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- 12 Jan 2006
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Advice needed.
Let me first say I have no intention of repairing this myself but need expert and independent advice.
Due to water leak from flat above water got inside cable conduit inside the wall on the run from ceiling down to switch. Existing cable is very old and did not take much for water to penetrate insulation. Cable got hot and turned to charcoal nearly went up in flames!! Existing light circuit does not have earth wire at all! hence fuse did not trip. Bottom line is this needs replacing. Problem is this:
During inspection electrician told me that my flat has 2 light circuits and both need replacing as they do not have earth + plus cable is old, and he would not be happy to issue completion elec safety cert. to do one circuit only. Insurance company would only pay for one damaged circuit. (it is unclear if other circuit is damaged) It is in my interest to get all this covered by insurance. I basicaly can't afford this extra work now, just had baby etc...
The rest of circuits have earth and it's all fine.
Q1. under current regulations can only one light circuit be fitted with earth as I was told entire instalation needs to be tested and lights would not pass?
Q2. Electrician told me existing installation was fine at the time but as repair needs doing to it all needs to be done under new regs and for this each light point and switch must have earth. IS this correct
Any advice please
thanks for help
Let me first say I have no intention of repairing this myself but need expert and independent advice.
Due to water leak from flat above water got inside cable conduit inside the wall on the run from ceiling down to switch. Existing cable is very old and did not take much for water to penetrate insulation. Cable got hot and turned to charcoal nearly went up in flames!! Existing light circuit does not have earth wire at all! hence fuse did not trip. Bottom line is this needs replacing. Problem is this:
During inspection electrician told me that my flat has 2 light circuits and both need replacing as they do not have earth + plus cable is old, and he would not be happy to issue completion elec safety cert. to do one circuit only. Insurance company would only pay for one damaged circuit. (it is unclear if other circuit is damaged) It is in my interest to get all this covered by insurance. I basicaly can't afford this extra work now, just had baby etc...
The rest of circuits have earth and it's all fine.
Q1. under current regulations can only one light circuit be fitted with earth as I was told entire instalation needs to be tested and lights would not pass?
Q2. Electrician told me existing installation was fine at the time but as repair needs doing to it all needs to be done under new regs and for this each light point and switch must have earth. IS this correct
Any advice please
thanks for help