Advice On Rewire Of Lighting Circuit

[James]

PVC T&E and PVC singles are both manufactured to BS6004 and it would be assumed the insulation of the copper conductor is of an equivalent. If the sheath of the T&E is removed then it should be correctly contained as with singles after all the sheath is removed at accessories and within distribution boards.

They both meet the requirements of BS6004, for abrasion resistance tests, they are tested as a complete product, inner cores are suitable for being contained within an enclosure.
However there is no testing or approval for taking a cable apart and drawing its unprotected inner cores through conduit.

 

[Vortigern]

I don't see it Pete, singles are drawn through conduit all the time what is different in this case. While I understand you feel it is disgraceful, and maybe you are right, what is wrong with it? How does it not comply or present a danger to the client? What reg would you quote in an EICR for instance. I eschew going in too hard on another electrician especially in a public place. I always feel the other side should be present to defend themselves. Besides which it is tantamount to libellous in describing work in such a way and may have no defence where it cannot be proven.

 

[7029 dave]

Well for starters 1mm t&e should have been used, also why 2 cables down could of used 1mm 3 core and earth.

 

[westward10]

Whether he should have stripped the cables back is debatable, what isn't debatable is that once he realised he could not get the cables down the tubes was to stop and review the situation. As previously stated this would have been my first port of call to see if it was feasible. Conductors are clearly exposed outside of the tube and wrapped with tape, this is not acceptable.

 

[Wilko]

As @Wilko points out the JBs should be MF so replacing them with wago MF boxes would sort that.

The connector 2273 seems to have been popular and it will need an adapter for the standard Maintenance Free box (I don’t use these connectors for that reason ).

 

[westward10]

I suppose the most not obvious solution as it isn't used too much now was to use 6181Y they would have flown down the tube.

 

[Pete999]

I don't see it Pete, singles are drawn through conduit all the time what is different in this case. While I understand you feel it is disgraceful, and maybe you are right, what is wrong with it? How does it not comply or present a danger to the client? What reg would you quote in an EICR for instance. I eschew going in too hard on another electrician especially in a public place. I always feel the other side should be present to defend themselves. Besides which it is tantamount to libellous in describing work in such a way and may have no defence where it cannot be proven.

Simple really mate, whilst I can't point you to any hard and fast written regulations, the simple facts are the cores of a multi core cable are not designed to be use without the Mechanical protection provided by the outer sheathing,
Singles designed for installing in conduit or trunking are and are installed as such , I agree that twin and earth is stripped down to the individual cores are visible in switches etc, but that is an enclosure in it's own right, it's the same as saying I can't get this twin and earth through this hole, "I know Ill strip the sheathing off it will fit then.
I stand by what I said earlier the OP described the install in his house is disgraceful.

 

[ferg]

It looks a bit rushed / rough and there are undoubtedly bits that could and should have been done differently.

However I'd be struggling to justify paying someone else to rip it out and re-do it. I think that is a reasonable threshold for the difference between a bit rough and downright dangerous.

 

[Mike Johnson]

Well this has certainly polarised opinions, will be interesting when and if Doncaster cables get back to me.

 

[Dustydazzler]

I certainly wouldn’t advocate pulling it all out n starting agai.
I rewired my parents house 20 years ago using the original split tube , but managed to get a twin n earth all the way down it fully sheathed all the way.
if I couldn’t get it down the tube sheathed I would have chopped it out & put some 20mm pvc conduit instead. But that’s just me ...

 

[Master Mech]

Well for starters 1mm t&e should have been used, also why 2 cables down could of used 1mm 3 core and earth.

The drop that has the three core with the twin & earth cable feeds two switches. A 2 gang switch & 1 gang switch.

When the house was built they decided to use one drop for both rooms.

The only insulation the CPC's have is the electrical tape that is holding all the wires together.

 

[Pretty Mouth]

It seems to me that the problems with this install are a result of the spark trying to keep the OP happy, by avoiding damage to the decor. Had he been able to cut in chases and new boxes, there would have been no need for the junctions in the building voids, or for stripping the sheath from the T+E.

 

[7029 dave]

The drop that has the three core with the twin & earth cable feeds two switches. A 2 gang switch & 1 gang switch.

When the house was built they decided to use one drop for both rooms.

The only insulation the CPC's have is the electrical tape that is holding all the wires together.

The drop that has the three core with the twin & earth cable feeds two switches. A 2 gang switch & 1 gang switch.

When the house was built they decided to use one drop for both rooms.

The only insulation the CPC's have is the electrical tape that is holding all the wires together.

Okay understand that, 1.5mm cable was a bad choice, 1mm cable's might have gone down together with a bit of lubricate such as fairy liquid thats what I have used, failing that chase out the other switch drop, or surface mini trunking.

 

[Dustydazzler]

It seems to me that the problems with this install are a result of the spark trying to keep the OP happy, by avoiding damage to the decor. Had he been able to cut in chases and new boxes, there would have been no need for the junctions in the building voids, or for stripping the sheath from the T+E.

quentic switches would have been the best option

 

[westward10]

6181Y.

 

[7029 dave]

quentic switches would have been the best option

Forgot about them, see new products old sweats like me forget.

 

[Pretty Mouth]

quentic switches would have been the best option

I think the OP had metal accessories in mind. Do quinetic do modules to fit? Would be a good workaround if so

 

[Vortigern]

I would recommend quinetic in that situation but the cost can be offputting.

 

[Vortigern]

6181Y.

don't think you could have got all those down there though, same situation as a three core and earth with two core and earth.

 

[westward10]

don't think you could have got all those down there though, same situation as a three core and earth with two core and earth.

They would fly down?