Damaged cables

[Gees]

My darling Daughter is having problems with mice in her nice new ( old ) house that she has just bought. The HIP stated that the place was ok as far as the electrics where concerned but one of the RCD kept tripping. She has had a freind to have a look and apparently there are several cables with what looks like "nibble" damage. Can we just replace the damaged cables even though they end up in the consumer unit?

 

[flameport]

You can replace them, provided you replace them with the same type.

However just replacing won't solve the problem - you either need to get rid of the mice (which could be impossible), or have the cables protected in some way, or replace with cables which can't be chewed.

 

[londonboy]

I imagine that ali-tube cable would be good in a situation like this.

 

[plugwash]

Technically you are allowed to replace damaged cable for a single circuit only without notifying though afaict there is nothing preventing you from replacing cable for a single circuit only as one job and then for another single circuit as a seperate job. There doesn't appear to be any stipulation that the replacement cable has to be the same type.

I'd suggest running any new cables in high impact PVC conduit. It should be tough enough to stop the mice and it will be much easier to work with than either metal conduit or special cable types.

 

[wingcoax]

Also, if cable running in crawl space, make sure it is not on ground to move out of feach of mice.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Yeah, 'cos they is useless at climbing....

 

[electronicsuk]

I imagine that ali-tube cable would be good in a situation like this.

Hmm... I think it would still be pretty chewable, the only benefit (if you can call it that) being that it might help prevent the mice getting a nasty shock!

 

[Johnmelad502]

The only really foolproof way is to enclose the cable in a steel or similar conduit.

Or invest in a good cat.

 

[Monkeh]

Or invest in a good cat.

Flaw in that plan is that the cat might like chewing stuff too.

 

[holmslaw]

..

 

[Johnmelad502]

FFS, you get rid of the mice, then deal with the damage.

FFS, there are times (where you live) that getting rid of the mice/rats/squirrels is absolutely impossible.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Or invest in a good cat.

They don't like being kept under the floor.

 

[holmslaw]

..

 

[Gees]

Could the cables be run inside say poly water pipe or suchlike provided the current in the cables will not be too high? It would take the little Bu****s ages to chew though that? And provided the cables are replaced "one at a time" we could replace it all? After all it would be very hard to replace 2 lengths of cabe at the "same" time !!

 

[holmslaw]

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