My Pen Is Still Cooling Down...

[securespark]

From writing all the advisory notices on this job today.

Went to swap a socket.

Down to the cellar...switch off the only 32A breaker. Back upstairs...Still on.

Down to the cellar...switch on the 32A. Switch off the only 16A breaker. Back upstairs...Still on.

Down to the cellar...switch on the 16A. Switch off one of the two 6A breakers. Back upstairs...Still on.

Down to the cellar...switch on the 6A. Switch off the other 6A breaker. Back upstairs...Still on.


Turns out the socket I was changing was fed by both the 32A breaker and the 16A breaker.

I thought it was a simple case of mixing up the tails between the ring final and an immersion heater.

But after continuity testing the tails in these breakers, there is no continuity. I surmised it must be a broken RF circuit.

Then I found no earthing in the lighting, rubber tails leaving a cast-iron cut-out that were almost naked ( ), gaping holes in the top of the CU, PEB's undersized and hanging out of the clamps, rubber cable everywhere, no RCD. And that was just from looking in the cellar!

The sad thing? They were told by the vendors (bought 9 years ago) that the house had just been rewired. At best it complies with the 13th Ed....

 

[Steve]

No, the sad thing is NO PHOTOS!!!!

 

[securespark]

Yeah, sorry, I left mine at home today by mistak.

 

[RF Lighting]

15 mins on the naughty step please Simon

 

[Steve]

lets hope he goes back to fix it!

 

[ban-all-sheds]

They were told by the vendors (bought 9 years ago) that the house had just been rewired.

Caveat emptor.

 

[securespark]

Indeed, but nevertheless a very mean trick.

Steve, sorry to disappoint, I'm not going back. They have another spark they're going to employ.

 

[earlkitchener]

I had one meaner than that! People had bought the house on the understanding the house had been rewired. When I started looking the tails in the skts/cu etc were recent pvc, but behind the boxes he had crimped to old v.rubber cables.
That house was sold by a Spark!!

 

[Spark123]

You can get corrupt [sparks] too

 

[seasickstevie]

You can get corrupt [sparks] too

No! Surely not

 

[conny]

[/quote]
I can totally believe this!
When we bought our first house in 1979 the guy had a socket hanging loose to show us it had been rewired. Must have thought i'd be a fool and just take his word for it,after all, I was only 23.
Called his bluff and asked him to drop another one off that I picked out.
Yep, two lengths of 2.5mm into the back of the socket and even had grommets in. Picked an upstairs light switch, 1.5mm t+e. Great I thought, theres one big job thats not needed.
Moved in and decided to add a few sockets in the bedrooms.

Tracing the cables under the floorboards and found they only went about 12" before being twisted to the old vr and taped up with insulation tape! (It was Red tape to be fair, )
Contacted the solicitor and was told, tough luck I should have had a thorough test and Inspection and there was nothing I could do about it except get it sorted at my expense!

BAR STEWARD!

 

[bernardgreen]

You can get corrupt [sparks] too

No! Surely not

Sadly yes you do... or rather cowboys who know how to make it look good for a PIR or a Home Information Pack inspection.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Probably the same bunch who are prepared to "sign off" work they didn't do.

 

[RMS]

I can totally believe this!
When we bought our first house in 1979 the guy had a socket hanging loose to show us it had been rewired. Must have thought i'd be a fool and just take his word for it,after all, I was only 23.
Called his bluff and asked him to drop another one off that I picked out.
Yep, two lengths of 2.5mm into the back of the socket and even had grommets in. Picked an upstairs light switch, 1.5mm t+e. Great I thought, theres one big job thats not needed.
Moved in and decided to add a few sockets in the bedrooms.

Tracing the cables under the floorboards and found they only went about 12" before being twisted to the old vr and taped up with insulation tape! (It was Red tape to be fair, )
Contacted the solicitor and was told, tough luck I should have had a thorough test and Inspection and there was nothing I could do about it except get it sorted at my expense!

BAR STEWARD!

Nasty!

I would have had the lid off the consumer unit.