This afternoon`s job "on the way home"

[kme]

You know the score......a customer`s parent or relative asks you to call in and change a light fitting or 2 in their lounge. You think - sure, I`ll do that on me way home......

So, this afternoon, I arrived at Mr. & Mrs. bloggs` house (not their real name). They`ve bought 2 ceiling lights, and a matching wall light, to replace the existing.

Take down existing lights - twisted pair coming out of ceiling. Draw it down - connector block, then more twisted pair, then stuck! Other ceiling fitting similar.

Soooooooooo, we go upstairs, move furniture, pull back carpets and lift board - to find original ceiling rose (minus cover) under floor, with twisted pair flex.

"No problem", says I, "we`ll fish it up, re-connect, and drop some proper flex down for connection."

Fished up - two core (no cpc) : headbang (new fittings are class 1)

Go down stairs again, and drop wall light off to check cable (recent addition (<5 years).

Its wired with 4 core ALARM cable, FCOL!!!!!

CU has been done at some point (TN-S, front end ELCB, CU with main switch & 13 ccts. Lights on 3 different ccts, 6A,6A and 20A (all 1.0mm).

Guess who`s having a partial rewire (don`t want walls chased, and don`t want trunking).

headbangheadbangheadbang:innocent

 

[Andy™]

at least you got more than chaning a few lights out of it

 

[a1spark]

Hi KME. was there any Galvo conduit about anywhere ? ; \

 

[Nicky Tesla]

Would alarm cable be ok buried in the garden in copper tube?

 

[Andy™]

Would alarm cable be ok buried in the garden in copper tube?

only if you remove the outer sheath of the alarm cable. and make sure its twisted

 

[Lee321]

don`t want walls chased, and don`t want trunking

welcome to sparkying lol

 

[NozSpark]

You know the score......a customer`s parent or relative asks you to call in and change a light fitting or 2 in their lounge. You think - sure, I`ll do that on me way home......So, this afternoon, I arrived at Mr. & Mrs. bloggs` house (not their real name). They`ve bought 2 ceiling lights, and a matching wall light, to replace the existing.

Take down existing lights - twisted pair coming out of ceiling. Draw it down - connector block, then more twisted pair, then stuck! Other ceiling fitting similar.

Soooooooooo, we go upstairs, move furniture, pull back carpets and lift board - to find original ceiling rose (minus cover) under floor, with twisted pair flex.

"No problem", says I, "we`ll fish it up, re-connect, and drop some proper flex down for connection."

Fished up - two core (no cpc) : headbang (new fittings are class 1)

Go down stairs again, and drop wall light off to check cable (recent addition (<5 years).

Its wired with 4 core ALARM cable, FCOL!!!!!

CU has been done at some point (TN-S, front end ELCB, CU with main switch & 13 ccts. Lights on 3 different ccts, 6A,6A and 20A (all 1.0mm).

Guess who`s having a partial rewire (don`t want walls chased, and don`t want trunking).

headbangheadbangheadbang:innocent

So they don't want the lights then??

 

[Andy™]

solar powered? (garden light type!)

 

[NozSpark]

I could get you some nice candle brackets!

Multipurpose!... they can have light whilst praying that they don't either burn the house down or electrocute themselves

ROTFWL

 

[batty]

I think that going to take quite a few evenings to put that lot right.

 

[kme]

Thanks guys - haven`t laughed so hard in quite some time.

The plan (not perfect, but a damn sight better than current) is to replace the main lighting supply cables, but leave the switch drops (all switches class 2 - platescrews not electrically connected to back boxes).

Oh, and use all 4 of the alarm cores, so providing double the CSA to the wall light - which only has a single 40W lamp in it anyway........... ]

Rip out the Voleb, and somehow provide split RCD protection instead.

Gonna be costly, though ] ] opcorn

(n.b.) no galv around, but (honestly) the customer DID ask if I could earth his new class 1 fittings to the copper pipework under the floorheadbang:red card

KME

 

[Andy™]

(n.b.) no galv around, but (honestly) the customer DID ask if I could earth his new class 1 fittings to the copper pipework under the floorheadbang:red card

KME

of course you cant take it to the pipe. i though everyone knew you could earth it by putting some soil in the void next to the light and an earth wire into that

 

[a1spark]

Thanks guys - haven`t laughed so hard in quite some time.The plan (not perfect, but a damn sight better than current) is to replace the main lighting supply cables, but leave the switch drops (all switches class 2 - platescrews not electrically connected to back boxes).

Oh, and use all 4 of the alarm cores, so providing double the CSA to the wall light - which only has a single 40W lamp in it anyway........... ]

Rip out the Voleb, and somehow provide split RCD protection instead.

Gonna be costly, though ] ] opcorn

(n.b.) no galv around, but (honestly) the customer DID ask if I could earth his new class 1 fittings to the copper pipework under the floorheadbang:red card

KME

Hi KME. Did I read that right ,are you proposing modifying a 240volt circuit, in the knowledge its wired in Alarm cable

 

[kme]

You mean:

Oh, and use all 4 of the alarm cores, so providing double the CSA to the wall light - which only has a single 40W lamp in it anyway........... ]

??That bit??

Can`t think of a good reason why not.........

No, it`s no good. I can`t do this anymore. I lied, mate - I can`t double up on the alarm cores, or I wouldn`t have an earth. Stupid sods should`ve put 6 core in, at least!!!!

The customer knows that the wall light has to have new cable A1 - My flippant attempt at a joke mustn`t have worked.

 

[Badger]

You mean:??

That bit??

Can`t think of a good reason why not.........

No, it`s no good. I can`t do this anymore. I lied, mate - I can`t double up on the alarm cores, or I wouldn`t have an earth. Stupid sods should`ve put 6 core in, at least!!!!

The customer knows that the wall light has to have new cable A1 - My flippant attempt at a joke mustn`t have worked.

to be fair kme, i knew by your standard of working that you were joking, youd have out a 12 core alarm cable in in the first place :^O :^O

 

[a1spark]

You mean:??

That bit??

Can`t think of a good reason why not.........

No, it`s no good. I can`t do this anymore. I lied, mate - I can`t double up on the alarm cores, or I wouldn`t have an earth. Stupid sods should`ve put 6 core in, at least!!!!

The customer knows that the wall light has to have new cable A1 - My flippant attempt at a joke mustn`t have worked.

Hmmmmm . Cant say there was any indication that you meant it as a joke , but I will not question your integrity or the competance of a fellow forum member........Couldnt come to lower myself to do it KME ...just not my style mate

 

[kme]

to be fair kme, i knew by your standard of working that you were joking, youd have out a 12 core alarm cable in in the first place :^O :^O

Aye - to repair another of the "badger-bodges" ROTFWL

 

[Badger]

Aye - to repair another of the "badger-bodges" ROTFWL

:coat