House Rewiring Compliance

[Jo.Forum]

Hi I have recently purchased a 1970s semi detached house and had a full rewire and new central heating system installed by separate companies. There were a few things I was concerned with and am hoping to check with some qualified electricians before I bring it up with the electrician - I have no knowledge of electrics so for all I know the work might actually be ok.

1. The new wires that have been run under the floor upstairs are touching the copper water/central heating pipes in places is this ok? I am worried about heat damaging the cable. If this is not ok how should this be remedied - would it be the plumbers who put this right or the electrician?

2. I have requested mains smoke alarms be fitted in all rooms. At the back of the alarm where it connects to the mains the electrician has put all of the terminals in choc boxes (correct term?) however one smoke alarm just has the conductors going into the terminals with nothing around it - is this ok or should it be housed in a box?

3. Lastly under one of the bedroom floors the plumber went through a mains cable so the electrician fitted a junction box. I was worried as I had read that maintenance free junction boxes should be used in inaccessible areas - should I ask him to change this for a maintenance free one. I did ask him but he said the junction box is ok

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Many thanks

 

[Jo.Forum]

Smoke alarm attached

 

[westward10]

That connection of the smoke detector is appalling you should never have exposed wiring and connectors like that, "choc boxes" will not comply with the others because wiring from the detectors will still be exposed. They should be mounted on some kind of box to enclose it all or opt for detectors which do not require a separate connection from the detector.

 

[westward10]

If he has used a junction box without maintenance free connections in a floor space this will not comply. Me I would want the whole length of cable replaced as this is a rewire and joint boxes should be avoided. Has he actually supplied Certification to say this is a compliant installation because as it stands it is not.

 

[telectrix]

agreed but the wires that come with the detectors are single insulated, unsheathed, so what can you do? i just fit line products "eggs", but then the hole in the ceiling is so large, you have trouble getting a fixing for the detector. think the detector manufacturers need to come up with a better design. maybe a terminal strip that T/E and 3 core/E will fit direct.

 

[westward10]

agreed but the wires that come with the detectors are single insulated, unsheathed, so what can you do? i just fit line products "eggs", but then the hole in the ceiling is so large, you have trouble getting a fixing for the detector. think the detector manufacturers need to come up with a better design. maybe a terminal strip that T/E and 3 core/E will fit direct.

They will fit to a one gang cavity box but the best are the ones you hard wire direct, the name skips my mind.

 

[telectrix]

a lot of things skip my mind these days, but i blame dementia. as long as i know the price of beer, i'll let some mundane things pass.

 

[Vitesse]

Not only that looks like he has mounted the smoke alarm with just screws through the plasterboard! No fixings at all?

On every job I do I am always removing choc blocs and replacing them with something more suitable. By the end of the week my pockets are full of the damn things.

 

[Jo.Forum]

Hi

Thanks for your message. Yes we received certification for the work. Another quick question if you don't mind.

In the majority of places the joists have been drilled and the cable runs through these holes. In one bedroom however the cable runs over the top of a piece of wood and rests on the top of the plasterboard ceiling of the room below. I'm not sure if it hasn't been drilled because the piece of wood is very thin -its not like the wood in the rest of the rooms. Is this ok or should the wood be drilled and the cable run through or alternatively clipped to the side. I don't want to bring it up with the electrician if this is normal policy. Picture attached. Many thanks

 

[westward10]

They will fit to a one gang cavity box but the best are the ones you hard wire direct, the name skips my mind.

"Ei Electronics"

 

[telectrix]

Hi

Thanks for your message. Yes we received certification for the work. Another quick question if you don't mind.

In the majority of places the joists have been drilled and the cable runs through these holes. In one bedroom however the cable runs over the top of a piece of wood and rests on the top of the plasterboard ceiling of the room below. I'm not sure if it hasn't been drilled because the piece of wood is very thin -its not like the wood in the rest of the rooms. Is this ok or should the wood be drilled and the cable run through or alternatively clipped to the side. I don't want to bring it up with the electrician if this is normal policy. Picture attached. Many thanks

View attachment 37115

a bit slipshod there. cable should at least have a few clips in to restrain it. but it's OK over that noggin.

 

[Ian1981]

The detectors will have come with a base as standard that contains a connector strip to wire into and the smoke head will fix on to the mounting base enclosing all connections.

how anyone can f**k that up god only knows!

 

[buzzlightyear]

was it a cheap price !

 

[telectrix]

The detectors will have come with a base as standard that contains a connector strip to wire into and the smoke head will fix on to the mounting base enclosing all connections.

how anyone can f**k that up god only knows!

most come with a 3 wire plug in lead that you have then to connect to your 3 core and T/E.

 

[Jo.Forum]

I don't think it was cheap - £3500.

Can i also ask about the mains wires touching the central heating pipes - is this ok or should they be clipped away from the pipes or can the pipes have insulation around them? If it is a problem is this something the electrician or central heating installers should do? Many thanks

 

[Specialist]

most come with a 3 wire plug in lead that you have then to connect to your 3 core and T/E.

Agreed Tel, but the bases aren't exactly expensive to buy normally.
I use Kidde smokes, & bases are something like £1.50 a throw.

 

[westward10]

I don't think it was cheap - £3500.

Can i also ask about the mains wires touching the central heating pipes - is this ok or should they be clipped away from the pipes or can the pipes have insulation around them? If it is a problem is this something the electrician or central heating installers should do? Many thanks

What came first the pipes or the cable.
Reg 528.3.1, A wiring system shall not be installed in the vicinity of services which produce heat, smoke or fumes likely to be detrimental to the wiring, unless it is protected from harmful effects by shielding arranged so as not to affect the dissipation of heat from the wiring.
Reg 528.3.3 refers to any foreseeable operations carried out the other service will not cause damage to the electrical service or the converse.

 

[Jo.Forum]

Under the floor in the bedrooms cable had been run first then pipes were put in afterwards. However in the bathroom - image attached the cable would have been put in after as the central heating company did not replace a section of the copper pipe in the bathroom - image attached. Thanks

 

[buzzlightyear]

who was first in spark or heating engineer !

 

[Octopus]

£3500 for a rewire is anyone's guess. How many switches, sockets, lights etc do you have.

I'm on an extension at the moment which is about £6k ....