Consumer Unit Replacement

[securespark]

It does look like tails to me. Which it could be, because that is the kitchen and your incoming supply is nearby.

However, when you say they are the same as the conduit singles, do you mean the same size?

If they are socket cables, it could be there was an old socket there that has been extended from and the wiring butchered.

 

[Gazzer23]

It really doesn't look like it, unless it's an old cooker circuit.

But size is hard to judge from the photo - what's the approximate outside diameter of the cables?

i think they are 4mm singles like the rest of my ring main.

I think I have worked it out, which explains why there are 4 conduits going up to the ceiling which I thought was unusual.
A neighbour told me that the kitchen used to have 3 corner cupboards and i believe the first 3 conduits went to each of these cupboards, the 4th is the lighting.

Floorplan

• Gazzer23
• 25 Feb 2018

if you look at my plan again you will see TC1 just supplies K1B which is on the external kitchen wall to the right.
TC2 supplies the fridge K1G which is on internal kitchen wall to the left.
TC3 supplies K!F and K1A which are on the external kitchen wall again and I believe the wire is for this circuit.
I can see in the kitchen corner where K1B is a very badly plastered ceiling showing the plastic conduit sticking out for K1B but the corner point of where it disappears in the ceiling is in line with the new live cable I found.
They can be dropped and a new conduit for kitchen ring can be put in going down to the floorboards.

I will measure the cable tomorrow with some calibres and let you know.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

 

[Gazzer23]

View attachment 138640

Thanks for that, it is very useful to know.

I just measured it as 4.2mm diameter, so its a 4mm2 cable then.

 

[sparkwright]

I haven't seen or heard of anything actually good in your home yet electrically - complete rewire I take it?

 

[Gazzer23]

I haven't seen or heard of anything actually good in your home yet electrically - complete rewire I take it?

maybe not complete rewire as some parts are OK, but the Kitchen definitely needs to be redone for sure and made into a separate ring.

A friend of mine told me its best to replace my singles (with T&E) as they are multi-core and could be frayed thus reducing its current capacity but my singles are 4mm2 and I think they are most likely OK and better than T&E as have a higher current rating because are thicker.
It does put me off replacing 4mm2 with 2.5mm2 as it seems a bit of a downgrade although it does have an earth as well.

 

[EFLImpudence]

Replace it with 4mm² T&E, then you might not need a ring.

 

[John D v2.0]

as they are multi-core and could be frayed

As could any flex in your house, take it your friend isn't an electrician

 

[Gazzer23]

As could any flex in your house, take it your friend isn't an electrician

Correct.

 

[JohnW2]

A friend of mine told me its best to replace my singles (with T&E) as they are multi-core and could be frayed ....

I presume that when you say 'multi-core', you mean stranded. I'm not sure what your friend means by 'frayed' (perhaps he's talking about one or two of the strands being broken/cut at the ends?) but, for what it's worth, 4mm² T+E is also stranded, so not much different.

Kind Regards, John

 

[EFLImpudence]

... and it has an earth as well.

Although, there seems to be a bit of a logic bypass in the reasoning.

 

[Gazzer23]

I presume that when you say 'multi-core', you mean stranded. I'm not sure what your friend means by 'frayed' (perhaps he's talking about one or two of the strands being broken/cut at the ends?) but, for what it's worth, 4mm² T+E is also stranded, so not much different.

Kind Regards, John

Yes your right, sorry got my terminology totally wrong there. Stranded is what I meant.
He was saying for me to replace it with a single strand 2.5mm2 T&E.

Do you guys use flexible steel conduit at all ?
As I was thinking its a lot easier to put down especially for me with my arthritis playing up at the moment. I know I can't use it as an earth like you can with rigid conduit which is fine.
I am just curious if it is used or not and if it meets the regulations but I guess that depends on what flexible steel conduit you use.

I was looking at something like the following

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Cable-Armour-Conduit-Squarelock-304-Stainless-Steel-6mmID-/221265711419

 

[JohnW2]

Yes your right, sorry got my terminology totally wrong there. Stranded is what I meant. He was saying for me to replace it with a single strand 2.5mm2 T&E.

I'm not sure about his logic. As I said, I'm not really sure what he meant by 'frayed', but I even 'slightly frayed' 4mm² is probably 'better' than 2.5mm². If I were you, I would be hesitant to take much notice of his 'advice'.

Kind Regards, John

 

[John D v2.0]

Stranded is actually better than solid in most cases. The advantage of solid is it's cheaper .
Solid core is more likely to break and less flexible, also with several conductors in one terminal it's hard to clamp them all securely.

 

[333rocky333]

Measuring the outer diameter could mislead you, some imperial cable had thicker insulation, you may well have the imperial equivalent of 2.5