[neamb2]

I have a cable running to the front yard where I believe at one point there may have been a light post. I want to cut the cable (after turning off the power) where it leaves the house and leave the house portion in place (it disappears behind siding). I believe this would be acceptable if I cap off the wire ends with wire nuts. Is this feasible and safe?

Thanks in advance.

 

[md2lgyk]

You really should figure out where in your panel that cable goes and disconnect it.

 

[a7ecorsair]

You need to find the point of connection inside the house and disconnect it there. Is there a switch box close to were it enters the siding?

 

[neamb2]

Thanks for the answer. The cable goes behind the siding and probably enters the house soon after...there is a 3-switch box inside near the front door, and one switch does not seem to control any light or outlet, so it MAY be the control for this long-buried mystery cable. I'm somewhat of a novice, so I don't know how to verify this (I have a voltmeter and thought about cutting the wire and testing for power with the 3rd switch on and off).

Let me ask a novice question for my own education: what is the risk/danger if I simply capped the wires?

Thanks again.

 

[Saturday Cowboy]

well any "capping" of hot wires needs be done in a jbox! to do it any other way is to risk those wire nuts coming off and it not being in side a protective box, only serves to make it more likely and to make sure that it zaps some one or something or starts a fire.

Therefore it would be far easier to use an existing switch box to make our disconnect.

 

[Saturday Cowboy]

take apart your switch box with its power removed. This switch that does nothing is a good place to start. there will be two black wires on it. one of these wires will go directly to a cable, this cable is likely to go outside. disconnect both the black and white of this cable from any others, careful to remember how it goes back together if needed. wire nut these two wires together with a wire nut. go out side to the supposed other end of the cable and use the continuity function of your meter to test between the black and white. with them connected inside you should have a short.

 

[WillK]

Caps could fall off, heat up from arcing, if they're in contact with whatever it could ignite.

You would be requred to cap the wires inside a junction box and have a cover on the box and the box be accessible.

Or if t's powered from a switch, you could disconnect the wire at the switch, take off the switch and wire nut those wires. You'd have to come up with a cover that blanks that space.

 

[neamb2]

Thank you! I will search for the cable end in the next day or two and do as suggested.