Should I upgrade 7029 and 3029 wiring on 1965 house?

[fluff29]

Hi all

Looking for some advice. I have been advised that I should rewire my house which has the above wiring. The earth wire has no sleeving either.

I have two different opinions. One electrician doesn't think a rewire is necessary, the other thinks that it is. The electrician which says that it needs rewired does not think it necessary to do a PIR as the report will only come back stating that a rewire is necessary.

I will at a minimum be having my consumer unit upgraded, along with shower cable upgrade and some new sockets. Don't want to rewire if not necessary.

Any advice would be greatly received.

Fluff

 

[ricicle]

Some points to consider:-

-Is your earthing up to latest requirements ?
-Do the lighting circuits contain earths, especially if you have any metallic lights/switches fitted ?
-Is there any 30 mA RCD protection on any sockets, especially any downstairs or on an electric shower ?

If you answer no or not sure to any of the above then it could be worthwhile getting a PIR done. Old imperial PVC cables can be fine and this would be confirmed by inspection/testing.
A PIR is a must before a CU change as this will highlight any problems which could be exaggerated by a new CU. Fitting a new CU to a shoddy installation would be like fitting a new engine to a scrappy car - pointless !

 

[fluff29]

Thanks for your response ricicle.

I had an electrician around today (good friend of my electrician boss). He looked at the wiring and said that it would be pointless getting a PIR done as it would show that the house should be rewired.

He said that the sockets had no earth sleeving (not sure what this means) and he recommends a rewire.

My boss also concures with what he said.

However, another electrician at my work thinks that there is no need to get the house rewired, I would be looking at a new consumer unit with breakers as a minimum and upgrading to 10mm shower cable.

Thanks for you advice.

Fluff

 

[Spark123]

The cable is now pretty old - it might last another 20 years but then again it might only last another 2 weeks!
I'd certainly delay laying the laminate flooring and re-decorating for now!
2 people have said it is getting on needing rewired and they have seen it so I'd go along with their opinion.

 

[RF Lighting]

Does the earth in a 7/.029 T&E cable pass the adiabatic equation on a 30A ring circuit?

Also, Is the lighting circuit earthed? Many wired in this cable are not.

Personally if it were my house I would rewire it.

 

[kai]

I went and meggered some of my wiring, also in 7/029, strangely enough the readings came to Ninety-Five Mega-ohms (95MOhm), between both Phase and Neutral, Phase and Earth and Neutral and Earth.

Do you call (95MOhm) a good reading for wiring installed in the Sixties?

 

[nozspark]

I PIR'd a house with imperial cable today...

All bar one IR reading came back at >299Mohms, there was no green goo and everything else would have been ok if it weren't for the bodges and no CPC in the lighting..

The one reading that wasn't >299Mohms came in at 12.6Mohms

So it may be worth a quick IR test to see!! but if you want significant additions it may be worth a rewire

The lower limit for IR testing has gone up with the 17th,, not sure what it is off my head, but 95Mohms is good

 

[securespark]

Does the earth in a 7/.029 T&E cable pass the adiabatic equation on a 30A ring circuit?

Not for 3036's, I don't think. But for type B's, it is acceptable, I believe.


As for the wiring, you say 1965 house. The 14th was released in October 1966, introducing cpc's in lighting cables.

You need to check that you have cpc's to your lighting.

 

[fluff29]

Hi guys

I have decided to get the rewire done. Have been quoted between £2.5K - £3K (Scotland) for the following:

12 x light switches
14 x ceiling lights
9 x double sockets
2 x single sockets
(all above existing)
2 x double socket (new installation)
2 x single socket (new installation)
new consumer unit
new 10mm shower cable
Gas boiler spur (if necessary)
None of the kitchen will be touched except the boiler & light switches & ceiling lights (new kitchen)

Above to be MK white sockets with good quality consumer unit

Thanks for everyone's thoughts.

Fluff

 

[holmslaw]

..

 

[EddieM]

personally I'd dump a working fully functional computer without bothering to test it, 'cos it must be sh**e, after all it's old. and because I'm really experienced I can tell that just by looking at it. FFS.

 

[ColJack]

was that a comment in favour or against the rewire based on a standard observation that it's old and will likely need replacing?

 

[fluff29]

Hi homslaw

Sorry, only 13 light switches as follows (forgot to previously mention conservatory, garage and I am getting the lights and light switches only rewired in the kitchen, sockets not to be done).

Light switches in:
Living room x 1
Dining room x 1
Hall x 2 (top & bottom)
WC x 1
Bathroom x 1
Bedrooms x 3
Kitchen x 2 (kitchen & outside back door)
Conservatory x 1
Garage x 1

The socket numbers are correct as well. There is only one socket in all bedrooms at the moment.

Thanks again

Fluff

 

[holmslaw]

..

 

[JohnD]

one socket in each bedroom is ridiculous. You need to be able to plug in a bedside lamp, clock radio, teasmade etc at either side of the bed without long leads or extensions, and to have capacity for an electric blanket, heater, hoover, TV or standard lamp, PC or something according to the interest of the user.

You need at least one double socket at each end of hall or landing for hoover or table lamp (should you later desire one.)

I strongly recommend:
if a small room, one double socket near each corner

if a larger room, one double socket in each corner, plus one half-way along each wall, so that there is a socket every two or three metres.

a double-socket each side of each chimney-breast, and each side of where a bed-head might go

a double socket at least every metre along worktops in kitchens, utility rooms, workshops, home office.

at least one double socket at each position where you might want a TV, hifi, computer etc.

a double socket at each end of the garage, near the door, and half-way down each wall

have a think about it and you will see that you will find a need for all of those (you don't want to rewire, and still be using adaptors and extension leads)

btw the current standard for the height of sockets is 450mm to 1200mm above floor level. if you are used to seeing sockets at skirting level this will seem odd to you, but it is a lot more convenient when/if you are old, fat, pregnant, stiff, have a bad back etc. 450mm is now quite usual and people now think lower sockets look odd. low sockets are also prone to damage from hoovers, boots, furniture etc.