also a wire connected to another wire in a junction box, and both were always dead. I thought they might have been installed for future use, like other mysterious wires in the house, but they were never used.
Old house wiring can be quite interesting, don’t you think? I’ve had some ‘what the hell’ moments in mine. The one that really got to me was using knob and tube wiring as a switch loop. This must have been in the 1980s or later, when they should have known better.
My place has some pretty questionable wiring, even though it’s not that old! It’s frustrating dealing with so-called ‘professionals’. In the newer section of the house from 2007, I’ve found boxes where they shaved one side off to make it fit between studs and used drywall screws in the outlets because the regular screws wouldn’t reach. No box extensions, just gaps of about 1/2 inch between the outlet and the box, so the outlet moves around. They also did some rewiring in the older section from 1977, and some of it is just baffling. They removed the old baseboard heating, capped the wires in the boxes, and left the breakers on! Why would you leave the breaker on for an unused circuit? 🤦♀️
There’s definitely some sketchy work out there. Because electricity is invisible, a lot of people treat it like some kind of mystical force and just trust anyone who can make the lights turn on and the outlets function.
Oh yeah, I’ve fixed a ton of things. It’s starting to worry me how much I still haven’t checked in my house. 😳
The code requires a splice to be enclosed in a box………..
This appears to be older wiring that was likely added after the house was constructed. If it is not secured to the framing, you can try removing the switch, loosening the box connector, and gently pulling on the wire. If it moves easily, you may be able to use the existing wire to guide a new one through. If you’re not confident in your wiring skills, it’s best to hire an electrician to resolve the issue easily.
Try not to pull too hard, haha. Maybe attach some channel locks to the end of the wire first to prevent accidentally pulling it through the hole.
That could be a solution, as long as you’re referring to locking pliers. Another option is to remove a small part of the outer covering and curve one of the wires to create a hook for a fish tape or a piece of para cord, or something similarly thin and sturdy. Squeeze the wire closed and secure it in place with tape.
If you’re not in Russia, you can’t simply cut that. It’s a violation of code and insurance. You’ll have to put in a junction box now.
Have you thought about giving the wire a gentle tug? Sometimes there’s enough flexibility in the wall to create a little more space and install a junction box.
Bro, that’s hilarious 😂
Are there any other junction boxes or outlets where you can link the light to get power instead of installing a new circuit? If the light is LED, it shouldn’t draw too much power so it shouldn’t impact any other 14 gauge wire you connect to. If you do that, you can think of this one as inactive once you disconnect this severed circuit from the breaker.
First and foremost, if you ever have to cut wires, be sure to properly secure the ends in a box and connect the black and white wires together. This is essential to prevent any potential hazards in case of accidental energization. Remember, it’s best to avoid cutting wires whenever possible. If they are not in use, it’s safer to leave them intact. You can always label them for future reference, but it’s crucial to keep them uncut.
I’m glad to hear that, thanks!
It’s always good to know which side of the cut is hot. The house seems old, and the wiring looks like it’s from a long time ago. If it’s anything like my old house (which was 150 years old), and if it hasn’t been rewired, there could be all kinds of wiring in there. In my basement, there were ungrounded cloth-covered wires going up to the ceiling lights, and a ton of junctions with no outlets or fixtures. It doesn’t make sense to keep all that old wiring. There are also some wires that don’t seem to have a purpose. I usually put those in a box, cap the ends, and label it as “Apparently Disconnected” or something similar. Twisting the wires together quickly can help diagnose the issue, but it’s definitely not a good idea to leave it like that.
Has pretty much taken over my house. I’ve removed so many circuits and wires that were never connected to the panel. The reason I wanted to remove this one was because it was always dead (turns out it comes from a switch to a light we never use), and the junction box the wire was in was tight to the ceiling joists. I’m going to be spray foam insulating the ceiling joists, and didn’t want to insulate in a junction box. I was slightly mistaken.
Chances are things can be fixed without too much trouble.
I think I’ll opt for fishing a new wire, if not (let’s keep it between us) I’ll resort to using some Wago 221
If pulling one end of the wire moves the other end, that should do the trick. I might utilize the existing wire to guide the new one through, or possibly use it to pull a fish tape.
Attach some wire to the end and drag a new length of wire
But seriously, make sure to flip the breaker before attempting something like this.
It’s fortunate that you’re still breathing
Consider pulling a new wire instead…
This is the exact reason why you should never cut wires unless you are absolutely certain 😂
I thought having 100% was sufficient…
Just splice into it. Not the ideal solution, but if you need more wire, you can cut the joist a bit.
Maybe try pulling a different wire first. It seems like it’s older work and might be balloon framing, so the wire could be only secured at the switch box.
Here’s a tough one. First, attempt to retract the wire back to the switch point by using a draw wire connected to the end. If possible, thread a new wire through. If not, try to extract as much as you can from the hole and then use Wago connections to link the wires together. If neither of these methods work, you may need to create holes in your walls and rewire. Lastly, remember to disconnect your electricity supply before starting any work. Hope this advice is helpful, Robert
Could you grab a solar light that you don’t plan on using for that outdoor spot and find a way to either remove or cap off that wire?
If you need to feed a wire up the wall to the light switch, the best option is to use that wire as a pull cable for the new one. You can connect color to color in a splice box. I suggest getting a 1900 box and splicing the newly pulled wire to the old one.
When you cut the power, did the light briefly flash or did it simply trip the breaker?
When I snipped the wire, nothing happened, and I had no idea it was connected to the light for a couple of weeks. The wire was attached to a switch that I never touch. So, every time I checked the wire for 6 months, it was always inactive. I reside in an ancient house with plenty of outdated wiring, so it’s typical to have old wires leading to nowhere and circuits established for future use, not linked to the main panel.
I get it, I was just curious. It’s something that can be resolved with some rewiring up that wall.
I’d suggest using the end to help thread a replacement wire to the outlet. Any wire junctions should be enclosed in a box that is easily accessible, with the wires capped off.