[ckdiesel]

Hello everyone I'm new to the forums and I have a problem here I'm hoping somebody can point me in the right direction. I have two lines hooked up to my secondary circuit breaker for my basement. Originally, these were to be used for kitchen appliances in the basement (microwave and oven). I scrapped that idea, but I just noticed a few days ago that my electrician left these lines connected. I want to pull them out, but I can't seem to figure it out. Here is a picture for reference. I want to pull the orange lines out then fish them out of the walls. But I can't figure out how those blue connectors work.

 

[J. V.]

Why pull them out? Do you need the cables for something else? It would be silly to try and remove these cables as they might be needed in the future. Just disconnect them from the breakers, put tape on the ends and mark them as spares and where they go.
At the boxes they are pulled to, just put wire nuts on the ends and mark them as spares and where they come from.
This looks like a new project, so I am assuming your electrician has the cables stapled inside the walls. I would leave them alone. You never know when you might have use for them.
These are #10 cables and good for 30 amp.

 

[unclduey]

They dont come out very easily, typically I just use side cutters and nip away at it and break it apart. I would be inclined to leave the cables in the panel but removed from the breaker just in case you ever need the circuits.

Dont forget to shut down the panel before you get your fingers in there!

 

[jbfan]

I agree with JV. I would not remove them! They are installed and are not causing you any problems. If in the future you decided you needed these wires, it may be more trouble to reinstall them

 

[AllanJ]

Due to the importance of the issue and the difficulty of refishing cables I am deciding to be an ape or a parrot or an echo, take your pick.

Do not pull, tug, remove, break, cut, or nip those cables.

Once you flip off the breaker, it is safe to unscrew the wire from the side and the end comes out easily.

I haven't used those blue connectors but I think you string the cable through the knockout into the panel and then slide on one of the blue connectors. When you are ready to install the connector, move it to the right place along the wire, squeeze with pliers, and push it into the knock out hole from the inside until it snaps into place.

 

[unclduey]

They dont unscrew, they snap in. Easiest way to use these connectors is to snap it into the KO first, feed your cable through, staple above panel and then gently press in the wedge piece with slipjoint pliers. They hold good but if you want to remove the cable you pretty well have to cut it away from my experience.

 

[ckdiesel]

Hey guys thanks for the input. The problem is they are causing problems. The electrician left one end near a metal contact and it naturally sparked and put a burn mark on the metal. I've since shut off the 2 30 amp breakers. Fishing them out isn't a problem because I have a drop ceiling in the basement. I guess I explained it wrong I don't want to pull them out, but rather disconnect them because the wires run into areas that were originally for appliances, but have since been reworked as closet space that I want to build shelving in.

 

[ckdiesel]

Why pull them out? Do you need the cables for something else? It would be silly to try and remove these cables as they might be needed in the future. Just disconnect them from the breakers, put tape on the ends and mark them as spares and where they go.
At the boxes they are pulled to, just put wire nuts on the ends and mark them as spares and where they come from.
This looks like a new project, so I am assuming your electrician has the cables stapled inside the walls. I would leave them alone. You never know when you might have use for them.
These are #10 cables and good for 30 amp.

JV, that's what I'm saying I dont understand how to disconnect them from the breaker. Those blue fasteners seem to have the #10 cables wrapped inside them.

 

[jbfan]

Then pull them out from where they into a junction box above the drop ceiling until you may use them.
This gets them out of the way for the shelves, but allows you to keep them around for later use.

 

[jbfan]

JV, that's what I'm saying I dont understand how to disconnect them from the breaker. Those blue fasteners seem to have the #10 cables wrapped inside them.

Turn the breaker off, remove the cover of the panel, remove the wires from the breaker and put wire nuts on them, then put the panel cover back on, but leave the wires going into the panel.

 

[ckdiesel]

They dont unscrew, they snap in. Easiest way to use these connectors is to snap it into the KO first, feed your cable through, staple above panel and then gently press in the wedge piece with slipjoint pliers. They hold good but if you want to remove the cable you pretty well have to cut it away from my experience.

Let's say I cut the orange cables right at the blue connector...Won't that leave exposed wire? Are you saying I should cut the wire or hack off the connector?

 

[rgsgww]

DO NOT cut any of the wires! Just get some small wire nuts (holds 1 10 awg). Cut the power to the panel, find the 30 amp breakers, unscrew the screws on them, pull the wires out, nut them. Iemove the white wire from the bars in the panel and nut it. Do the same for the bare wire.

What I would do is mark from the inside, or, if the panel isn't being finished into the wall, mark on the outside, that the cable is a spare. Do the same where its cut.

 

[unclduey]

Let's say I cut the orange cables right at the blue connector...Won't that leave exposed wire? Are you saying I should cut the wire or hack off the connector?

You should really hire an electrician.

 

[vann]

They hold good but if you want to remove the cable you pretty well have to cut it away from my experience.

very simple just take your yellow kleins linemans, grip the tab firmly and twist, comes right apart.

 

[Speedy Petey]

Turn the breaker off, remove the cover of the panel, remove the wires from the breaker and put wire nuts on them, then put the panel cover back on, but leave the wires going into the panel.

THIS IS THE ANSWER!!!
Why remove them or cut them????

I have to question an "electrician" who ran these wires and connected them to breakers and turned them on with bare ends!

Those blue connectors are easier to break apart than they are to even spend 30 seconds trying to carefully remove them.

 

[rgsgww]

I have to question an "electrician" who ran these wires and connected them to breakers and turned them on with bare ends!

Same thing happened at my house when an old pool feed was disconnected. I had no clue it was live!