ADVICE PLEASE - SURFACE CONDUIT SYSTEM FOR REWIRE 3 BED SEMI FRC

[marconi]

I am heading off next week to visit my parents (84 and 83). They live in a nicely decorated and carpeted 3 bed semi with original wiring from 1965.

I noticed last time I visited they have the dreaded green goo in the 7/029 wiring. The 1/044 lighting does not have it. They only have one or two single un-switched sockets in each room apart from kitchen and side extension which are all new and on separate circuits to the original sockets.

The advice I am seeking is on a good, neat, easy to install surface conduit system to contain wiring for new radials/rings upstairs and downstairs in the 3 bedrooms, hall, landing, lounge and dining room. I can then present it to my father and explain the benefits and ease of installation. Neither would cope with floorboards being lifted and walls chased. He is a chemist and read what it says about green goo so I don't need to convince him it's time to re-wire and at the same time to add more handy sockets higher up.

 

[Spoon]

I am heading off next week to visit my parents (84 and 83). They live in a nicely decorated and carpeted 3 bed semi with original wiring from 1965.

But wouldn't surface trunking/conduit make the place look tacky/nasty???

 

[Pete999]

I am heading off next week to visit my parents (84 and 83). They live in a nicely decorated and carpeted 3 bed semi with original wiring from 1965.

I noticed last time I visited they have the dreaded green goo in the 7/029 wiring. The 1/044 lighting does not have it. They only have one or two single un-switched sockets in each room apart from kitchen and side extension which are all new and on separate circuits to the original sockets.

The advice I am seeking is on a good, neat, easy to install surface conduit system to contain wiring for new radials/rings upstairs and downstairs in the 3 bedrooms, hall, landing, lounge and dining room. I can then present it to my father and explain the benefits and ease of installation. Neither would cope with floorboards being lifted and walls chased. He is a chemist and read what it says about green goo so I don't need to convince him it's time to re-wire and at the same time to add more handy sockets higher up.

Difficult to say Mate without eyes on the house, my choice would be PVC trunking, but as Spoon said it will not look nice in a domestic setting, but definitely trunking over tube any day, where do they live?

 

[Andy78]

For a domestic surface rewire I would go for trunking over conduit any day, using D-line clips inside the trunking.

 

[DPG]

There's some nice rounded trunking available these days. Looks much better than the standard stuff.

 

[Strima]

You need to consider cable support to prevent premature collapse in the event of a fire, @Andy78 has mentioned D-Line clips to help overcome this.

 

[Wilko]

Hi Marconi - have a look at these
D Line Mini Trunking PVC White Self Adhesive - https://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Main_Index/Trunking_Pvc_Index/Dline_White_Index/index.html

 

[KEV 1 N]

I remember years ago, we rewired some flats that had concrete ceilings. We used cornice trunking....

....although we chased the wall upto the top, then fed cables through back of trunking, but as shown you can get adaptors for drops to points.

 

[freddo]

We fitted a load of MK coving trunking, hated it a lot.

How about surface bare MI? Unobtrusive, won't collapse in a fire or produce toxic smoke like plastic conduit and trunking does, fun to install etc.

 

[Des 56]

Use mini trunking and wire atop skirting boards wherever possible.

 

[Deleted member 9648]

Given the age of your parents it may be worth thinking about just living with it if test results are satisfactory. In my experience it rarely causes any real problems. New accessories if contaminated, and a clean up might be enough to nullify the problem for the time being. A surface rewire will be a short term solution in reality and will always look cheap however it's done.

 

[Sparkie30]

i would do it next time they go on away and can do all the chasing aswell me thinks.

 

[1Justin]

Your chemist father doubtless understands the nastiness of the Dioctyl Phthalate, but a surface rewire will leave all that in place anyhow won't it?
If it's dripping out of the fittings (that does happen) I can understand the point, but though the cables get soft and a bit vulnerable in the areas it collects (bottoms of vertical runs mostly), in my experience they don't fail IR.
- Wear gloves and don't handle it!

 

[123]

How are the cables installed at the moment? I know most installs from around that era in my area would have been in oval or round steel conduit

 

[7029 dave]

Wait, just because you have the green stuff, does not necessary need to rewire, my suggestion would be wipe it off and IR the circuits. 7/029 pvc is better than the cable today. (I take it its copper)

 

[7029 dave]

 

[marconi]

Given the age of your parents it may be worth thinking about just living with it if test results are satisfactory. In my experience it rarely causes any real problems. New accessories if contaminated, and a clean up might be enough to nullify the problem for the time being. A surface rewire will be a short term solution in reality and will always look cheap however it's done.

So if after some FRC testing including IR the readings are satisfactory, one could keep the cabling (for my parents remaining lifetime) and renew the accessories. Could you tell me a little more about how this might be done please? Do you have to cut back the cable, splice on new tails and then connect these into the new accessories? Is there a best way of doing it? Afterwards, would one have to do regular FRC testing to check for any deterioration?

 

[marconi]

How are the cables installed at the moment? I know most installs from around that era in my area would have been in oval or round steel conduit

A loop around the first floor and then drops down from first floor sockets to the sockets immediately below on the ground floor. Drops in metal conduit. First floor threaded under the floor boards. Copper 7/029.

 

[Pete999]

So if after some FRC testing including IR the readings are satisfactory, one could keep the cabling (for my parents remaining lifetime) and renew the accessories. Could you tell me a little more about how this might be done please? Do you have to cut back the cable, splice on new tails and then connect these into the new accessories? Is there a best way of doing it? Afterwards, would one have to do regular FRC testing to check for any deterioration?

As 7029Dave said it could be after testing that the cables are OK.
Changing accessories shouldn't be that arduous, you could change the single sockets for doubles, surface or flush, your choice on that issue.
You might like to think about a CU change with RCBOs, your elderly Parents have lived with these issues for a while, whilst I'm not discounting the safety issue, it would be a bit of an upheaval to put them through the trauma of a rewire at their age, not saying it shouldn't be considered, but there are things you can do to improve their twilight years, good luck whatever you decide.

 

[Midwest]

So if after some FRC testing including IR the readings are satisfactory, one could keep the cabling (for my parents remaining lifetime) and renew the accessories. Could you tell me a little more about how this might be done please? Do you have to cut back the cable, splice on new tails and then connect these into the new accessories? Is there a best way of doing it? Afterwards, would one have to do regular FRC testing to check for any deterioration?

From what I've seen and read, once it starts, there's no way of stopping it from coming back, even after cleaning.

However, I do agree with the others, the stress of a rewire could be too much for some elderly people. My departed father-in-law got stressed out, when they got a new washing machine. If you put yourself in their shoes, what would they gain from a rewire?