Is this wiring safe?

[ilikewatchingtv]

Hi all,

whilst pulling my kitchen apart trying to find a frozen pipe I discovered the wiring in the attached photo. A couple of things bothered me about this and I wanted to know:

Is it acceptable to have wiring joined with the porcelein cap things shown in the photo? - I've never seen these before, but am only a youngster, so they probably pre-date me.

Is it acceptable to have wiring joined in this manner so close to the copper pipe below?

Is it acceptable to have a black and red wire joined together as in the top left of the picture - everything work ok and theres no sparks, so I presume that these aren't line and neutral?

Thanks for any help!

EDIT: I don't know if makes any difference, but I beleive that this joint splits the wiring to feed my outbuildings/outside WC.

Untitled

• ilikewatchingtv
• 28 Dec 2010
• 1

 

[tonyelectric]

The porcelain caps are called screwits, they were very popular until the early 80s but have now been relaunched in a plastic version they are not really the major problem here.

The thing that makes this bad is that the joint is done without an enclosure, the entire joint should be enclosed within a plastic or earthed metal enclosure. The fact it is close to a pipe just makes the possibility of a short to earth greater, and if a gas pipe something of an explosion risk.

My advice would be to either replace this joint with a suitable plastic junction box and at the same time sleeve the earths with green/yellow sleeving.

Good luck

 

[ilikewatchingtv]

The porcelain caps are called screwits, they were very popular until the early 80s but have now been relaunched in a plastic version they are not really the major problem here.

The thing that makes this bad is that the joint is done without an enclosure, the entire joint should be enclosed within a plastic or earthed metal enclosure. The fact it is close to a pipe just makes the possibility of a short to earth greater, and if a gas pipe something of an explosion risk.

My advice would be to either replace this joint with a suitable plastic junction box and at the same time sleeve the earths with green/yellow sleeving.

Good luck

Thanks for the quick response, - I don't have room to fit a standard junction box in the space, would it be acceptable to use a boxed choc block instead? Also, any idea why the red and black wires would be terminated together?

 

[tonyelectric]

indeed, choc block in a "choc-box" is fine or 3 new plastic screwits. The reason they are joined together is because its a lighting connection, there will be a red in, red out to next light and red to switch (all joined), then a black in and black to light (joned) and a black from switch to a red to light (joined), the earths should be joined too but I see only 3 screwits.

 

[tonyelectric]

edit: you need 4 choc block ways or twisters because you need to join the earths,

 

[Chri5]

As an alternative push fit or lever 3 pole Wago connectors might help if space is tight.

http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Main_Index/Boxes_and_Enclosures_Index/Wago/index.html

An the put the cables and connectors inside one of these

Everything already mentioned is correct, I'm just suggesting another way which if space is tight works well.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

whilst pulling my kitchen apart trying to find a frozen pipe I discovered...

So it's hardly what you'd call accessible for inspection and testing.

Replace it with a cable which isn't joined and/or move the joint to somewhere accessible.

 

[sparkwright]

If you had a fixed kitchen unit in front of this you may be able to do the joint in here.

It appears you have some slack on these cables.

If this is possible, you can do the joint in a white 25 mm deep single pattress (box) with a single blank plate over it.

Wire in the wires as they are, they are like this for a reason. All earth wires should be joined together, sleeved with green and yellow sleeving. Use some new 5 amp connector blocks. Be aware that cheap ones can split when you tighten them, so watch out for that.

If the back of the cupboard is flimsy hardboard, fit some wood behind it to fit the box.

That wiring is probably 40+ years old. Assuming it is live. You may want to get the whole installation checked over for defects.