Re wire, to cap wires or not

[PigletJohn]

Old plasters were high in sulphides which will attack copper.

Unlike Tony, I can't see that plasters would attack the copper in modern electrical cables, since they are insulated in (usually) PVC and then sheathed in more (usually) PVC.

So unless someone cut through both the sheath and the insulation, which takes a bit of effort even with a sharp stanleyknife, the plaster would not come into contact with the copper.

Plain MICC cable (fire-resistant with a copper cover) might be vulnerable, but it was generally surface-mounted, not buried in plaster, and these days it too has a protective (usually orange) plastic sheath to prevent chemical attack.

I can imagine though that copper pipes might have corroded if the plaster was aggressive.

 

[PigletJohn]

BTW (sorry) all the spreads I ever asked said that they take great care of their trowels, and would never risk nicking the edge by letting it dig into a cable.

 

[Brendan976]

I also plaster, and in the ideal world capping would be best but its not mandatory. Nearly every plasterer will take care over cables (bodgers excepted) as a decent Marshal town trowel is £50-£60. One small nick or god forbid a blown hole in it is the end of that trowel until you can get is refaced. Then you have the task of wearing it in for that just right finish.

Ben

 

[Essexboy7]

Yeah but make sure the person doing the capping isnt a complete lemon who puts a capping nail through the cables!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I had that happen to me on a job before.A rush ,rush rewire with no time to do IR and BANG when the ring got livened up

 

[telectrix]

well, what do you expect in essex?

 

[amlu]

fill your chases and around the boxes with some bonding coat before plastering