Atlas Kablo (again)

[Clifford Thompson]

No that's not we're actually going to do. As I keep saying I'm happy to discuss this on the phone -xxxxxxxxxxxx Thank you.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

It's what you have always done in the past.

 

[JohnW2]

No that's not we're actually going to do. As I keep saying I'm happy to discuss this on the phone -xxxxxxxxxxxx

Well, whatever it is that you are planning to "actually do", the fact that you are not prepared to discuss it 'in public' is inevitably going to raise suspicions.

In any event, even if anyone did feel inclined to speak to you on the phone, you could not 'swear them to secrecy', particularly if (as would presumably be the case) you couldn't even be sure who you were actually speaking to!

Kind Regards, John

 

[Clifford Thompson]

John I was pretty clear in my first post some weeks ago: I'm just trying to establish where the recalled Atlas Kablo cable may have been fitted. It's not my intention to make anyone suspicious, it's just as you probably know several million metres of it was sold before it was recalled. I've had a few flippant comments, but everyone is entitled to their opinion. I also served for some years in the fire service so I have a particular interest in fire safety. That's all.

Thanks for your reply, Clifford

 

[JohnW2]

John I was pretty clear in my first post some weeks ago: I'm just trying to establish where the recalled Atlas Kablo cable may have been fitted. It's not my intention to make anyone suspicious, it's just as you probably know several million metres of it was sold before it was recalled.

You surely must already know the answer to that question. As you say, millions of metres of it were sold by reputable wholesalers etc., so it's pretty safe to assume that it was installed 'everywhere' - i.e. in countless domestic, commercial and industrial settings. Are you perhaps wanting, for some reason, to come into contact with 'victims', rather than merely being interested, in a general sense, in "where it was fitted"?

It's not so much your question that is making people 'suspicious' but, rather, the fact that you are apparently unable/unprepared to explain 'in public' why you have an interest in this historic situation.

Kind Regards, John

 

[flameport]

I'm just trying to establish where the recalled Atlas Kablo cable may have been fitted.

If you want specific installations, then it's too late.

Those who purchased it in 2010 and earlier are not likely to remember now, even assuming they actually chose a specific brand of cable at the time - plenty would have just purchased whatever was on the shelf with no regard as to who actually made it.

Any business records from 6+ years ago are likely already destroyed and it's desperately unlikely anyone with old records before then will be wanting to dig through them to establish if the cable they purchased was that brand. Even if they do and did, this assumes the brand of cable was actually stated on an invoice which in plenty of cases it would not be.
Even that doesn't confirm where it was installed, just that it was purchased then and probably used for installations shortly after that.

Any installed cables will be 99% concealed in walls, floors and similar. Inaccessible without dismantling and disruption, which no one will want just on the offchance that the cable is that particular one.

There is yet another problem in that some cables are not sold under the name of the manufacturer, but are repackaged and sold under different names. Smaller quantities being sold in DIY type shops for example - this cable: http://www.wickes.co.uk/Wickes-Twin-and-Earth-Cable-2-5mm-x-50m-6242YH/p/156253 currently being sold is on a roll marked 'Wickes' but they are obviously not the manufacturer of it.

 

[Clifford Thompson]

John - I don't know where it was fitted - how can anyone (who didn't fit it) know? As far as I can see, the exact type of cable used in a building is not recorded anywhere. And suppliers were not required to record to whom it was sold. I know it's seen as a historic situation, but it has been brought to our attention because of possible long-term safety risks. I'm interested in large new-build projects that might have been fitted out with the cable, as opposed to DIY enthusiasts or small electrician's firms, so when I originally started to look for information on it, this site came up.

Regards Clifford

 

[Clifford Thompson]

Thank you Flameport for your reply - I appreciate your comments. Regards Clifford

 

[JohnW2]

John - I don't know where it was fitted - how can anyone (who didn't fit it) know? As far as I can see, the exact type of cable used in a building is not recorded anywhere. And suppliers were not required to record to whom it was sold. I know it's seen as a historic situation, but it has been brought to our attention because of possible long-term safety risks. I'm interested in large new-build projects that might have been fitted out with the cable

You again seem to have answered your own question. Given the absence of records to which you refer, there is no way that you could get a general answer to your question.

Despite the very large number of installations that must have used this cable, the most you could hope for would be of a few anecdotal reports from people who recalled have bought some of the cable (if, indeed, they knew that's what they were buying) and installed in in XYZ building(s) - which would only be of value or interest in relation to that very small number of buildings.

... and one would hope that no-one, particular not the media, would attempt to make mileage out of "a few anecdotal reports"!

Kind Regards, John

 

[sparkwright]

Someone out there will know where some of that cable has been installed. With a name like that, someone remember that - particularly if a large amount was used on a big site.

 

[Clifford Thompson]

Is it possible to say please, how much of any kind of cable it takes to wire, for example, a three bed roomed house? Obviously not millions of metres for a house, but presumably larger new-builds, with lots of power supplies would need a substantial amount. In other words, how widespread was it when it was discovered to be in use? (And then still found to be on sale by some suppliers after it was recalled).

Thank you. I appreciate your comments

 

[Iggifer]

It can vary greatly, but we first fixed a kitchen yesterday that took just over 100m of 2.5 and about 75m of 1mm, with about 35m of 6mm going in for two cooker supplies.

Not an overly large kitchen, but bigger than most new builds.

 

[JohnW2]

Someone out there will know where some of that cable has been installed. With a name like that, someone remember that - particularly if a large amount was used on a big site.

Yes, indeed - of the the 'few anecdotes' to which I referred, but obvious just a few out of goodness knows-how-many installations which used the cable.

It seems that Clifford is keen to actually identify just a few (of the many) buildings in which the cable was used, and one can but wonder and speculate as to why he wants this information. Given this apparent desire to identify actual sites/buildings, rather than investigate the totality of the issue in general, one is tempted to suspect that he wants to be able to establish contact with the owners of those buildings (the 'victims').

It almost reminds me of those phone calls I get (despite all the measures in place to prevent them!) from people fishing to discover whether I have been the victim of an accident who they could 'help'!

Kind Regards, John

 

[sparkwright]

You don't think he's intersted in preventing a disaster, and to see how the wiring may have deterioated then?

 

[JohnW2]

You don't think he's intersted in preventing a disaster, and to see how the wiring may have deterioated then?

Who knows? He won't tell us, so we are bound to ponder some of the less public-spirited of possible motives.

I wouldn't have thought that someone whose interest was in "preventing a disaster" would be unprepared to explain/'admit' that, would you?

Kind Regards, John