Doesnt sound like it?
Advice please - old VIR cabling to be rewired
- Thread starter Gizasmum
- Start date
Doesnt sound like it?
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That is, indeed, all that Kate said, but I find it hard to believe that any electrician would have allowed the circuit to remain energised if there were still a known screw-damaged cable in the wall, about which nothing had been done. However, maybe I'm being too optimistic, and putting too much faith it what I believe (or find it hard to believe!) an 'electrician' may have done or not done!
Kind Regards, John
All that the British Gas electrician did was to take the brackets out the wall and she told me she had put a block in behind the light switch so that it can't be turned on. She didn't tell me if she had done anything to the actual light fittings.
EDIT - I did see tape on the wires at the fittings, but don't know if she put that there or not. But the wires were still joined on to the fittings when she screwed them back up.
EDIT - I did see tape on the wires at the fittings, but don't know if she put that there or not. But the wires were still joined on to the fittings when she screwed them back up.
The real issue is about the (assumed) damage that was done to the cable in the wall. Did she 'dig around' in the wall to locate (and hopefully do something about) the assumed damaged cable?
I don't completely understand this 'putting a block behind the light switch', to prevent it being turned on. Can you perhaps explain a little more - or, even better, provide a photo?
Kind Regards, John
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I've just re-read your original message, and think that perhaps I now understand a bit better. I'd forgotten that it was the cable between the two lights that you think your husband damaged. If that's the case, then by preventing (both of) the lights being switched on, she will have prevented any electricity getting to the damaged cable, thus making it 'safe'.
Kind Regards, John
JohnW2, she didn't dig around. She did things in the following order -
Took down the mirror and brackets
Took down the light that wasn't working (light two)
Took down the light that was working (light one)
Checked behind light one for a cable leading to light two
Opened the light switch
She then told me she had put a block behind the light switch to stop it being turned back on.
Is it ok in the meantime to put the mirror back up or is that not safe? It is really depressing me looking at the blank wall.
Just remembered also that when we first knew there was a problem, there wasn't a bang. Only the lights tripped. She asked me about that. Don't know if this is significant.
Took down the mirror and brackets
Took down the light that wasn't working (light two)
Took down the light that was working (light one)
Checked behind light one for a cable leading to light two
Opened the light switch
She then told me she had put a block behind the light switch to stop it being turned back on.
Is it ok in the meantime to put the mirror back up or is that not safe? It is really depressing me looking at the blank wall.
Just remembered also that when we first knew there was a problem, there wasn't a bang. Only the lights tripped. She asked me about that. Don't know if this is significant.
Fair enough. I think Im beginning to understand. What she probably meant was that she had remove the connectiond to the light switch and temporarily 'made them safe' in a 'connector block' behind the switch - thereby ensuring that yoiu could not switch on either of the lights. As I said in my last message, given that the assumed cable damage is between the two lights, that makes things safe.
It almost certainly would be OK but I think it's probably best not to for the time being, 'just in case'!
It's difficult to read too much into that.
Kind Regards, John
One might argue that VIR is likely to be in such poor condition it could be unsafe to apply test voltage to it.
One might - but I think that many/most IR testers reduce the test voltage, appropriately (or refuse to do the test completely) in the presence of low IRs.
Kind Regards, John
She used a tester in two of the wall sockets that are positioned above the skirting below each of the lights and said readings were spot-on. Don't know if this is the IR test you are talking about
Possibly, but probably not - but at least that's one positive thing! Can you remember what the tester looked like? I don't suppose there were any test resuklts on the paperwork she left with you, were ther?
Kind Regards, John
Sorry John, can't remember exactly. It was a long pointer thing that she stuck directly into the socket then read off the machine it was attached to. All that's on the paperwork is the Earth Loop Impedence Test reading of 0.35, which I take it refers to the lights rather than the plug sockets
Fair enough. That reading for Earth Loop Impedance must relate to the sockets, since in the absence of an earth in the lighting circuit, she would not have been able to measure it for that circuit. As she said, a reading of 0.35 (ohms) for that is absolutely fine ('spot on', as she said).
Needless to say, none of this discussion alters the fact that you need to get some people to look at the situation and give you quotes. In the meantime,it sounds as if she has probably made things temporarily as safe as they were before your husband's little incident with the screw!
Kind Regards, John
Thank you so much for all your help JohnW2, and also to the others who responded to my plight. You really are a great bunch of people to take the time to give me this advice. Whilst you haven't made me feel any less anxious about what's to come, at least now that I have some advice about my situation as it stands so I am feeling a bit better than I did yesterday.
Unfortunately none of my friends and family are in the situation where they have needed any electrical work done. They are all in either newish or rented houses so I can't get any recommendations from them.
I am going to call a builder friend who converted my loft for storage last year, and whom I trust implicitly, to ask if he can recommend any companies. He used an electrician then to put in a light and a couple of sockets. The electrician is one that is allowed to self-certify. When Building Control came out to inspect and sign off things they said that this electrican was one of the good guys, so I have his details for starters.
Unfortunately none of my friends and family are in the situation where they have needed any electrical work done. They are all in either newish or rented houses so I can't get any recommendations from them.
I am going to call a builder friend who converted my loft for storage last year, and whom I trust implicitly, to ask if he can recommend any companies. He used an electrician then to put in a light and a couple of sockets. The electrician is one that is allowed to self-certify. When Building Control came out to inspect and sign off things they said that this electrican was one of the good guys, so I have his details for starters.
You're welcome. Whilst you're obviously anxious, it may well not turn out as bad as you might fear, or as bad as it might have been. Given that most (clearly not all!) of the house was rewired in 1998, it could well be that 'all' you'll need to have done is re-wiring of the circuits currently using VIR cable - i.e. the lighting circuit and probably one sockets circuit.
That sounds like a very good starting point - someone described as a 'good guy' by someone in some sort of authority has got to be a reasonable bet. If you can identify someone at the start who you think is likely to be the one you'll go with, you might be able to negotiate for him to do an EICR and then 'absorb' (or at least reduce) the charge for it if you get him to subsequently do the work. Then you could get one or two other to just 'quote' (without doing an EICR), just to give you a feel for relative prices (and people!).
Good luck. It would be nice if you could eventually tell us how this all works out.
Kind Regards, John
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