Pics of my electricty supply/cu - comments/advic please

[NewOrder]

Just wanted some comments and advice regarding this 1980 installation. I am concerned that the earth looks a bit weak, I have no idea what sort of installation I have but it looks like it could be 3 phase?

The earth point looks a bit weak here, but I have no idea.

Finally is the most stupid place for a light ever? All the downstairs lighting circuit appears to be wired into this!

 

[GaryMo]

Single phase and TN-S by the looks of it.

 

[securespark]

Not 3P, but single phase. You have two DI cables leaving the cutout for the meter (labelled "single phase" too!), then a pair going out to your CU.

The main earth looks like it comes from the bottom of the cutout, but the cabling in looks like TN-S. Have you a Ze reading?

The cable from the cut out loks quite fat - 10mm², while the others look like 6 & 4mm². The one going vertically looks fatter than the other two, but thinner than the one from the cut-out - or is that an optical illusion?

Either way, they're all NTCS. However, unless your Ze is high, the DNO will not upgrade their earthing provision.

That twin & earth cable in the lower piccy - is it rubber? Difficult to tell, but the bits that aren't painted look black, not grey.

EDIT: Bah!!

 

[333rocky333]

That may be the first light on the downstairs circuit

There will be supply in, supply out to the next light, and one to the switch

Hence, 3 cables that is normal

 

[Calder]

Hi Joy division,

from the photos you have posted, the earth looks strong to me (at the MET) - but in reality whether it looks strong or weak is immaterial. If you have concerns about you electrics, then get in a proffesional to do some test readings - he or she will be ableto tell you if you have anyting to worry about. It would be good to see if the earth cable is actually going into your fuse box though - it's not really clear from the photos. if it appeares not to be, then you may have cause for concern.

It's certainly not up to 17th standards, but that does not necessarily mean that it is wrong or dangerous.

Finally (from me), your light seems to be connected in a fairly straight forward loop in method to the fitting(as far as we can tell from the photos) nothing to worry about - just make sure the lamp isn't heating up the wall!

It single phase, not 3 phase.

 

[NewOrder]

It is a very late 14th edition install, so no RCDs etc but I do check appliences often to make sure they are earthed properly etc.

Some of the tail wires are indeed thicker than others, some are 10mm and the other 6mm, is this a problem?

I am sure the CU must be earthed as a couple of other people have worked on it since 1980 so they would have noticed if that was wrong and my socket testers indicate they are earthed although that is probably a very poor test.

Securepark what pic? the light one? They are all PCV, not sure about the one coming out of the cutout, I would not dare touch them in case the insulation falls apart in my hand.

 

[GaryMo]

He's talking about the cable in the last picture heading towards the floor by the MET.

 

[NewOrder]

I've only just noticed that it certainly dosn't look PCV, I have found traces of rubber cable too in the house hidden behind a false ceiling. What function does not cable have does anybody have any ideas? I thought the main supply was contained in that huge metal pipe coming through the floor.

 

[GaryMo]

Is it rubber twin and earth (flat) or SWA (round)? It's hard to tell from that picture.
Have you got a supply going to a shed or garage?

 

[NewOrder]

It could be a cooker circuit, it was fitted some time in the 70's and when the house was rewired in 1980 the spark said it was fine and didn't need rewiring. The cooker was replaced with a gas cooker and my uncle lowered the fuse rating and converted the circuit to run a double docket which is now used for the washing machine etc.

There is no out side circuits, just a light in the internal shed, but that is just wired in PVC from the downstairs lighting circuit.

 

[securespark]

Unless the spark was a dinosaur, even in the 70's, it should have been PVC, not rubber...

IME, I have not seen rubber in houses built 1968 on.

 

[NewOrder]

It is quite strange then, there was a lot of ceiling circuits etc when my parents first moved in, all these were disconnected, so I suppose the cable could just be some kind of remaining, there is loads of rubber cable in the house, but its all dead and mostly removed (and yep we got a spark in to test for dead before we removed it!).

The house was built in 1906 and it did have a electricity from the day it was built, but only as a light circuit. We still have an old 3 pin socket in the dining room although that was apparantly disconnected in the 1960's . The previous installation was rubber which was why we had to have it rewired, it was also one of them double pole fuse system.

 

[NewOrder]

The light btw is actually on a door frame, you can see the coats hung up on the door behind just about. This is a very obvious fire hazzard, the original fitting got knocked off so I fitted a new one in its place and used a 40w golf ball insted of a size 60w one. We just have to be careful to only use the light for a few minutes and that the door dosn't get shut behind, if it did the coats will catch fire .

Glad it sounds like the rest of it is ok for now, I realise nobody can be sure but at least I hadn't had comments like its all wired up wrong although I have not seen the inside of the CU and I am not opening it .

 

[Taylortwocities]

The light btw is actually on a door frame, you can see the coats hung up on the door behind just about. This is a very obvious fire hazzard, the original fitting got knocked off so I fitted a new one in its place and used a 40w golf ball insted of a size 60w one. We just have to be careful to only use the light for a few minutes and that the door dosn't get shut behind, if it did the coats will catch fire ]

Suggest you change that light bulb for a low energy one. They do not get very hot - and think how green it will make you feel"

 

[JohnD]

I can't see what that rectangular box is for, under the digital meter. Presumably redundant now?