Brittle Cables

LewisM

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• Sep 14, 2021

• #1

Hi changing a light today and some other bits and upon taking the old fitting down all the basic insulation on the wires in the fitting were rock hard and brittle. No loose connections or transformer in the base so I can't see why it has happened. Base of the fitting was just a void with connectors in.

Anybody seen this before.

 

buzzlightyear

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• Sep 14, 2021

• #2

Heat from a over rated bulb on the light fitting. Plus left on to long.

 

Lucien Nunes

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• Sep 14, 2021

• #3

It might have been overheated by a previous fixture, or perhaps it's substandard cable that has aged prematurely. I don't suppose there's enough length to read any ID printed down the side to check whether it's from a reputable manufacturer? Can you check the other end e.g. of a switch drop that won't ever have been heated?

 

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LewisM

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• Sep 14, 2021

• #4

buzzlightyear said:

Heat from a over rated bulb on the light fitting. Plus left on to long.

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Oh yeah didn't think of that, makes sense as fitting was metal with5x halogen capsules

 

D

Dustydazzler

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• Sep 14, 2021

• #5

Heat from halogen lamps especially on a metal light fitting can bake the cables and as soon as you tug on them when removing the light they just grumble

 

James

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• Sep 14, 2021

• #6

Dustydazzler said:

Heat from halogen lamps especially on a metal light fitting can bake the cables and as soon as you tug on them when removing the light they just grumble

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I can hear it now, the noise from all those Grumbling cables
????

 

telectrix

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• Sep 15, 2021

• #7

 

P

pc1966

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• Sep 15, 2021

• #8

Those cables are 'old colours' so at least 16 years old, possibly a couple of decades more. As above, lights left on do that, basically ageing the cable far faster than the rest.

Is it a hallway light? Often they would be left on all night by some folks.

 

telectrix

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• Sep 15, 2021

• #9

hoefully there's some slack in the cables allowing them to be cut back and re terminated.

 

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LewisM

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• Sep 15, 2021

• #10

telectrix said:

hoefully there's some slack in the cables allowing them to be cut back and re terminated.

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Negative, that's why on some i stripped back as far as I coud and put some sleeving on end

 

freddo

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• Sep 15, 2021

• #11

telectrix said:

hoefully there's some slack in the cables allowing them to be cut back and re terminated.

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There is never, ever slack on cables that are heat damaged like this! Ever!

 

telectrix

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• Sep 16, 2021

• #12

wagobox and connetors above ceiling then.