Rough dates for VIR cable?

Rockingit · Sep 11, 2012

A genuine quicky - can someone remind me of roughly when VIR was introduced? Having a brain/sieve moment, best I can think of is early 50's?

telectrix · Sep 11, 2012

much earlier. i've seen VIR, some in in lead sheath, from 1926. all VIR discontinued 50's - early 60's.

Rockingit · Sep 11, 2012

This is terminated into a Wylex, though of course there's no way of telling if it was there before the board!

ipf · Sep 11, 2012

Rockingit said:
A genuine quicky - can someone remind me of roughly when VIR was introduced? Having a brain/sieve moment, best I can think of is early 50's?

It only lasted for 10 years or so then, did it?:sad3:
I think we had capping and casing for a lot longer than that.lol

Engineer54 · Sep 11, 2012

The old Wylex 3036 CU'S were the standard/common replacement for the then even older wooden framed DP rewirable fuse boards. So it is more than possible that your Lead cable was there long before the Wylex CU . ...lol!!!

nickblake · Sep 12, 2012

it was patented by a guy call chandler in 1881 its a mix of oil and bitumin so around 1881

Rockingit · Sep 12, 2012

nickblake said:
it was patented by a guy call chandler in 1881 its a mix of oil and bitumin so around 1881

This is in a Victorian property (due for rewire), so I suppose with those dates anything is possible! Amazingly, the examples that I can find (I think the place has been JB spider-web wired under the floors as most of the sockets are fed with a single 70's T&E pvc) are in remarkably good shape and not immediately showing signs of perishing. Haven't IR'd it as it'd be a pointless exercise given that it needs ripping out, but when it's in a heap at my feet then I'll get the meter on it just for fun.