Loft Cables Question Please?

[vanessap]

Hi Everyone,

Sorry for all the questions.

With he help of a friend, I recently installed some insulation into my mother's loft. Whilst adding the insulation I noticed that a few cables (there are only light related cables in her loft) were tied together with electrical tape, so I spoke with an electrician and bought a few junction boxes with wago connectors and tidied tidied them up.

Two issues that I hoped I could ask some advice on please:

1. One of the red wires was not joined properly with two cables it was taped to, after being added to the junction box, the consumer unit started tripping. I called the Electrician straight away and he disconnected the cable which stopped the tripping.

2. I also noticed that one of the cables in the loft, near the hatch had some tiny to small cuts on the outer cable. I temporarily wrapped some electrical tape around it. All of the other cables looked fine in the loft.

I would like to request some quotes for the above to be looked at and hoped you might be able to advise on what to ask for please. I don't know if all the loft cables should be tested or if I should be asking for the un-joined wires from number 1 (above) to be tested and for the cable from number 2 (above) to changed or renewed. I would really appreciate any thoughts on this.

Thank you so much in advance,
Vanessa

 

[davesparks]

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2. I also noticed that one of the cables in the loft, near the hatch had some tiny to small cuts on the outer cable. I temporarily wrapped some electrical tape around it. All of the other cables looked fine in the loft

Do you have a picture of this? Have you ever had any trouble with rodents?

 

[vanessap]

Do you have a picture of this? Have you ever had any trouble with rodents?

Hi @davesparks, I can get some pictures hopefully tomorrow. No we have not, the electrician also asked this. I looked all around the loft whilst doing the insulation and there was no rodent droppings or any signs of splits in any other cables. That particular cable looks more like a few tiny thin slits maybe from a stanley knife. Can cables split with age? Thanks, Vanessa

 

[littlespark]

Slight Damage to the outer sheath is normal, and not dangerous. Only if the inner coloured insulation was showing would it need looked at.

Rodent damage wouldn’t stop at the outer sheath…. Would be right down to the copper. Little blighters don’t seem to mind nibbling live cables.