Old electrics with no earth? with/PIC
- Thread starter Multiplex
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B
breezer
The funny cable you can see feeding the socket is "pyro"
in plain english i a solid copper cable*, that uses the outer sheath for earth, but there is nothing connected to the outer sheath, the insulation for the cores is not marked, .......yahdy yahdy yah
the question is if just one socket is like this, what is the rest like. Pyro itself lasts a lifetime, but in this example its not right, best get a PIR done, or just go ahead and get a complete rewire
Yes i know, but i did say plain english
in plain english i a solid copper cable*, that uses the outer sheath for earth, but there is nothing connected to the outer sheath, the insulation for the cores is not marked, .......yahdy yahdy yah
the question is if just one socket is like this, what is the rest like. Pyro itself lasts a lifetime, but in this example its not right, best get a PIR done, or just go ahead and get a complete rewire
Yes i know, but i did say plain english
Here's another socket if it helps:
My friend has bought this old property as an investment to let to students and asked me to take a look at it. He's been advised for a total rewire. Currently the wires just round around the house clipped to the top of the skirting.
Simon.
My friend has bought this old property as an investment to let to students and asked me to take a look at it. He's been advised for a total rewire. Currently the wires just round around the house clipped to the top of the skirting.
Simon.
B
breezer
again no earth (yes there is a wire connecting the socket to the back box, but that's all)
Also as the picture you have added has 2 pyros, it would imply sockets are on a radial.
a rewire would be best
Also as the picture you have added has 2 pyros, it would imply sockets are on a radial.
a rewire would be best
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Pyro is an expensive method, and there is a way of using this copper-covered cable safely, by terminating it in metal boxes with a special gland. It looks to me as if the white plastic boxes are quite new, I wonder if someone "renovated" the flat and took the origanal fittings off, thus loosing the proper earthing?
Or maybe found a coil of pyro in a skip?
Or maybe found a coil of pyro in a skip?
B
breezer
would have been a lot of effort to cut it off
try and find a sparky thats happy to work with pyro (some hate the stuff) and if the pyro tests out ok (e.g. damp hasn't got in) then i'd be inclined to keep it both because that would reduce disruption and because pyro is liable to last longer than PVC T&E ever will
any points that are like that will need reterminating to metal boxes.
any points that are like that will need reterminating to metal boxes.
B
breezer
have you ever tried re terminating a pyro?
Does he need a rewire?
Yes he does. The existing is very unsafe, no knowing what other calamities the last person perpetrated, they obviously had no idea.
As it's surface-clipped it will be easier to put in new than try to repair the old (and those old cables have probably absorbed moisture).
Yes he does. The existing is very unsafe, no knowing what other calamities the last person perpetrated, they obviously had no idea.
As it's surface-clipped it will be easier to put in new than try to repair the old (and those old cables have probably absorbed moisture).
B
breezer
JohnD said:
pyro cant once it has "pots" as the picture shows it does
Its retro fit I think - some DIYer has changed the sockets at some time from the correctly done originals.
There are no glands used in the pics - to terminate to a standard metal box with 20mm knockouts, glands would be needed, and to put these on, you would need to remove the pot, put the gland on, and then re-pot. Time consuming.
They do some boxes with 'pot' clamps, these clamp over the pot to provide the earth continuity.
Point of notice - DANGEROUS. Your pots to not look like they earth from one cable to the next. This means only the first (if even that one) is earthed - the rest will be unearthed, and could therefore be at mains potential, or near to it if any of the pots have been done badly.
There are no glands used in the pics - to terminate to a standard metal box with 20mm knockouts, glands would be needed, and to put these on, you would need to remove the pot, put the gland on, and then re-pot. Time consuming.
They do some boxes with 'pot' clamps, these clamp over the pot to provide the earth continuity.
Point of notice - DANGEROUS. Your pots to not look like they earth from one cable to the next. This means only the first (if even that one) is earthed - the rest will be unearthed, and could therefore be at mains potential, or near to it if any of the pots have been done badly.
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