Socket circuit cable

[shed69]

Been at a job today, sockets wired in what looks like an odd sized 2.5! Ali by the looks or maybe tinned copper? Anyway it's got no earth in it but it bells out at 0.34 ohms on live and neutral legs ... Now to the earth it's a seperate vir/cloth cable run round ... Anyone come across it and what's your thoughts? I am carrying out a fuseboard change here and it's turning out a pain, 2 sockets no earth but I haven't investigated further yet as I'm going to be there tommorrow and probably another day as thy want loads doing.. No estimate as friend mother and done lots of work at their work so they know I won't rip them off.... I've been in the game 20 years and come across shed loads of unusual stuff but never this? Before anyone adds Rewire all day long - I know - but not as straight forward as that due to circumstances etc... I've put every circuit on own rcbo too as I envisaged problems once I got my teeth into it but it all seems good bar my concerns for earth on socket circuit.... Any tips guys... ?

---------- Post Auto-Merged at 20:39 ---------- Previous post was made at 20:38 ----------

Btw the earth is not a ring back it's jut one outgoing cable

 

[Megaohm7]

It seems that you'll have to do some remedial work to get your cpc's up to date, more so on your sockets to satisfy disconnection times. On the lighting circuits you can get away with class 2 fittings as long as you place a label on the cu stating the circuit affected.

 

[shed69]

Yeah the lighting not a problem, I gotta take down their nice class 1's tomorrow !! What you suggesting for sockets then? At moment I've left it on 20amp rcbo as opposed to 32... She doesn't use much at all and is aware of problems. Guess what she runs off in kitchen at moment - 13amp spur supplies EVERYTHING!! they having new kitchen next month so going to rewire a ring main then.... She only does 1 thing at once and it's been like this for 20years!

 

[steptoe]

so , does it look like normal pvc/pvc T&E cable? (please dont say its lead sheath)

'cept its just twin with spider earth?

its gonna be imperial cable I reckon, pre 1972.

whats your IR readings on it? you could be in for a massive barrel load of worms here.

---------- Post Auto-Merged at 22:33 ---------- Previous post was made at 22:33 ----------

Yeah the lighting not a problem, I gotta take down their nice class 1's tomorrow !! What you suggesting for sockets then? At moment I've left it on 20amp rcbo as opposed to 32... She doesn't use much at all and is aware of problems. Guess what she runs off in kitchen at moment - 13amp spur supplies EVERYTHING!! they having new kitchen next month so going to rewire a ring main then.... She only does 1 thing at once and it's been like this for 20years!

over 40 I would guess......

 

[shed69]

Nah steps it's not lead sheath...

IR readings good , gotta do full testing on it to tommorrow ... It was all twin and earths in db then when I pulled it to bits it was connector block city in cavity and too late to stop!! So now doing best we can to make safe and try to comply...

The kitchen is only a 15 year or so recent thing.....

The rest is 40 year + admittedly ....

Ya know when ya wish you hadn't started something!!!

 

[steptoe]

lesson of the day shed,

do a basic PIR test before starting to change a CU,

I do a global IR and cont test the rings when I go to quote,

or in your case shoulda been as you removed them,

might take a bit longer, but saves a scenario like you have now,

in all truth, Im not sure how you can stay within the regs on this without doing something drastic,

 

[sellers]

Sometimes you can get too involved. Its obvious this doesn't comply with bs7671, are all the sockets off it earthed? whats the size of the cpc? IR results? Can you stick it on a B20? Note on cert about the seperate cpc?

Or perhaps being understanding customers, re-wire the sockets, surface boxes just above skirting with enough slack left to bring up into the walls when each room is redecorated?

 

[SLIPSHOD & SLAPDASH]

they having new kitchen next month so going to rewire a ring main then.... !

No your not

 

[shed69]

What the **** do you know slips... Get back to your wonderful world of sarcastic, condescending carp if you've nothing constructive to say...

---------- Post Auto-Merged at 20:52 ---------- Previous post was made at 20:47 ----------

Ps I'll send you pictures when ive done it !!!!

---------- Post Auto-Merged at 21:02 ---------- Previous post was made at 20:52 ----------

Anyway I sorted the main problem today, gotta go finish tomorrow , but managed to lift floorboards and traced the earth , glad I did as it was twisted together under floor! Run new 2.5mm cables to rooms ...Still going to have to live on a 20amp but at least it's safe and although not future proof at least I'm happy it will be safe.....

And the kitchen is ordered as well as a conservatory so they'll be new circuits for them...

All lights down and class 2 installed

Age concern have installed here in last few years and not batted an eyelid at the state of this house installation.... Only since she died that her daughter has moved in and come across lots of problems that she didn't know her mum had had people in doing stuff

I reckon they came in and took advantage big time.... Tw@s

 

[SLIPSHOD & SLAPDASH]

How do you intend to 'rewire a ring main' in a kitchen then ?

A ring main is, and has only ever been a supply circuit in the street feeding installations. . Its not my fault you cant get terminology correct and resort to swearing and bad mouthing. This isn't the Screwf*x forum

 

[shed69]

I'm quite aware of that slips but is it not also a friendly forum as opposed to many of the others, I apologise for my swearing but sometimes there are a few on here that come across far too quick to shoot others down and having read through quite a few thread tonight over the last few days it gets annoying when some of them come for help off more experienced and sometimes wiser electricians... Be nice, be friendly and constructive, simples eek....

Shall we start again? Friends?

So explain to me the ring main comment as I'm sure your aware i shall be running the conventional ring main as we sparks know it....!!

 

[SLIPSHOD & SLAPDASH]

Its not a 'ring main', its a ring final or a ring circuit.

---------- Post Auto-Merged at 22:29 ---------- Previous post was made at 22:26 ----------

Another comment, but amuses me is customers referring to fluorescent starters as starter motors.

 

[shed69]

Don't reckon you could get one to fit !!!!!! Not without using a humongous size adaptabox to house it!

 

[steptoe]

Its not a 'ring main', its a ring final or a ring circuit.---------- Post Auto-Merged at 22:29 ---------- Previous post was made at 22:26 ----------

Another comment, but amuses me is customers referring to fluorescent starters as starter motors.

plug sockets.......

does my head in,!

headbang

 

[ProDave]

plug sockets.......does my head in,!

headbang

Or "plug tops"

Makes me think they only want the lid, not the actual bit with the pins and the fuse :coat

 

[SLIPSHOD & SLAPDASH]

Bulbs