We used to have a light fixture under the soffit over the kitchen sink. We installed new cabinets all the way across the soffit, so that light fixture is no longer needed. We disconnected the wires to the light fixture at the wall switch, physically pulled them out of the box, capped the incoming wires inside the box, and put a blank in the switch opening so there's no physical circuit anymore up to the old light fixture. Is this code? Is it OK to have wires in the wall just sitting there as long as they aren't hooked up to anything at either end? A friend insists this is not to code- we can't figure out why it isn't. Thx-

Yes, you are fine. As long as the wires are capped off and behind a blank faceplate.

You should also put a blank plate cover over the outlet hole for the light.

DONF is correct. Your friend may be confused about hiding a box behind a wall or in an inaccessible place.

If there are any live wires in either box, they must be accessible. Did I mis-understand?

I don't think so. They said they "pulled the wires out"... "unhooked at either end". I think we all agree they must be accessible, but covered with a blank plate is OK. Brian

Obsolete wiring is required to be removed, don't remember the code.

Strat,

I can't find any such code (no surprise there).

How are you to get the cable out of the walls without destroying the wall, since the cable is nailed to the studs?

Seems to me I was told one time that the easiest way to go from AL to copper wiring was to disconnect the AL and leave it in the wall, then just fish the copper cables to the receptacle outlets.

TK, Missouri HELP