Is this a bodge or just old wiring style?

Hi, I moved into an old cottage recently and I've just uprooted the floorboards for the first time to examine the wiring. There's a strange 6 in square brown box here with a detachable cover with a picture of an eagle on it. It appears to be a kind of junction box since a series of wires (black) enter both sides and are connected together inside. They're connected in a very basic way, simply by being twisted together, with the twisted ends covered with white plastic (bakelite?) caps. It's all very neat and the wires seem in OK condition but does anyone recognize this set up and if so, does it indicate a need to rewire? Incidentally, most of these wires are for lights. The socket circuits are new. Thanks for any help.
(I can post pics if necessary).

If the wires are black, then they are almost certainly VIR, which haven't been used since the 1960's (I think) and the lifetime of cables is 25 years...

Screw-its aren't used anymore in this country (the screwcap things)

does sound like time for a rewire

1 I have come accross a similar junction box but using modern connectors one on the first floor and one in the attic. It was where all the lighting circuits lives radiated to the switches and then the switched circuits radiate to the ceiling roses. Hence the celing roses only have two wires.

2 I have found the twisted wire with a cap method is still in use in Spain although the caps are plastic.

dal5band said:

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2 I have found the twisted wire with a cap method is still in use in Spain although the caps are plastic.

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It seems to be THE way they do it in the USA - I've just come back from my girlfriend's place in New York and the wiring is (by our standards) dreadful! Power and lighting on the same breaker seems to be the way they do it, with radial wiring in flexible metal conduit which forms the Earth conductor (just 2 wires inside it). And the joins, including continuing the radials, are by twisting the wires together and putting one of the screw-cones on top.

I measured a 7V drop (about 6%) in the living-room when the microwave is running in the kitchen - and the lights dim visibly too! If you try to run the microwave, the toaster and the coffee-maker together, it trips the (15A) breaker.

The wiring is old (probably 1937 original) and the insulation seems to be rubber with cotton covering - it crumbles as soon as you touch it. I've told her to budget for a complete rewire (which I can't do, of course, because I don't have a US Electrician's Licence!.

Cheers,

Howard

The wiring is old (probably 1937 original) and the insulation seems to be rubber with cotton covering

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It could well be aluminium wiring. I have read several US websites on DIY electrics where someone came across wiring of this vintage that was made of aluminium.

15A breaker? On a 120V supply? 1800 watts, no wonder it trips! Is that for the whole place or just the kitchen?

Thanks to everyone for the posts. The info and observations were very helpful. Looks like I should get a few rewiring quotes to be on the safe side.

AdamW said:

The wiring is old (probably 1937 original) and the insulation seems to be rubber with cotton covering

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It could well be aluminium wiring. I have read several US websites on DIY electrics where someone came across wiring of this vintage that was made of aluminium.

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Yes, not all but some of it is - as I discovered when I replaced some of the 2-pin sockets with 3-pin, so she doesn't use the little 3-to-2 pin adaptors they have there (deathtraps!). I had to get special Cu/Al compatible sockets - the normal ones are Cu-only (marked as such). They're dirt-cheap though - a double socket is about 60p at the current exchange rate (if you buy 10)! Doesn't include the faceplate though.

AdamW said:

15A breaker? On a 120V supply? 1800 watts, no wonder it trips! Is that for the whole place or just the kitchen?

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Indeed! All of her CBs are 15A except for a disused 50A one marked "Range" - presumably a former electric cooker. The one concerned seems to do most of one floor - it supplies power and lights for the kitchen except for the fridge/freezer, the dining and living rooms, and the hall lights. It would have been at least 1 x 32A and 1 x 6A over here, and that's at 230V! So by our standards it's about 5 times underrated. As I said, she needs to plan for a rewire

Cheers,

Howard