Identify this wire from 1960 semi-detached house

[Rocky786]

Hi All,

Just brought a 1960 semi-detached house, and the front bedroom has this wire running along the wall.



Does anybody know what it could be?

Electrics are still original 1960.

 

[Pete999]

Hang on I'll get me crystal ball out, Could be lead, TRS without a better picture it would be impossible to tell.

 

[Rocky786]

None of that made sense. Can you explain it in lay perspective? I can get better pictures later...today is the day of completion. The photo was taken yesterday when we went to do a final inspection of property.

Prior to this, large wardrobes covered this 'thing' so we did not know it was there.

 

[Wilko]

Hi Rocky - What height is the box off the floor please? It may have been a flex outlet at some point. Assuming this is correct, it will need looking at as the hole in the middle may lead to a bare live wire. If you've got kids, put something immovable in front of it (like a wardrobe, ha) till it's sorted. Small job for an Electrician to either safely terminate or remove.

 

[Midwest]

Looking at the full scale image, it looks like a grey flat twin (could have a cpc or earth wire as well). What does the rest of your wiring look like?

 

[telectrix]

looks to me like VIR twin. if that's the case, i suggest a full inspection of the electrical installation. whereabouts in N. Wales are you. one of us may be close enough to call and advise.

 

[ruston]

It could of been a wire for lighting and switch for the bed then isolated by the junction box. It was common to have lights above the headboard or side of the beds then. Just a thought.

 

[Pete999]

None of that made sense. Can you explain it in lay perspective? I can get better pictures later...today is the day of completion. The photo was taken yesterday when we went to do a final inspection of property.

Prior to this, large wardrobes covered this 'thing' so we did not know it was there.

Lead, as in a lead sheathed cable
TRS as in Tough Rubber Sheathed cable
More likely to be the later of the two lead had died a death by the 60s but it depends on when it was wired, may even be an early type of PVC the type of cable used today in house wiring, might be VIR as in Vucanised Indian Rubber, I only ever saw that in a single core style, if you could get a close up, photo of it without 50 years of paint or wallpaper on it we could possibly give you a more definitive answer, either way you would be well advised to get an inspection done on your electrical installation.

 

[Midwest]

Looks grey to me on my PC screen

 

[telectrix]

if you enlarge the OP's pic., the lower half is black. top half looks painted over or in mini trunking.

 

[Midwest]

if you enlarge the OP's pic., the lower half is black. top half looks painted over or in mini trunking.

Must be my screen, enlarged picture I see grey.

We'll have to wait for the OP. The suspense is killing me

PS click on the enlarged picture, to get full screen image.

 

[Rpa07]

That's one of the unscrewable Bakelite or plastic Junction boxes so as @Wilko worried about, there will be no hole and 'should' be safe against little fingers. As others have said, get it checked out.
Work of art in my eyes! Could be a Banksy stencil!

 

[Strima]

At a guess a feed tapped of the lighting circuit so a bedside lamp could be hard wired into it.

 

[littlespark]

I can make out metal clips holding it to the wall, and with past experience I would go with lead sheathed.
Old pendant ceiling rose, the white cover should just unscrew to reveal a black base with 3 x brass terminals, with 2 screw connections in each.
Is very likely to be a mains live and neutral feed to a bed headboard light fitting as others have suggested. Probably wont have a cpc in there.
I hope you bought this property to do it up. If this is what the rest of the electrics are like, God knows what else you'll find.
Post anything strange or unusual here. We all like a good laugh.

 

[Billsays]

I can make out metal clips holding it to the wall, and with past experience I would go with lead sheathed.
Old pendant ceiling rose, the white cover should just unscrew to reveal a black base with 3 x brass terminals, with 2 screw connections in each.
Is very likely to be a mains live and neutral feed to a bed headboard light fitting as others have suggested. Probably wont have a cpc in there.
I hope you bought this property to do it up. If this is what the rest of the electrics are like, God knows what else you'll find.
Post anything strange or unusual here. We all like a good laugh.

I agree with all the above except i think the Buckle clips point towards it being either a Rubber twin cable or an old PVC flat twin.
As said if the rest of the electrics are like this you might need a rewire. Get your local sbaarks to have a look.

 

[westward10]

Until we get a clearer picture I am opting for a 4 core 240mm swa.

 

[Midwest]

I've seen previous threads, where some have said, what are the IR results before recommending rewire. Now its rip out regardless. I don't know, some people are fickle.

I still think its a flat grey.

 

[Pete999]

T.R.S. for sure I can smell it from my Sofa defo T.R.S.

 

[sparksburnout]

You lot need to go to Specsavers it's Grey like Westy said.

 

[westward10]

T.R.S. for sure I can smell it from my Sofa defo T.R.S.

All I can smell from my sofa is the farmers spreading chicken sh*t on their fields, makes yer eyes water

 

[Pete999]

All I can smell from my sofa is the farmers spreading chicken sh*t on their fields, makes yer eyes water

At the moment I can smell Chicken Jalfrezi, being prepared by my Good Lady Wife, mind you when you think about it Curry and Chicken Sh-t has a similarity, until you eat it that is.

 

[westward10]

Little known fact. Farmers also use human manure on fields but only if the product produced goes to animal feeds, in Northamptonshire they grow a lot of broad beans which go to animal feed and across the country you see sweet corn or maize grown which will also go to animal feed as the climate in this country does not really produce good edible sweet corn. So next time you are walking in the country be aware of what grows around you. So from a 1960s cable to human manure in 22 posts.

 

[sparksburnout]

Little known fact. Farmers also use human manure on fields but only if the product produced goes to animal feeds, in Northamptonshire they grow a lot of broad beans which go to animal feed and across the country you see sweet corn or maize grown which will also go to animal feed as the climate in this country does not really produce good edible sweet corn. So next time you are walking in the country be aware of what grows around you. So from a 1960s cable to human manure in 22 posts.

I believe putting ze shiten on ze field is quite common in Germany as well.

 

[sparksburnout]

At the moment I can smell Chicken Jalfrezi, being prepared by my Good Lady Wife, mind you when you think about it Curry and Chicken Sh-t has a similarity, until you eat it that is.

I've had a few Jalfrezis in my time Pete but I've not sampled Chicken ---- yet so I will take your word for it.

 

[Midwest]

Continuing the fertiliser theme, whilst we wait for the OP to tell us what colour that cable is; my old mans passion, was growing his own vegetable produce. Can tell you nothing taste quite as nice as freshly dug/picked veg. He would take part in the local fruit & veg shows. His favourite was his tomatoes.

He would buy the ---- & straw from the next door pig farm, which had the occasional dead piglet in . Towards the end of his life, he experimented with processed human waste, which at the time you could purchase from the local water treatment works. Don't be concerned, the product came in almost dry form, and was grey in colour. Wasn't as good as the pig ---- mind.

 

[Midwest]

At the moment I can smell Chicken Jalfrezi, being prepared by my Good Lady Wife, mind you when you think about it Curry and Chicken Sh-t has a similarity, until you eat it that is.

I'm having curry for tea tonight. Not sure which model it will be, except it will be spicy hot, with lashings of ginger, but cooked by me.

Still think it's grey!

 

[Phil Thompson]

Just whilst on the manure topic, I recall a gardening show years ago, and the guy on it that day had some amazing produce.

He got a pile of sheep manure. Like pellets, put it into a hesian sack like a coal bag, and let it sit in a blue barrel of rain water and that's what he gave all his fruit and veg plants.

He won't heap of competitions for what he grew, if I recall correctly.

 

[westward10]

About five years ago my other half went to see the farmer down the road for some manure, no problem the old boy said I will drop a load round tomorrow. Next day we are coming back from a walk when in the distance we see a tractor with a rather large trailer of sh*te on it, before we could put two and two together and get there to stop him up went the trailer and out it came, the biggest pile you have ever seen.

 

[Midwest]

About five years ago my other half went to see the farmer down the road for some manure, no problem the old boy said I will drop a load round tomorrow. Next day we are coming back from a walk when in the distance we see a tractor with a rather large trailer of sh*te on it, before we could put two and two together and get there to stop him up went the trailer and out it came, the biggest pile you have ever seen.

Yep that's how my old man had his pig ---- delivered, a steaming mass left on the drive way, till it was deposited around his garden!

On another point, I remember my Mum contributed to the annual flower/veg/fruit show, with homemade wine, cakes, puddings etc. She could cook an Xmas lunch for 20 relatives and numerous ankle bitters, on a modest stove and not resulting to tears.

We didn't have a freezer until the late sixties, so the veg was used as in season, with the exception of things like runner beans, which were preserved in salt in jars, and onions stored in the shed in her old tights (pre washed of course).

Ready meals, freezers, takeaways and meals out at restaurants, wasn't something that was consider back then. I do miss those times

Edit; Off to cook me chicken curry. Did you know that 'curry' is Indian for gravy?

 

[westward10]

Talking of ma's tights took the midwife four hours to deliver my brother because she didn't realise she hadn't taken her tights off.

 

[sparksburnout]

I'm having curry for tea tonight. Not sure which model it will be, except it will be spicy hot, with lashings of ginger, but cooked by me.

Still think it's grey!

I always find you got to be careful with the ginger, too much and it can be overpowering? I assume you mean root ginger, in the paste? I love a nice lamb curry, neck fillet is best I reckon.
Do you think we will ever find out about this cable?

 

[ruston]

Who cares ,my mouth is watering now.

 

[Des 56]

The mere mention of foul tasting curry has me searching for the council pop in order to wash away the thought of that putrid concoction thats being drooled over by you good people

 

[ruston]

Would that foul be chicken Des?

 

[Strima]

Just done ribeye steak cooked in Sichuan pepper and Chinese five spice then laid to rest on a bed of garlic, ginger and chilli with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice on it. All mopped up with homemade chips!!!

 

[Pete999]

I always find you got to be careful with the ginger, too much and it can be overpowering? I assume you mean root ginger, in the paste? I love a nice lamb curry, neck fillet is best I reckon.
Do you think we will ever find out about this cable?

Yes probably about 04:30 when someone is having a ring stinger after all that curry, it will come to them when the burning subsides,

 

[Dave OCD]

I blame the countless cooking programmes on the telly.

 

[ruston]

Strima give it up, I can't eat spicy and curry now. I might have to go for a walk .They are spraying the fields.

 

[Des 56]

Just done ribeye steak cooked in Sichuan pepper and Chinese five spice then laid to rest on a bed of garlic, ginger and chilli with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice on it. All mopped up with homemade chips!!!

Some folk seem to want to make others envious
I had stew with bread and butter for dinner and its not even winter yet, wives,no telling what they can come up with at times

 

[Dave OCD]

That 'wire' is an old one connected into the upstairs lighting circuit and should be easy for a competent electrician to disconnect and remove safely. I had fish and chips for tea, lovely.

 

[ruston]

I was brought up 'fish' on Friday, hate the sight of it now.

 

[westward10]

That 'wire' is an old one connected into the upstairs lighting circuit and should be easy for a competent electrician to disconnect and remove safely. I had fish and chips for tea, lovely.

What wire.

 

[Dave OCD]

It's the taste I like. I'm bored with this thread now so let's introduce a challenging new twist. Identify the house from the 'wire' pictured.

 

[Dave OCD]

What wire.

Yes I know it's cable, just quoting the thread title you see.

 

[westward10]

Yes I know it's cable, just quoting the thread title you see.

No wasn't getting at that was just jesting the thread has gone so far off topic I had forgotten what it was about in the first place.

 

[westward10]

View attachment 37894 It's the taste I like. I'm bored with this thread now so let's introduce a challenging new twist. Identify the house from the 'wire' pictured.

FP200.

 

[Dave OCD]

No no no you haven't read the question, stand in the corner !

 

[westward10]

No no no you haven't read the question, stand in the corner !

Ah yes jumped the gun, definitely not my place as all my recent alterations are in black and red.

 

[sparksburnout]

This bloke that started the thread off must think he has signed up into some sort of online lunatic asylum. I bet that cables round his neck now.

 

[ferg]

It could be the Pyro tails from the other thread.