What does 'mixed lines' mean with regards an EICR?

[HappyHippyDad]

A customer has just rang. His daughter lives in Scotland and has just had an EICR carried out. Part of the report says 'mixed lines'. He really didn't have many more details, he seemed to think it was to do with new cables being put in.

I realise this is very vague, but just wondered if 'mixed lines' was a recognised term for something?

Personally I'm guessing it is just another way of saying mixed colours, but if so it's a bit odd.

 

[nicebutdim]

My immediate thought is line conductors being mixed at the CU, but the only person who could possibly provide a meaningful answer is whoever wrote the report.

 

[westward10]

Technical Reports often mean little to the layman however we should be able to interpret them. Although we can usually make sense of a vague statement that means nothing to me.

 

[timhoward]

Maybe shared/borrowed Neutrals, or inter-connections between circuits. It's annoying when an EICR requires you to almost do another EICR to work out what the original inspector found!

 

[nicebutdim]

Might be an idea for the customer, or whomever is going to carry out remedial work, to phone the person that wrote this report and ask for a translation.

Worst can happen is their nose is put out of joint, but reports should be clear in their findings.

 

[snowhead]

Is it just a general comment or does it have a Code assigned to it / them?

 

[cloverman]

Might be an idea for the customer, or whomever is going to carry out remedial work, to phone the person that wrote this report and ask for a translation.

Worst can happen is their nose is put out of joint, but reports should be clear in their findings.

I think this will mean a mix of old and new coloured wiring, I do agree though that the best person to ask is the one who wrote the report

 

[lapsed]

Here's the full reply from a Home Report writer who used the phrase on a Home Report I was reading:

"It really just means that the electrics in the property are of mixed age. From my site notes it looks as if the fuse box itself is ok but some of the switches are older. We are just alerting a prospective purchaser that they might want to get things checked out. It’s a common phrase used in that section of a HR. No implications for value etc."

 

[DPG]

Here's the full reply from a Home Report writer who used the phrase on a Home Report I was reading:

"It really just means that the electrics in the property are of mixed age. From my site notes it looks as if the fuse box itself is ok but some of the switches are older. We are just alerting a prospective purchaser that they might want to get things checked out. It’s a common phrase used in that section of a HR. No implications for value etc."

Can't understand why anyone would use the phrase 'mixed lines' to indicate that switches are older than the fusebox. That makes no sense at all.

 

[lapsed]

Can't understand why anyone would use the phrase 'mixed lines' to indicate that switches are older than the fusebox. That makes no sense at all.

Agree, completely bizarre. I knew that the property in question had a 'white meter'/'Economy 7' arrangement and wondered whether 'mixed lines' was being used to refer to that, but no. It appears to be a phrase that surveyors in Scotland have just made up amongst themselves as preamble to recommending a spark visit.

 

[pirate]

It isn't uncommon for a Scottish surveyor to comment "The wiring appears to be of mixed age/condition and a prospective purchaser might consider it prudent to have the electrical installation checked by a qualified electrician".
What this means is simply that the surveyor preparing the Home Report has to tick a box re the electrics, but of course takes no responsibility as he/she is not usually qualified to do other than a cursory visual inspection, nor is the Home Report the place for any detailed comment on the installation.
However, if the wiring is clearly crumbling and in a deplorable state, the surveyor will comment in more specific terms that he recommends an urgent check etc.
I have read thousands of Home reports over the years but have not encountered the "mixed lines" comment iirc. If this is indeed a common phrase then it must be a fairly recent innovation.

 

[lapsed]

It isn't uncommon for a Scottish surveyor to comment "The wiring appears to be of mixed age/condition and a prospective purchaser might consider it prudent to have the electrical installation checked by a qualified electrician".
What this means is simply that the surveyor preparing the Home Report has to tick a box re the electrics, but of course takes no responsibility as he/she is not usually qualified to do other than a cursory visual inspection, nor is the Home Report the place for any detailed comment on the installation.
However, if the wiring is clearly crumbling and in a deplorable state, the surveyor will comment in more specific terms that he recommends an urgent check etc.
I have read thousands of Home reports over the years but have not encountered the "mixed lines" comment iirc. If this is indeed a common phrase then it must be a fairly recent innovation.

'Mixed age/condition' sounds perfect for the job. Let's hope the fashion for using 'mixed lines' is a brief one.

 

[JK-Electrical]

'Mixed lines' is the term that some Scottish surveyors use to describe what we electricians would refer to as a looped supply.

 

[DPG]

'Mixed lines' is the term that some Scottish surveyors use to describe what we electricians would refer to as a looped supply.

That sounds more likely!

 

[lapsed]

'Mixed lines' is the term that some Scottish surveyors use to describe what we electricians would refer to as a looped supply.

Perhaps some do, but the Edinburgh one I specifically asked "Can you tell me what the phrase 'mixed lines' means?" answered "It really just means that the electrics in the property are of mixed age. From my site notes it looks as if the fuse box itself is ok but some of the switches are older. We are just alerting a prospective purchaser that they might want to get things checked out. It’s a common phrase used in that section of a HR."

They need to get themselves sorted out!

 

[JK-Electrical]

They need to get themselves sorted out!

Indeed they do.

I was recently contacted by a prospective customer who was in the process of selling their house and wanted a quotation for remedial work as mentioned in the Home Report:

the electrical system is on mixed lines and this should be checked and upgraded by a registered electrical contractor.

Upon visiting the property to determine what needed to be done, I noticed that the installation was on a looped supply. This is commonplace in the four-in-a-block 'cottage flats' that are to be found across Glasgow. I then contacted the surveyor who produced the Home Report to ask if he had meant 'looped supply' when he wrote 'mixed lines'. He confirmed this to be the case.

I politely advised him to use the correct terminology in future reports so to avoid any confusion. I also pointed-out that supply upgrades are the remit of Scottish Power Networks, not electrical contractors and that he shouldn't be offering such advice.

From an electrical installation perspective, the home reports that I have read are about as much use as window wipers on a submarine.

 

[lapsed]

From an electrical installation perspective, the home reports that I have read are about as much use as window wipers on a submarine.

Yup.

 

[DefyG]

'Mixed Lines' - Possible Polarity issue?

 

[OnlQQker]

If a Scotsman has written down 'mixed lines' it could mean literally anything.
I had a conversation with a chap from Aberdeen 3 years ago, to this day I haven't a clue what he was on about, I just replied with nods and countless yesses.

And I've a feeling if he had written the conversation down, I still wouldn't of made head nor tail of it!