Damaged Cable

[Navy]

Hello All,

I would appreciate some advice.

My MCB ( sockets ) tripped. I reset it and it tripped again after 10 mims. Then it started tripped straight away. The MCB controls the sockets in my kitchen.

I called a electrician who told me in two minutes that the entire kitchen would need rewiring. To do this he would run the new cable around the top of the wall and down to each socket in trunking.

I personally thought that he wasn't really to find the fault. He then removed one red wire from the top of the MCB and said that at least one socket was now working. It too tripped after he had gone.

Anyway. I disconnected all the sockets in the kitchen. I then connected the first socket (A) ring main from the fuse board. It did not trip. Then the second socket (B) that too did not trip. The third socket ( C ) did trip the MCB. I checked for continuity between (B) and (C) socket and found neutral was o.k but live and earth was missing.

I think my neighbour may have drilled through the party wall as he was putting up shelving on the weekend when this all started.

Anyway. I did not connect the wire between socket (B) and (C) and all everything works fine. The damaged wire would of gone to socket ( D) which powers microwave and toaster and seems to go to another socket which powers the dryer and electric oven.

I am happy to have everything working again ( including boiler and fridge ) I am reluctant to cut into the wall to change the damaged cable as it seems to run behind all my kitchen units which would mean taking the lot out.
I will of course do this if the circuit is now compromised.

Sorry if I am not too clear.

Thanks for any advice
Navy

 

[BigJon]

Although everything now works, it sounds although you have split the ring main in to 2 radials now.
If replacing the damaged loop is not an option, to make it safe you will need to change your MCB to a 20A in order to protect the 2 x 2.5 "radials", i'm presuming its a 32 thats in it just now?
This however may trip if you've got several appliances on the go.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I will of course do this if the circuit is now compromised.

It is compromised.

It's now 2 radials instead of a ring.

It contains a damaged section which if ever gets reconnected in the future will be a hazard to people in the house and possibly to next door (how deep did your neighbour drill, FHS?).

And as it's been overloaded several times it may have suffered overheating damage somewhere else.

I think my neighbour may have drilled through the party wall as he was putting up shelving on the weekend when this all started.

If you think that might be the case you need to be prepared to take photographs of the damage as it's uncovered, because your neighbour should be the one to pay for sorting it out, and he might need some encouragement.

Unless of course for some reason your cables were less than 50mm from the surface on his side, and not in an acceptable zone...

 

[Navy]

Thanks to both of you for replying.

It is a 32 amp MCB and I think I will probably change this to 20 amp as suggested.

I am reluctant to pursue my neighbours as they are both quite old. I am not sure if they themselves was responsible for the drilling or if they had a contractor in.

I think the party wall is double brick thick about 8 inches. They have a kitchen on the opposite side of mine and wall sockets just above worktop height. Cant really say more than that.

I snipped the ends off the positive and neutral and attached a lable which said ' faulty no earth/live' at both ends of the cable. My father said I'll probably forget it's faulty.

If I can leave it that way with the 20A MCB then I'll try it.

Thanks again for all your advice.

Navy

 

[RF Lighting]

I really don't like the sounds of that.

It really would be much easier to repair the damaged cable, and live with the peice of mind that the wiring is done right.

Snipping bits here and there and little lables and different sized breakers to avoid repairing / replacing a cable just seems wrong to me.

 

[sealeon]

can you maybe change the two sockets to surface mounted and replace the damaged cable in pvc trunking and join them back to make the ring circuit some kitchen cupboards have space between the wall and back of cupboard not a good idea to snip cable better maybe to have put them in connectors or better crimp and tape maybe?
If the electrician suggested a complete kitchen rewire in trunking then it sounds to me he wasnt really looking for the fault as the chances are it would of only needed one cable replaced and at most one length of trunking does that make sense anyone.Think he was on the make there

 

[mattylad]

maybe it might be an idea to get another electrician in?

 

[ricicle]

I agree - find another electrician who is competant in fault finding and will not try and rip you off by telling you that the whole kitchen needs rewiring just because he might be short of work????