Anyone can fix an MICC cable leading to a light switch in my house (London, N6)?

[Deleted member 148954]

Hello, I am looking for an electrician who has an expertise in dealing with MICC (mineral-insulated copper-clad) cables. It is a domestic job in my house (I live in Highgate, London; postcode is N6). When I was replacing a light switch in my living room, 2 out of 6 wires coming out of 2 MICC cables (which come through the wall; each cable has 3 wires) broke off. I am attaching two photos of the light switch in question (the 2 wires that have snapped are behind the switch). Please contact me if you can do the job and provide a quote. (If you need any further info, please let me know). Thanks, Eugene

 

[Dustydazzler]

Home - Eastway Electrical

www.eastwayelectrical.com

 

[littlespark]

Not sure if any member is close to you, but we will soon find out.

MICC is a fairly specialist area now. Not used so much nowadays as a new install.
If the core snapped right at the pot (I still know the lingo!) it’s going to need replaced.

Looks like it’s buried in plaster on a brick wall.

What do the switches control? If they’re all in the same room, likely solution is to have only one switch, controlling all lights and taking that length of cable out of circuit.
Or remake the end of both cables, bringing the switch up the wall a bit.
Or remake the cables high up on the wall, fitting in a box to use as a joint box with a blank plate… then extend in regular t&e cable back down to switch.


Have never know MICC to be used domestically except as a sub main up a tenement building in Edinburgh.
Was my brothers flat, and all the sub mains were bare copper MICC clipped surface up the stairwell. Amazing neat job.


Edit. Just saw Dusty’s reply….. Is that the celeb spark, Delroy? Love to see him work on MICC on YouTube… lol

 

[Dustydazzler]

There are a few old house round my way where where MICC was buried just like that in the render and runs here there and everywhere exactly like above with it potted into a back box

More often than not it doesn't follow any safe zone so can be a bit of a pig to work in these houses and I have found the MICC running diagonal much of the time

 

[loz2754]

Another option for those not skilled in MICC would be to disconnect the cable at both ends and install Quinetic wireless switches.

 

[timhoward]

More often than not it doesn't follow any safe zone so can be a bit of a pig to work in these houses and I have found the MICC running diagonal much of the time

I thought MICC complies with 522.6.204, so hadn't previously thought that diagonal running is actually an issue?

 

[Dustydazzler]

I thought MICC complies with 522.6.204, so hadn't previously thought that diagonal running is actually an issue?

It may have complied back in the day but still a nightmare if you are drilling 6mm holes to put up a shelf or TV bracket and drill straight through the buried MICC

 

[timhoward]

It may have complied back in the day but still a nightmare if you are drilling 6mm holes to put up a shelf or TV bracket and drill straight through the buried MICC

Ah I see what you mean now!

 

[loz2754]

It does still comply with regulations today to install this type of cable at a depth of less than 50mm, even outside the prescribed zones.
Although no-one would consider it as standard practice today.

 

[ipf]

Not sure if any member is close to you, but we will soon find out.

MICC is a fairly specialist area now. Not used so much nowadays as a new install.
If the core snapped right at the pot (I still know the lingo!) it’s going to need replaced.

Looks like it’s buried in plaster on a brick wall.

What do the switches control? If they’re all in the same room, likely solution is to have only one switch, controlling all lights and taking that length of cable out of circuit.
Or remake the end of both cables, bringing the switch up the wall a bit.
Or remake the cables high up on the wall, fitting in a box to use as a joint box with a blank plate… then extend in regular t&e cable back down to switch.


Have never know MICC to be used domestically except as a sub main up a tenement building in Edinburgh.
Was my brothers flat, and all the sub mains were bare copper MICC clipped surface up the stairwell. Amazing neat job.

Seen loads of domestic pyro in the past.
As regards the photo, it looks like the cables are going through the wall, (OP mentions it) at the mortar seam. There isn't enough length, at present, to remake off the pyro ends so it all depends on the other side of the wall and making available enough to work on.
Cable trace to start with.