Oh what a wicked world or the cowboys lament

[Vortigern]

Just to highlight how wicked people can be. This set up was bad enough. House is just bought from deceased estate. Typical '30s house. See the old stuff. Loads of DIY by octogenarian around the house. (previous tenant dcsd.) One socket in each room with loadsa extensions. But what got me was that a wet room was put in (couple of years ago?)with a BG box main switch RCD etc. with an electric shower. Now actually there was no earth whatsoever in the house. The connector block, and the bare copper wire was actually crudely attached to the lead water pipe under the floorboards. You may be forgiven for thinking that it was the TNS earth. However look at the block, anything wrong there?......The green/yellow was supposed to be the shower earth /sigh!
This is terrible no earth and a very poor attempt to connect to earth which completely missed I expect no cert no BC notice. So these poor old folk probably forked out a fortune for a wet room shower etc. that was highly dangerous. Ok. rant over. But it does actually quite upset me that people can be so callous.
P.S. That last photo, bit of a find porcelain fuse (with fused neutral) and the cable classic crumbly special. No wonder the electrics didn't work!

P.P.S. I was there to put in temp supply for builders. TT'd it and pleased to say got 29 ohms, admittedly it was raining but good to go i'd say, just temp til PME is put in by WPD.

 

[freddo]

Nice old switchgear there. I like those mem dix switch fuses, I have one sat on my kitchen windowsill.

 

[Vortigern]

I wondered if the DIX bit was continental you know French, Dix for Ten or just coincidence. I guess it is definitely MEM. Yeah I was quite excited like a kid at a a party viewing all the goodies, bit sad I suppose.

 

[freddo]

Never thought of the dix referring to the 10A rating! My house is stuffed with old switchgear and electrical accessories I've removed/replaced over the years. I like the cast iron stuff the most.

 

[Vortigern]

Yes I have kept the cast iron switch on the left of the main picture.

 

[Lucien Nunes]

I have a new in box Memdix and I like the distinctive design. Yes the Dix alludes to the 10A rating, It shares features with the Kantark Minor 15A fuse but it has two quite serious shortcomings. One is that because its unique push / pull action of the fuse carrier is the switch, the fuse contacts on the supply side are always live, and are completely exposed to the touch when the carrier is removed. Other popular applications of the Kantark Minor, such as the Memette and Memset, ensure that the contacts are dead when exposed due to the interlock between the cover and the switch. The other issue with the Memdix is the lack of clearance between the two poles. I have seen one or two with flashover marks from pole to pole where the arc has been stolen by the opposite pole after the wire has ruptured. If that happens on the supply side it can be nasty.

Don't forget that there is a home for any surplus old devices here if they are in reasonable condition.

 

[Vortigern]

Hi @Lucien Nunes, did you notice the "JB" at bottom right? Anything in the picture you are welcome to just PM address I will do the rest.

 

[7029 dave]

@Vortigern I thought you retired last year.

 

[Vortigern]

I did, but there is life after retirement. Have to get some beer money!