Came across some cable I haven't seen before

[mattg4321]

I came across some cable today I haven't seen before.

It has some sort of tough, inflexible pvc type sheathing (definitely not rubber). It's quite a light silvery grey and more oval shaped than modern flat T&E.

Rubber insulation.

No CPC.

Probably tinned copper conductors, but maybe even aluminium?

A picture paints a thousand words so here we go. Perhaps this is common in other parts of the country, but it's new to me.

 

[telectrix]

are you sure the sheath is pvc? looks a bit like lead sheathed from pre WW2. if so, the lead sheath is the cpc.

 

[Andy78]

Definitely come across the shiny silvery pvc sheath stuff before, but not rubber insulation but usually a very tough shiny pvc type insulation.
Ashathene seems to ring a bell.

 

[MJPD29]

Looks very like lead to me also. Looks like it's in decent condition too

 

[mattg4321]

I've seen lead sheathed many many times Tel. It's not. It's not rubber either. Some sort of PVC type material I'd say. Less flexible and tougher than modern stuff though. You certainly can't rip down it with a conductor like some do today.

It's lighting cable shown above. Everything else has previously been rewired. I also found some 3 core the same as the twin. Red, White and Blue. No CPC.

 

[Andy78]

This page lists pvc outer VIR insulated as an early imperial sized twin cable available with or without cpc.

Historic Mains Cables - DIYWiki

wiki.diyfaq.org.uk

 

[MJPD29]

I've came across old pvc/pvc from 60s which has no earth in it and separate bare earth ran along side it, however the red and black sheath in that cable looks more like rubber from the picture

 

[mattg4321]

I've come across loads of what you describe @Matthewd29 as I'm sure everyone on here has!

The red and black insulation is rubber as stated in OP!

 

[mattg4321]

Who is it on here who has the cable museum?!

Maybe they will know for sure what this is!

 

[ipf]

'Copper clad' from the 70's springs to mind.....although I don't remember it without an earth conductor.

 

[MJPD29]

I've come across loads of what you describe @Matthewd29 as I'm sure everyone on here has!

The red and black insulation is rubber as stated in OP!

Then I'm beat, send it to Lucien he knows all cable!

 

[mattg4321]

Then I'm beat, send it to Lucien he knows all cable!

That's who has the cable museum right!?

@Lucien Nunes

 

[Lucien Nunes]

We don't just collect cable!

Rubber-insulated, plastic sheathed was a recognised construction but I don't know much about it, I will have to look it up. Natural rubber in good condition has extremely high insulation resistance, while early PVC was often considered an inferior substitute used only because rubber was scarce and expensive due to the war. So I think the idea here is to combine the benefit of rubber insulation with the economy and toughness of the polymer sheath.

I would be very keen to get hold of some lengths of this and would convert them into beers...

 

[freddo]

Another vote here for ashathene sheath, feels quite different to PVC.

 

[mattg4321]

We don't just collect cable!

Rubber-insulated, plastic sheathed was a recognised construction but I don't know much about it, I will have to look it up. Natural rubber in good condition has extremely high insulation resistance, while early PVC was often considered an inferior substitute used only because rubber was scarce and expensive due to the war. So I think the idea here is to combine the benefit of rubber insulation with the economy and toughness of the polymer sheath.

I would be very keen to get hold of some lengths of this and would convert them into beers...

I'll put some aside tomorrow. I should be able to get hold of a good 4/5m length of 2core in good condition and possibly 2/3m of 3core in not such good condition (part of this has been painted at some point.

 

[Lucien Nunes]

Fantastic, grab what you can and I'll PM you with postage info.

IIRC Ashathene was a trademark of Aerialite cables, a portmanteau of Ashton (the brand name of their electrical installation cables) and Polythene, the common name for PE. I am not sure whether Ashathene was actually a PE/ natural rubber blend, or whether that came later. I have some genuine Ashathene and other PE-insulated T+E removed a few years ago that one of my late mentors installed himself as a young man. It's all still good for service although the sheath of some of it has become noticeably stiffer, possibly on the PE-insulated, PVC-sheathed type.