When was this last done?

[Steve]

All the cable chases in this house have this metal cover on them. And they are all earthed with bare wire which has been clipped to the joists under quite a bit of tension in places! I'm guessing this is original to the house. But what edition of the regs would this have complied with? The house has been rewired in the 80s or maybe early 90s I think in DI singles so they could pull through these old chases. The original wiring was VIR and much of it is still present though dead. And for VIR it isn't actually in bad condition compared to some ive seen.

No safe zones either. I was merrily hacking plaster off the bathroom wall and I cane across one of these metal covers with no indication it was there.

 

[SteveP86]

Is it this stuff perhaps?

http://itshosting.me/aaes/lead-sheathed

 

[Gerrydelasel]

I think he means this stuff:

 

[AndyPRK]

The metal isn't unusual. Surprised its earthed though!

 

[EFLImpudence]

OP says cables not in safe zones.

 

[Deleted member 18243]

My house is wired this way; same cable clips on the joists. It's been rewired now, but the old stuff is still there!

 

[JohnW2]

OP says cables not in safe zones.

He does, but I doubt that that metal is man enough to afford acceptable protection to cables outside of safe zones, whether it's earthed or not, don't you?

Kind Regards, John

 

[winston1]

No doubt the rule on safe zones did not exist when it was done and the regs are not retrospective.

 

[EFLImpudence]

He does, but I doubt that that metal is man enough to afford acceptable protection to cables outside of safe zones, whether it's earthed or not, don't you?

Does it have to if it is earthed?

I agree it does not meet the present requirements of 522.6.204(i) but I presume that's why it was done.

 

[JohnW2]

Does it have to if it is earthed? I agree it does not meet the present requirements of 522.6.204(i) but I presume that's why it was done.

Yes, it was the present regs I was thinking of, and I agree that could be why it was done (or it may have been done in days when earthing/bonding 'everything' was fashionable!).

Even today, I suppose it's no 'worse' than say, SWA.

Kind Regards, John

 

[JohnW2]

No doubt the rule on safe zones did not exist when it was done and the regs are not retrospective.

Probably true, but if that were the case, one has to wonder why they bothered to earth it.

Kind Regards, John

 

[crystal ball]

I worked on some upmarket holiday cottages during the "bond everything in sight" eighties, we had to link all metal capping with earth wire, lugged and clamped with a woodscrew

 

[Steve]

OK I'll level with you all. This capping appears to be original to the house which was built in the 50s. The plaster has never been disturbed. Which version of the regs would have been in effect then?

 

[JohnW2]

I worked on some upmarket holiday cottages during the "bond everything in sight" eighties, we had to link all metal capping with earth wire, lugged and clamped with a woodscrew

Yes, that was the era to which I was referring. I've seen some lunacy of bonding from that era in bathrooms (and sometimes kitchens) - even with things like loo roll holders, (non-electrical) mirror frames and coat hooks being bonded!

Kind Regards, John

 

[JohnW2]

OK I'll level with you all. This capping appears to be original to the house which was built in the 50s. The plaster has never been disturbed. Which version of the regs would have been in effect then?

12th or 13th edition, issued in 1950 and 1955 respectively. The 14th did not appear until 1966.

I have no idea what 12th/13th eds said about these things - maybe someone can recall!

Kind Regards, John