Are these electrics safe?

[Murdochcat]

Really if I need a more modern CU and theres no main earth and I have an old VIR cable and no RCD protection then that means I really need a whole house rewire?

Is this a serious question?

 

[blackcloud]

Is this a serious question?

Yes its a serious question? A whole house rewire? Can you tell from these pictures if I need a more modern CU and theres no main earth and I have an old VIR cable and no RCD protection?

 

[Murdochcat]

Yes its a serious question? A whole house rewire? Can you tell from these pictures if I need a more modern CU and theres no main earth and I have an old VIR cable and no RCD protection?

Sadly those photos don’t tell me much tbh. If you have concerns about the installation my advice to you is get a proper and decent EICR done

If you have VIR cable I would recommend you don’t change the fuseboard only

 

[securespark]

The incoming supply looks a mess. The incoming tails look old, the fuseholder is skew-whiff and it does appear that there is no earth connection from the supply.

But, if the supply is TT, you will have to provide that yourself via an earth electrode.

I would contact your DNO and ask them to check their supply is safe.

 

[blackcloud]

The incoming supply looks a mess. The incoming tails look old, the fuseholder is skew-whiff and it does appear that there is no earth connection from the supply.

But, if the supply is TT, you will have to provide that yourself via an earth electrode.

I would contact your DNO and ask them to check their supply is safe.

Thanks. The DNO being my electric supplier?

 

[Taylortwocities]

Thanks. The DNO being my electric supplier?

No. The DNO is the company that provides the supply infrastructure.
Find yours here

https://www.energynetworks.org/customers/find-my-network-operator

Re the VIR issue. It’s not clear if the VIR comment referred to just the meter tails, or to other wiring in the house. If there’s VIR cables within the house itself then a rewire is decades overdue. If just the meter tails then not such a biggie.
But for an installation of the age that yours appears to be you must must get an EICR done. If you don’t then, after you’ve redecorated etc, you may be faced with ripping the place apart when events make you gave the place rewired.
Sorry, can’t sugar coat this.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

The news today is that 4million of the installed smart meters have been reported as faulty. https://news.sky.com/story/nearly-f...lion meters,meters are not connected properly.
I would not rush to install one.

I think you, like Sky are quite massively exaggerating the problem - a tiny percentage with serious problem, wouldn't really be newsworthy. A fault could mean absolutely anything amiss, or in fact nothing - simply the customer reporting what they think is a problem. I talk to lots of people with smart meters, and by far the consensus is that they work fine, and can offer massive benefits and financial savings.

With no effort at all on my part, no watching when I consume - I'm saving 40/50% off of my energy bills, day in, day out, month after month. This on a tariff only available if you have a Smart Meter installed.

If however, you don't mind paying almost twice as much as I pay for my energy - you carry on spreading your lies.

 

[Taylortwocities]

If however, you don't mind paying almost twice as much as I pay for my energy - you carry on spreading your lies.

The article that I linked to clearly states that 4 million meters are not working in smart mode. I'm merely passing on information that is in the public domain.
I'm glad that you are having a fine time with your smart meter, you are one of the lucky ones.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

The article that I linked to clearly states that 4 million meters are not working in smart mode.

The article supports your stand-point, and improves Sky's watch figures, nothing more.

I'm merely passing on information that is in the public domain.
I'm glad that you are having a fine time with your smart meter, you are one of the lucky ones.

I don't feel particularly lucky - from what I see, it is perfectly normal. What the vast majority of the 4 million seem to be complaining about, is not a failure of the smart meters, but issues between meters and their suppliers. I've had SM's for almost ten years, for many of those years, my meters could have been classed as 'not working'. In fact they were working just fine, except the data wasn't being sent through to my energy supplier. The data link between smart meters and suppliers, at that time, was a complete mess. Only in the past 18 months, has this mess of a situation been resolved. No doubt many of the 4 million complaints are leftovers, from that period.

I personally, I not claim a meter, whether smart or not smart as being a meter fault, if the meter was displaying it's consumption correctly - as being faulty.

 

[RandomGrinch]

Re the VIR issue. It’s not clear if the VIR comment referred to just the meter tails, or to other wiring in the house. If there’s VIR cables within the house itself then a rewire is decades overdue. If just the meter tails then not such a biggie.

A big assumption, but if the metric cable sizes noted on the CU can be believed, it may only be the tails.

For the sake of the OP, don't panic.
There is a lot of information in this thread - yes, your wiring isn't up to current regs and doesn't have the protection of RCD's etc. but that doesn't immediately make it 'unsafe' - from the limited information we can see, there are many households that have wiring in similar, or worse states than yours - mine certainly was!.
As has already been mentioned, an EICR should give you a fuller picture of the state of your wiring - priorities for improvement can be made after that and may not be as bad as you imagine.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

A big assumption, but if the metric cable sizes noted on the CU can be believed, it may only be the tails.

Judging from the photos the OP provided....

The tails from meter to his consumer unit, appear to be grey pvc. Those from his cut-out to the ancient meter, appear to be VRI. It's difficult to comment more, because I cannot see much detail around the cut-out area, or incoming cable head.

If the above is correct, then it will be the DNO's job to replace the VRI and the meter, with a new one. I would ask that an isolator be installed at the same time, making it much easier to replace the consumer unit at a later date.

 

[blackcloud]

Update
I had the local energy supplier DNO out today and he added a RCD. He said he has notified another company who will now replace the VIR cables that go into the metre. He said they will also fit this other part that I have attached the picture of, anyone know the name of it.
He said its now safe but recommended new CU.
He said it is earthed he found it at the back, the single green and yellow cable the house picture with the metre ( also in the photo of the outside in sheltered alley way that the earth is connected too ) but it's the small green and yellow cable behind the two larger green and yellow cables (out door picture), the two larger cables are the neighbours. He said it was connected to the earthed outside in the sheltered pathway. I'm not using his exact terminology words as can't remember but basically this is what he found.
He said if we were getting a smart metre then best wait until the VIR cables are upgraded.
He said he can't judge on the wiring in the house if they need upgrading or not.
He said he sees 100s of properties like this and doesnt make them unsafe.
However he said its safe now he has added the RCD but recommended a new CU.
Up to us of we want to get an EICR report, not his area.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Update
I had the local energy supplier DNO out today and he added a RCD.

Lucky you, I wasn't aware of them fitting RCD's for free.

He said he has notified another company who will now replace the VIR cables that go into the metre. He said they will also fit this other part that I have attached the picture of, anyone know the name of it.

That item is just a double pole isolator, unnecessary

He said if we were getting a smart metre then best wait until the VIR cables are upgraded.

I would have expected the VRI to be changed at the same time as the smart meter was installed, However, when the VRI is changed - that would be a good opportunity for the earth wire to also be upgraded to modern standards.
to fit that now, as well as the RCD. They both serve the isolation function.

 

[blackcloud]

Lucky you, I wasn't aware of them fitting RCD's for free.



That item is just a double pole isolator, unnecessary


I would have expected the VRI to be changed at the same time as the smart meter was installed, However, when the VRI is changed - that would be a good opportunity for the earth wire to also be upgraded to modern standards.
to fit that now, as well as the RCD. They both serve the isolation function.

Thanks, if you were me what would you do now?

 

[RandomGrinch]

Thanks, if you were me what would you do now?

As has already been mentioned, an EICR should give you a fuller picture of the state of your wiring - priorities for improvement can be made after that and may not be as bad as you imagine.

And...

don't panic