Ancient wiring problems.

[klang]

To cut a long story short, my dad died, and I've moved in to look after my mother.

Hence, I've inherited a very old fusebox/ wiring problem.

I can't get the place rewired because of the disruption for my mum.

I thought I could at least get it tested though, and possibly get a modern consumer unit, to improve fire safety.

So I contacted an electrician, who won't fit a consumer unit, as he wouldn't be able to issue a certificate.

He won't carry out an EICR either, as he would have to condemn it.

I understand what he's saying but it's left me in a bind.

Can anyone suggest anything I can do to improve safety without a full rewire?

Thanks.

 

[Murdochcat]

Fit decent smoke alarms is probably the best advice in can give you

A rewire is going to need to be done sooner or later imho

 

[ebee]

Well a quick glance at this extremely small portion does lead to a clue as to what it might need and whilst the remark that Murdochat just made can not be verified 100% it certainly does suggest that some TLC might be required.
A look around in more detail in the form of an EICR would be an ideal (and would cost) might give you an idea of the more important things to address - Having said that, on some that I have undertaken I have got to a stage where I have not completed the EICR because I have already got enough information to condemn it as rquiring a complete rewire.
The first piece of equipment any competant inspector uses is the "Mark One Eyeball" , have a good look around to visual everything , then a further investigation by "opening up" some/maybe all sockets/switches etc to visually inspect and if it looks reasonable/part reasonable then some tests with proper testgear.
Then you can make a decision as to what course of action is needed to make it satisfactory, if possible.
It sounds like your electrician has got to the point where he has seen enough evidence to condemn it as unsatisfactory and is refusing to fit a new consumer unit because he would be connecting unsafe/unsatisfactory circuits and therefore accepting responsibillity for them to be good enough to connect (would you expect a car mechanic to put a new engine in your car whilst the car itself has serious mechanical defects?

It may or may not have some serious defects but from that picture alone we can not tell you conclusively but might have some strong suspicions of the likely outcome.

 

[klang]

Thanks

I posted the photo to give you an idea of the situation.

It's the same one I sent to the electrician.

One thing that strikes me, is that the electricity company apparently didn't condemn it when they fitted a smart meter.

Or maybe they did, and my dad ignored them.

 

[Murdochcat]

Thanks

I posted the photo to give you an idea of the situation.

It's the same one I sent to the electrician.

One thing that strikes me, is that the electricity company apparently didn't condemn it when they fitted a smart meter.

Or maybe they did, and my dad ignored them.

Your meter company are simply not interested in the state of the installation after the meter.

My advice is based on the photo provided, and years of experience encountering such installations.

Only competent eyes on site with test kit could add much more

 

[ebee]

Meter fitters of today are not the meter fitters of yesteryear, they used to be qualified electricians and often had additional qualifications as electrical inspectors too.
Today a meter fitter could be a joiner or something who has been on a course to be a meter fitter and they may or may not have seen something they have noticed - so do not read much into the fact that you dont think the meter fitter said nothing.
#
I`m retired now but I used to work with the ethos that as soon as I walked into a customers house I was obliged to mention anything I saw that gave me cause for real concern , it may be that I only went into one room or so purely to give an estimate but unless they asked my advice I would certainly bring to their attention what I could see whilst walking past or what they could reasonably expect I might see therefore if I did not mention it they might wrongly assume it to be safe. A moral duty if no other, if you saw somebody being a "Smartphone Zombie" (step into a road of moving traffic with their head down into their phone and ignoring all dangers) you would mention it wouldn`t you?

 

[klang]

Do you think a smoke alarm in the loft space would be a good idea?

I don't know how electrical fires start, but if the conduit acts as a flue, then the smoke should collect in the attic.

I'm about to have a new wireless burglar alarm fitted, so I'll have the option of smoke sensors.

 

[AndyPRK]

Can anyone spot any VIR ?

 

[blup]

Can anyone suggest anything I can do to improve safety without a full rewire?

Get an electrician who can certify his own work. It should take no more than a day, so move your relative out for the night.

 

[ebee]

Do you think a smoke alarm in the loft space would be a good idea?

I don't know how electrical fires start, but if the conduit acts as a flue, then the smoke should collect in the attic.

I'm about to have a new wireless burglar alarm fitted, so I'll have the option of smoke sensors.

Smoke?Heat/CO alarms are a good idea anyway, you can not have too many so long as they are suitably placed for all sorts of reasons including electrical fires but the best way to prevent such fires electrically is to have the electrical installation in a sound condition in the first place.

 

[ericmark]

I had the same situation, I knew the house built 1954 was bad, but dad said "I am not living in a building site. You can re-wire it when I'm gone." but by that time mother had alzheimer's so not safe doing electrical work with her in the house.

She also had macular degeneration so poor eyesight, and she put an extension lead to a neon into a bucket of water as she thought it was on fire, and I knew a RCD would keep tripping unless house re-wired first.

She was taken into hospital and I had to use that chance to get house rewired, they took a week, 4 days with 2 guys, last day 5 guys on site to finish it on time, luck I used a firm able to do that, not a one-man band.

On release from hospital, we first went to a home, as it needed 24 hour care, and it was a mad dash to complete the plastering etc, as it was going to cost me £800 a week if not completed in time. Finding an electrical firm, arranging the work, I agreed to make good to keep down price, and re-wire was just a basic one, took around 10 weeks, even when rewire only took a week.

But really care home or holiday is the only method, can't really just ignore the problem, we were not sure if house would be sold to pay for mother's care, or rented out, and if the latter, it needed to be good enough to rent out, as it transpired neither, as mother died, but had that not happened, would have needed the rent money to pay for mother's care home.

So step one has to be a site visit from an electrical firm, to say what is required, and when they can do it, then arrange a holiday to match that time.

 

[ebee]

Makes sense Eric

 

[CountryFan]

That gas pipe looks too close to the switch gear, should be 150mm away. 25mm away from other cables.