Is It Safe to Cut Wires When Changing a Light Switch?
Asked by TechGuru93
I'm in the process of changing my light switches, but I'm having trouble getting this copper wire out—it's been in place for over 20 years! I've made sure the power is turned off, but I'm wondering if it's safe to just cut the wires?
Answers
You can go ahead and chop those wires if you need to! Sometimes a little brute force helps—twist and pull them if they're stubborn. Just prioritize safety by ensuring everything is powered down.
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You could try to release the wires without cutting them. Look for the 'push to release' holes next to the wires—if you shove a screwdriver in there, it should let go. But if you're stuck, cutting them close to the switch is totally okay as long as the power is off.
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As long as you leave some slack when you cut the wires, you should be fine. Just make sure the power is definitely off before you start. With connections that old, it's not uncommon to run into issues, but cutting them is usually a safe option.
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HandyAndy12: Agreed, definitely make sure the power's off first! And if that doesn’t work, cutting seems to be the way to go.