Lighting circuit with no CPC, fail???

[Spannaz]

Hi Guys,

Just been to do a Condition report on a 30 year old installation. Both lighting circuits are wired in twin stranded steel cable with no CPC. The insulation test is good, but with the lack of CPC, and brass accessories, would you consider this as 'Satisfactory'. No RCD on lighting circuits either.

 

[loop3]

Steel cable? Rcd on light circuit to the bathroom? Is there metal conduit acting as cpc?

 

[ashrow]

LOL no cpc and metal light switches is UNSATISFACTORY

 

[loop3]

Sounds like a fail.

 

[loop3]

Take a pic and psot if possible, I'd like to see that !

 

[Octopus]

The ESC best practice guide on EICR's is well worth a read.

 

[Spannaz]

Steel cable? Rcd on light circuit to the bathroom? Is there metal conduit acting as cpc?

Nope, nothing acting as CPC. I did the report yesterday and failed it, customer rang this morning and tore strips off me as she's had someone else in and they've passed it. The other big issue is that the Insulation Resistance on the ringmain Line to CPC was 3.4M. OK, just scrapes through...but not good. How can someone pass it. They told her just to use plastic light switches and she'll be alright LOL There is even brass wall lights. I mean....really?!?!?!?!?!?

 

[Octopus]

Nope, nothing acting as CPC. I did the report yesterday and failed it, customer rang this morning and tore strips off me as she's had someone else in and they've passed it. The other big issue is that the Insulation Resistance on the ringmain Line to CPC was 3.4M. OK, just scrapes through...but not good. How can someone pass it. They told her just to use plastic light switches and she'll be alright LOL There is even brass wall lights. I mean....really?!?!?!?!?!?

Stick to your first report mate. She may not like it but its your neck on the line.

 

[Spannaz]

Stick to your first report mate. She may not like it but its your neck on the line.

You're right mate....feel a bit better now.

 

[Octopus]

You're right mate....feel a bit better now.

The minute you issue reports as the owner wants, or be willing to chang them, your credability has started to diminish.

I won't do EICR's for beer money. Customers can take my quote and either pay it or use someone else.

 

[ezzzekiel]

all accessories would need to be class 2 (including switches) for a c3 and warning label attached to cu, anything other would be a unsat report.

were you paid? what was the reason for the report?

thought no cpc dated back to early 60s around 50year ago.

 

[MDJ]

30 year old wiring with no cpc at all and brass fittings, run run as fast as you can :death:

 

[Guest55]

psst , the stranded "steel" cable will be tinned copper.
;-)

 

[Guest55]

30 year old wiring with no cpc at all and brass fittings, run run as fast as you can :death:

stop being soft , wheres your sense of adventure ?

 

[telectrix]

more than 30 years old. more like 40 - 50. with stranded cable, tinned or otherwise.

 

[MDJ]

I would like to see a picture of the DB, wooden backed wylex board with rewireable fuses and 6mm2 tails feeding it with a 2.5 green wire connected to an earth clamp on the incomming lead sheath I bet lol.

 

[Edd]

psst , the stranded "steel" cable will be tinned copper.
;-)

A sparks that works for the company came and told me that the scrappy wouldnt take the 3 sacks of cable he had taken out a rewire because it was steel. He had the right hump when I explained to him about tinned copper, he had left it with them to throw out... live and learn

 

[Guest55]

i love doing periodics , the grottier the better lol.
just look at it as being paid to assemble a big jigsaw puzzle , each piece a part of the report.
all it needs is an adjustment of your mindset to enjoy the tougher inspections.

 

[MDJ]

Yeah me too, I have seen some installations in appalling condition that have just been bought as well, one women has actually burst into tears in front of me once when she bought a bungalow in nearby Longlevens which is quite posh in places, the walls only had a tiny wipe of plaster on them as well and the bricks were black industrial hardened bricks, she didn't like the quote I gave her to sort it all out haha.

 

[ferg]

The minute you issue reports as the owner wants, or be willing to chang them, your credability has started to diminish.

I won't do EICR's for beer money. Customers can take my quote and either pay it or use someone else.

When I do an EICR I always advise that they can give the report to other sparks to quote and / or do the remedials. never lost the remedials yet

 

[electric will]

Why did they tin the copper wires years ago? Was it something to do with the copper shortage after the war.

 

[ferg]

damp?
just a guess with no facts or education to back it up

 

[goldie]

Tinned copper.
they dont make em like they use to.
its more conductive, stronger and lasts 10 times longer than normal copper, also prevents against corrosion. think they jst forgot to put the cpc in back in the 50s

 

[ferg]

it's still, or used to be 15 years ago lol, common practice in fine stranded on boards and in panels.

 

[shagbite]

Nope, nothing acting as CPC. I did the report yesterday and failed it, customer rang this morning and tore strips off me as she's had someone else in and they've passed it. The other big issue is that the Insulation Resistance on the ringmain Line to CPC was 3.4M. OK, just scrapes through...but not good. How can someone pass it. They told her just to use plastic light switches and she'll be alright LOL There is even brass wall lights. I mean....really?!?!?!?!?!?

couldn't you just ask her to sign a disclaimer, stating that she (and her children - if she has any) are more than happy to take the place of the cpc in the event of a fault? and while she's at it, get her to put you in her will.

 

[Corvus]

Its a report, just a report... thats all .. Pass or Fail, Satisfactory or Un-satisfactory, its a report

 

[Engineer54]

A sparks that works for the company came and told me that the scrappy wouldnt take the 3 sacks of cable he had taken out a rewire because it was steel. He had the right hump when I explained to him about tinned copper, he had left it with them to throw out... live and learn

I can confidently state, that this guy was anything BUT a sparks, if he thought these cables had steel conductors!!! lol!!

 

[Edd]

I can confidently state, that this guy was anything BUT a sparks, if he thought these cables had steel conductors!!! lol!!

Ive had the same suspicion, he's from the old school 67 and still working. You would have thought at that age he would have known. Thinking I might have to pull him up on it, but it was a long time ago though. , maybe he didnt wana argue with the pikeys in the scrappy sama:sama: Oh and ive just found the smileys...

:drummer:

 

[rattlehead85]

All i can say is whoever the idiot was who offered to pass it needs to be taken outside and shot. Sounds like ya typical do anything as long as his pockets are bulging at the end regardless if the fact that peoples safety is put at risk!

 

[sparkygaz666]

You'll probably find that the conduit has been used as an earth. If the loop test is satisfactory and there is no obvious degradation (which I doubt) then the installation must only be as good as the regs, probably 13th or14th, defined at the time of installation. I think a good visual inspection will prove that this installation needs rewiring, put away your instruments and use your common sense.