P
Poptasticdave
Got a couple of Q's that any ideas on would be appreciated. Lady down road has 16th Ed CU fitted by her ex husband just before he left her. It's an utter mess. Cables joined with choc blocks and Halford's type crimp terminals inside CU (many falling off!). Earthing as good as non-existent. Needs ripping out and start again but I'm not doing it whilst not reg'd (see my intro hello post) and she can't afford anyone else at present, so I've isolated a few circuits that worried me a hell of a lot. (Only found out about them / CU botch when fitting a fused isolator for shower pump as ex-hubby had kindly left her a pumped power shower with no isolation switch and connected to a 20A breaker. Not only inadequate protection but also when shower valve stuck a few months ago she could not stop it as had no idea what or where to switch off. For shower circuit enough 2.5 T&E hanging in graceful loops near CU to be able to switch off, cut T&E, fit DP switched fused neon connection unit (with 2A fuse), clip cable down neatly and label appropriately. To me this isn't a new circuit and switch is in hall cupboard with CU so not notifiable under Part P?)
10 circuits in total, but she has no idea what most do. In fact, most seem to do nothing at all! 2 Ring Final Circuits (upstairs / downstairs), good terminations with no joints in sight, 32A breakers. Left well alone. 1 lighting (whole house) with nasty crimped joints to make L and N long enough to reach terminals, 6A breaker. Left that alone too. 1 (or is it two???) circuit(s) for Boiler / heating (see below). 6 circuits that appear to be redundant (1 will have been immersion which Hubby took out when he fitted a new cylinder, also just before he left - I daren't look to see what he did with old Immersion cable at cylinder end....shudder to think!). Tails are only 10mm[SUP]2. [/SUP]DP Isolator (Wylex old type 100A) between meter and CU. Tails on DNO side of meter also 10mm[SUP]2.[/SUP] Hope it wasn't 100A service fuse!!!!! Meter and service cut out all fully sealed. Service cut out must have been replaced in 70's or 80's by the look of it (BICC bakelite type in white bakelite - but not a white meter, not seen one of those in white before).
House was rewired by "reputable company" in 1984. Must admit that all ex-hubby hasn't meddled with does look pretty good.
Two real posers though:
Done same with 4 other circuits that appear to do nothing at all and all had 2.5 going into bits of 1.5 (in various colours, and not just red to brown and black to blue!!!!) where they were not long enough to reach terminals.
Popped her a new earth bonding in between gas and water and earth block by meter. Supplier's earth is connected to block but just dangles next to incomer (which is lead), not actually connected! Told her to get DNO in to sort that and their side of meter tails ASAP. She called them straight away and they came within 4 days and fixed their side, even did her a "favour" and put new tails between her side of meter and isolator for her.
Told her to get someone reg'd in ASAP and brace herself for loads of plaster off near cu, big bill and quite likely partial rewire. Recommended two good sparks to her but she's frightened of calling them in in case she can't afford work doing. I've told her better to find out than get herself electrocuted or have a fire.
If I was still reg'd (or if she's not had it done by time I re-reg, if I go ahead), I'd be disconnecting everything completely, testing both Ring Finals before reconnecting, testing lighting and reconnecting, running totally new circuit to heating and also new wiring between all heating controls and boiler, pump, stat, etc. and then leaving everything else completely disconnected and isolated.
Sound fair enough?
10 circuits in total, but she has no idea what most do. In fact, most seem to do nothing at all! 2 Ring Final Circuits (upstairs / downstairs), good terminations with no joints in sight, 32A breakers. Left well alone. 1 lighting (whole house) with nasty crimped joints to make L and N long enough to reach terminals, 6A breaker. Left that alone too. 1 (or is it two???) circuit(s) for Boiler / heating (see below). 6 circuits that appear to be redundant (1 will have been immersion which Hubby took out when he fitted a new cylinder, also just before he left - I daren't look to see what he did with old Immersion cable at cylinder end....shudder to think!). Tails are only 10mm[SUP]2. [/SUP]DP Isolator (Wylex old type 100A) between meter and CU. Tails on DNO side of meter also 10mm[SUP]2.[/SUP] Hope it wasn't 100A service fuse!!!!! Meter and service cut out all fully sealed. Service cut out must have been replaced in 70's or 80's by the look of it (BICC bakelite type in white bakelite - but not a white meter, not seen one of those in white before).
House was rewired by "reputable company" in 1984. Must admit that all ex-hubby hasn't meddled with does look pretty good.
Two real posers though:
- Two different breakers switched off the Central Heating - all of it, not just clock or whatever. I cannot make head or tail of what the hell is going on as all cables buried in plaster and bits of heating system have been mucked about with by ex-hubby and various plumbers and gas board, including moving boiler but not moving controls (she indicated two gang blank plate and said boiler used to be above that and man from gas board fitted box and blank when he "moved" the cables .... I imagine there is some unholy mess inside that but decided not to open up as everything tiled over so I won't be able to see where cables go and whilst not reg'd I'm not going to risk finding that I take top off, miles of knitting springs out and half joints come undone, especially whilst I'm not reg'd!) Switching off either breaker stops clock and stops boiler / pump. I can't get my head round that one at all. For now I've popped both lives that stop heating onto one breaker (6A) as other one of them was on a 32A but it's only 1.0mm[SUP]2[/SUP] cable.
- Other problem is that there are two circuits (both 2.5mm[SUP]2[/SUP] T&E, which has been extended) which appear to do absolutely nothing, but you can only pop one breaker on or the other (16A and 32A). When both energised, lower rated one trips. I've simply disconnected both for now and insulated ends of cables inside CU - told her to make a note of anything she discovers that isn't working.
Done same with 4 other circuits that appear to do nothing at all and all had 2.5 going into bits of 1.5 (in various colours, and not just red to brown and black to blue!!!!) where they were not long enough to reach terminals.
Popped her a new earth bonding in between gas and water and earth block by meter. Supplier's earth is connected to block but just dangles next to incomer (which is lead), not actually connected! Told her to get DNO in to sort that and their side of meter tails ASAP. She called them straight away and they came within 4 days and fixed their side, even did her a "favour" and put new tails between her side of meter and isolator for her.
Told her to get someone reg'd in ASAP and brace herself for loads of plaster off near cu, big bill and quite likely partial rewire. Recommended two good sparks to her but she's frightened of calling them in in case she can't afford work doing. I've told her better to find out than get herself electrocuted or have a fire.
If I was still reg'd (or if she's not had it done by time I re-reg, if I go ahead), I'd be disconnecting everything completely, testing both Ring Finals before reconnecting, testing lighting and reconnecting, running totally new circuit to heating and also new wiring between all heating controls and boiler, pump, stat, etc. and then leaving everything else completely disconnected and isolated.
Sound fair enough?
