Lead Sheath 'Twin and Earth'

[Iggifer]

Doing an extension today, and under the existing floor, found some lead sheathed cable, with LNE arranged the same as T+E

HTH would you work with that stuff? Wikipedia is a bit sparse on information. Doesn't seem like it was in service for very long though.

Until I touched it, I thought it was 10mm² T+E - was a bit disappointed, won't be going in the tat pile!

 

[sparkwright]

Seen lots of lead sheathed cable - re-wired a stately home which was completely wired with it before I pulled it all out.

Didn't seem to catch on, did it?

I think it was used into the 1950s, but not certain.

Never seen any with PVC insulation inside - always crumbly rubber.

 

[securespark]

No, it always did have rubber insulation, AFAICT.

But in most lead-sheathed cable, the sheath was always used as the cpc, there were only 2 wires inside.

What Igg is describing is a three-conductor lead-sheathed cable.

I guess it was wired up as the old stuff: with clamps on the end connected to a solid copper cpc.

Lead-sheathed cable is around 80 years old max.

I'd estimate 1930's to 1950's.

 

[Iggifer]

Yea, I think it was rubber insulated, I thought the bit I cut off was in my toolbag but apparently not.

And yes, it was L+N insulated with a bare cpc in-between. Stranded line conductors because that makes all the difference in flexibility when it's sheathed in lead!! I can't imagine even having to try and strip enough back to connect to a socket, never mind into a fuse board

 

[333rocky333]

Care should be taken handling it too.

I stripped some old stuff that i removed years ago and it was quite easy really, sort of peeled back like a banana, though the inner sheath was still like new so I suppose that helped

http://www.hse.gov.uk/lead/

 

[Taylortwocities]

I just knew this pic would come in handy one day…

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Until I touched it, I thought it was 10mm² T+E - was a bit disappointed, won't be going in the tat pile!

You might find that the value of the lead is enough to assuage your disappointment....

 

[sparkwright]

If they made lead (or a safer metal equivalent) sheathed cable (with PVC insulated cores), I imagine this could have many advantages.

Perhaps good for garages and ouside work.

Easier to use than MI cable.

Surprised they don't still make something like lead sheathed cable.

 

[Iggifer]

Until I touched it, I thought it was 10mm² T+E - was a bit disappointed, won't be going in the tat pile!

You might find that the value of the lead is enough to assuage your disappointment....

Less than standard pvc cable/kg. If it turns up, it may as well just go in the rest of the pile. It wasn't anywhere near enough to weigh in on it's own. Doing next door next week though (double extension/same building) will have to keep my eyes peeled.

 

[Spark123]

Easier to use than MI cable.

.

I can't see it having as good a fire rating as MI

 

[PBC_1966]

Surprised they don't still make something like lead sheathed cable.

Given the paranoia surrounding lead these days, they'd probably either be wary of trying or the result would be too expensive due to some "environmental tax" which would be placed on it.

 

[bernardgreen]

Sometime in the 1950's or 60's the Austrian PTT ( telephone company ) had problem with rats eating plastic cables in the ducts under street in Vienna ( and maybe other towns ). As a short term "fix" they reverted to using lead sheathed, paper insulated cables which the rats did not damage other than a few teeth marks. I cannot reacll if they developed rat resistant plastic cables or dealt with the massive rat population.

Lead sheathed is also resistant to hydrocarbons and can be found ( and may still be installed ) in petro-chemical plants

 

[Echo the husky]

The lead T+E was developed after the manufacturers realised that clamping the lead sheath resulted in poor earth connections a few years down the line as the lead would creep under the screw down sheath clamps. Was in a pub yesterday with remains of both lead twin and lead T+E. I imagine a full reel of the stuff would not be fun to carry around. I did find a wooden cable reel in the loft of another pub but can't remember if it was for lead or rubber, dated 1938.

 

[securespark]

Easier to use than MI cable.

.

I can't see it having as good a fire rating as MI

 

[333rocky333]

I just knew this pic would come in handy one day…

View attachment 97755

TTC did you take the pic.
To think some 40 years later that bloke who made the choc box become a millionaaire