Advice re old Wylex setup

[JohnD]

I think you could learn to replace sockets yourself. I don't know if there is a really good guide to the novice DIYer, though. There are lots of things it wouldn't occur to you to ask because you don't know about them.

Yes, a double socket only has one set of wires going to it. The two switches and sockets have internal connectors to the same terminals. And if the faceplate is damaged, the whole thing becomes unsafe.

 

[ptork66]

Yes, I'm finding home ownership very much a "it's not what you know you know and what you know you don't know but what you don't know you don't know" situation. I definitely need to learn DIY skills and will go research some good sources of info.

 

[boringoldcodger]

Yes, I'm finding home ownership very much a "it's not what you know you know and what you know you don't know but what you don't know you don't know" situation.

It's definitely a case of Donald Rumsfeld's "unknown unknowns".

Yes, a double socket only has one set of wires going to it.

At the double risk of (a) getting into a philosophical argument and (b) mansplaining. John is absolutely correct in implying that the 2 sockets (in a double socket) share their power supply. BUT, we have what we call "ring finals" where sockets are daisy chained together so, usually, you will find 2 cables connected to the sockets and, if you were able to follow each one then you'd find that they both end up at the, in your case, same Wylex fuse.

 

[ericmark]

If that is the only faults you are lucky. I found a fuse box like yours hidden between the flat below house new ceiling and the original garage ceiling before it was made into a flat. And to get central heating to run I had to go outside down a flight of steps into granny flat under house and plug in the pump, the shower tray looked tatty, and when they came to replace it found beams rotted through and had to be replaced, and still have a leaking flat roof. Just what you get with second hand houses where owners did not have money to pay for upkeep. And non of that found on the building inspection.

However really glad I moved, the view is great, and the village is so friendly, at least until they get to know me, OK the train only runs in the summer, and it is still steam powered, but I feel I am on an extended holiday living here, and the repairs required to house are all worth it. Pity there was a garden railway running through the house at one time, (steam of course) now just the odd sleeper showing where it was.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

When you have someone do the inspection don't be too easily persuaded that the whole lot needs to be ripped and and a new install done, just because the regulations have changed since what you have has been installed. New regs are not generally retrospective, your installation is only needed to meet the regulations at the time it was installed.

None the less, I would suggest that the consumer unit is replaced with a new modern one, with additional spare ways to allow for future upgrades. The markings on the unit suggest you have 2x 32amp ring socket circuits, 3x 15amp socket circuits, 1x 15amp for a CH system, then a separate separate MCB for what must be a low wattage shower, judging by the cable. There is no mention of any lighting circuits, which is a puzzle.

 

[ptork66]

When you have someone do the inspection don't be too easily persuaded that the whole lot needs to be ripped and and a new install done, just because the regulations have changed since what you have has been installed. New regs are not generally retrospective, your installation is only needed to meet the regulations at the time it was installed.

None the less, I would suggest that the consumer unit is replaced with a new modern one, with additional spare ways to allow for future upgrades. The markings on the unit suggest you have 2x 32amp ring socket circuits, 3x 15amp socket circuits, 1x 15amp for a CH system, then a separate separate MCB for what must be a low wattage shower, judging by the cable. There is no mention of any lighting circuits, which is a puzzle.

Thanks for this advice, especially as my only goal at the moment is ensuring it is safe. Modern for modernity's sake can come later, if needed.

RE: lighting, the circuit marked C/H also says "Lighting" above it. However, I'm not sure how much I trust the sloppy labelling and am hoping they didn't actually put the heating and lighting on the same circuit... Although that was probably the only option.

The shower is an 8.5kw.

 

[ptork66]

If that is the only faults you are lucky. I found a fuse box like yours hidden between the flat below house new ceiling and the original garage ceiling before it was made into a flat. And to get central heating to run I had to go outside down a flight of steps into granny flat under house and plug in the pump, the shower tray looked tatty, and when they came to replace it found beams rotted through and had to be replaced, and still have a leaking flat roof. Just what you get with second hand houses where owners did not have money to pay for upkeep. And non of that found on the building inspection.

However really glad I moved, the view is great, and the village is so friendly, at least until they get to know me, OK the train only runs in the summer, and it is still steam powered, but I feel I am on an extended holiday living here, and the repairs required to house are all worth it. Pity there was a garden railway running through the house at one time, (steam of course) now just the odd sleeper showing where it was.

Your area sounds nice, I love old trains.

These are just the faults I've found so far. I need to take off the side of the bath soon, as the pan feels weird and I need to try to find out if the pan is broken/breaking or if, like you, the floor underneath is rotted. But that's for a different post hah.

 

[John D v2.0]

lighting, the circuit marked C/H also says "Lighting" above it. However, I'm not sure how much I trust the sloppy labelling and am hoping they didn't actually put the heating and lighting on the same circuit... Although that was probably the only option.

We had exactly the same fuse box in our house and the boiler was also connected to the lighting circuit. There was also another cable connected that went under the floor which had poor insulation resistance and turned out to just be a loose live wire trailing exposed.
The lighting circuit was supposedly 15a but when i looked more closely it was actually a piece of copper wire!
I decided it was probably late 70s, and a decent installation at the time, professionally done, but with copious amounts of DIY and "builder" additions it needed a lot of work to get it back to compliance.

I agree with the previous posters saying don't bother keeping that fuse box, although it may comply with regs at the time, the cover presumably doesn't fit any more and the Fuses can be pulled out without a tool. Ours was about the right height for small children to touch.