Ancient cabling

[trwils]

Hey all

Many years ago we had a back boiler (20 years or so ago) - we switched to a combi and are now on our third combi but British gas left our gas fire and back boiler in situ and the back boiler pipes disconnected. The gas fire still worked (i was told by the plumber / gas engineer i asked to service it they should not do that, that the gas fire should have been removed)

We had the gas fire and back boiler removed on his advice and the gas line capped off- its a real mess in there (from having to get the boiler out )

Anyway i want to plaster this up- but note there is some ancient cabling in the space where the back boiler used to be- presumably to power the long decommissioned back boiler?

I have no idea if the cabling is live or not, can an electrician test this and tell me? I have no idea where the other 'end' of the wiring would go?
I imagine it has been like this for a long time and i didnt know as the gas fire was in place.

Thanks

 

[ericmark]

No one can tell from pictures if live or not, it needs some one to test, however one would think with all that insulation tape it will be live, although really it should be in a box of some sort, insulation tape can be removed without a key or tool so technically not good enough, however one would have to be a bit stupid to remove the tape and get a shock.

 

[trwils]

Thanks, no-one will mess with it as i am going to have the area boarded up- i have a hole in my fireplace / wall right now.
I think i am just shocked to find it like that, although the chimney is cowled, it is not airtight so moisture can ingress into that space and i am surprised it hasnt caused issues left like that.

I will get an electrician in to box it or sort it, thanks.

 

[trwils]

Hi Winston

Apparently the back boiler and gas fire are part of an integrated unit and they should not have left the gas fire in place after disconnecting the back boiler.

 

[winston1]

Incorrect and dangerous gas advice deleted.
Mod

 

[trwils]

Gosh no i know nothing about Gas, i went on the advice on the gas engineer who came, he is gas safe registered and i am not. I have to go with what the qualified guy tells me?

Its gone now - and the gas capped off, i will get that cable checked so that i can plasterboard over the hole and hopefully forget about it, thanks.

 

[EFLImpudence]

although the chimney is cowled, it is not airtight

Nor should it be.

Your boarded-up fireplace should also be vented.

 

[trwils]

Hey EFL, yes the gas engineer told me that when i get it boarded i need to leave a vent in the plasterboard- the plasterer i have waiting to do the job (i have delayed it due to this cabling) said he would put one in for me.

So putting aside whether i could have left the gas fire in place (i certainly was not trying to suggest i know anything about these things)

It seems my best bet is to get that wire checked and/or boxed?

 

[SUNRAY]

Incorrect and dangerous gas advice deleted.
Mod

Don't be so rude to (edited following origional messages deletion) new visitor he has simply taken advice from a (by the sound of it; qualified) tradesman who was there and could see exactly what the heating system was. You were not there to assess the situation.
There are (were?) different versions (makes) and not all were independantly isolatable, At least one I replaced a thermocouple in shared a gas valve; manual control via a very long control rod for the fire outlet port and electric control for the boiler outlet port, there was also of course the pilot light port. Just a single inlet port preceeded by an isolating cock to isolate. I dare say the boiler ports may have been a standard thread and could theoretically have been plugged but the system was was very far from those where the gas fire could be worked on while the boiler was in use behind it.

Not only that it is possible there was a fault on the gas fire and parts no longer available for repair, sometimes these explanations get lost in translation.

As an example in one of my rental properties the gas cooker failed its annual inspection, including the report ticking the box no CO monitor. My tenant translated that as nothing wrong with the cooker as it worked perfectly and continued using it for three weeks before my documentation arrived. However he had thrown the almost new £25 10 year 'smoke detector' in the bin some months before, as it went off everytime he used the grill.

 

[trwils]

Hi Sunray

Just to clarify, the gas fire was very old, it worked but had a musty smell when initially used. It hadn't been serviced in some time so we wanted it servicing.

Until recently i had no financial stake in this house, now i do and i am trying to get a lot of things updated / fixed (next in the list is the outdated electrics)

The guy we called in is definitely on the gas safe register (i checked before getting him) and we got him in because i was concerned about whether the fire was ok/safe given its age and time since it had been serviced.

Given my lack of knowledge - when he said he couldn't service the fire and recommended removing both the decommissioned back boiler and the gas fire i went along with it because he is the qualified one not me.

Either way it is gone now- he soldered the gas pipe to cap it. I just need to get this area boarded so that i can move on to the next job (electrics) hence asking for advice on the cable.

I must say since trying to fix multiple issues with this house, finding reliable tradesmen has been a bit of a minefield.

I appreciate all the comments and advice, thanks to all again.

 

[SUNRAY]

Hi Sunray

Just to clarify, the gas fire was very old, it worked but had a musty smell when initially used. It hadn't been serviced in some time so we wanted it servicing.

Until recently i had no financial stake in this house, now i do and i am trying to get a lot of things updated / fixed (next in the list is the outdated electrics)

The guy we called in is definitely on the gas safe register (i checked before getting him) and we got him in because i was concerned about whether the fire was ok/safe given its age and time since it had been serviced.

Given my lack of knowledge - when he said he couldn't service the fire and recommended removing both the decommissioned back boiler and the gas fire i went along with it because he is the qualified one not me.

Either way it is gone now- he soldered the gas pipe to cap it. I just need to get this area boarded so that i can move on to the next job (electrics) hence asking for advice on the cable.

I must say since trying to fix multiple issues with this house, finding reliable tradesmen has been a bit of a minefield.

I appreciate all the comments and advice, thanks to all again.

You are very welcome and yes I know of the problems with getting tradesmen when ever possible I try not to as I always end up finishing off their work.
The smell may just be dust burning off if it doesn't get used very much.
It sounds like you have a sensible head on your shoulders so I'll apologise for the rude comments you have received on here (although it's not my place to make excuses for others behaviour).
Good luck with the ongoing works, whereabouts are you?

 

[trwils]

Hey sunray thanks and to be fair i am probably asking stupid questions! its just a bit overwhelming trying to get multiple things fixed and i find the really reputable traders are booked up for months

I am in the west mids.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

The tape might or might not indicate the cable is live. Personally I would apply some sort of termination to the end of any cable, whether live or not, as a 'just in case precaution'.

 

[SUNRAY]

Hey sunray thanks and to be fair i am probably asking stupid questions! its just a bit overwhelming trying to get multiple things fixed and i find the really reputable traders are booked up for months

I am in the west mids.

No I don't believe you are asking stupid questions, how can it be stupid if you don't already know the answer. Stupid answers are of course possible and sadly we see them on here.

Reason I ask location is this is the sort of Job i'd probably not invoice to test/make safe if I was passing. Other than heading to Liverpool from kent last week for my Goddaughters graduation I haven't been that way for many years.

 

[SUNRAY]

Incorrect and dangerous gas advice deleted.
Mod

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