Bad electrics

[AMLinington]

As I said, safety is critical, and a modern RCD setup is better and safer than ELCBs and fuses. Yes fuses work, but when there's a better and safer alternative out there it should be adopted where possible. As I said, it's increasingly becoming an issue with house sales - some estate agents are expecting the house wiring to have an up to date inspection certificate now.

 

I'm not sure that is such a bad idea TBH. If all properties had an inspection and certificate, we'd get to the point where these dodgy wiring jobs would have to be replaced. People would be safer.

 

Buy a none contact detector - please!

 

We have one. We're pretty sure it's all dead, but every now and again we'll find a bit of old brown cable poking out of a bit of metal pipe in the walls or under the floor in random places.

 

Are you sure it's not asbestos insulated cable?

 

Not 100%. But it's encased in the metal conduit in the walls and it's not in active use. It might be, but it's brown and relatively slim. Asbestos sheathed cable tends to look like felt covered, cloth insulated is more likely - it doesn't look 'felt-y' it looks woven.

 

Sounds more like VRI.

 

It IS sticky, but I don't think it's Rubber.

 

It looks like this:

 

Which is apparently cloth-covered according to: Cloth Cable Wiring Hazards and Electrical Safety Tips, Pittsburgh Electricians

 

Either way, nothing is actually POWERED using it.

 

Joys of buying a house built in the 50's or earlier I guess.

[Andrew_C]

1st pic certainly looks like VRI, 2nd is steel wire armour.

[woodham]

fortunatlly it was just the lighting circits that were still in rubber cable and it was all replaced by nice new 1.5 T + E what a fun few days that was house is a 1920's built semi

 

All old cable was removed during the rewire so i dont have to think about that one, it sounds like some of you have bigger issues than i do with your electrics

 

next up is a nice new consumer unit and upgraded earths and bonding as its looking a little dated