Red & green twin (strange)

[securespark]

Sorry, the cables used in the 80s would of course have been metric. But the 14th went metric in 70 or 71.

 

[JohnW2]

I'm not so sure. I&S cables, both with and without CPC, were commonly used well into the 1980s.

Do you mean I&S singles? If so, I can't say I recall them being used anything like that late - but my experience is/was, of course, pretty limited.

Kind Regards, John

 

[securespark]

Yes, insulated and sheathed singles, with or without CPC.

I have found them in installations rewired up to circa 1985.

 

[securespark]

Nothing was particularly black and white about wiring methods then.

Apart from the lighting wiring I found in an old mill...

 

[sparkwright]

The sheathed and insulated single core with bare earth cable (6241Y) is still available to buy, grey sheath and available in harmonised brown or blue insulation.

They tend to use it oop north.

 

[JohnW2]

The sheathed and insulated single core with bare earth cable (6241Y) is still available to buy, grey sheath and available in harmonised brown or blue insulation. They tend to use it oop north.

Yes, I've noticed that it is still available, but I can't help but wonder when/why people would use it, rather than brown/blue or brown/brown T+E?

Kind Regards, John

 

[sparkwright]

Because oop north they liked to wire their lighting in the two plate manner I described in an earlier message.

You just don't see it done like that dann south, I don't know why.

Chances are if you DO see it dann south (and it's bloody rare) it's most likely been done by a norverner.

 

[sparkwright]

I have seen harmonised sheathed and insulated single core (without bare earth inside) used on council street lights running inside the column between the inspection panel and the luminaire.

 

[sparkwright]

I'm trying to think why the two plate wiring method as described earlier would be advantageous.

Probably because it saves an unnecessary loop of permanent live wires at the light position - they don't NEED to be there.

The old ceiling roses with the wooden pattresses wouldn't necessarily have a loop terminal, so if the loop-in ceiling rose wiring method was used, the permanent lives would often end up in a porcelain connector block in the ceiling void.

So wiring in single core sheathed cables would eliminate this problem. This method also eliminates the need for a neutral connector block at the switch too (again a potential problem with the lack of space using a round toggle switch and wooden pattress.

 

[JohnW2]

Because oop north they liked to wire their lighting in the two plate manner I described in an earlier message. ....

Sorry, I wasn't clear enough. Yes, I realise what you are saying (and what you explained before) but was (meant to be!) asking why they adopted that wiring method.

Maybe they didn't have a lot of AV equipment oop north -= or, at least, were not too fussy about the perfection of the sound it produced?

Edit: I've just noticed your subsequent post - yes, I suppose that the things you mention may have been the explanation. Of course, everything you suggest would have applied just as much down south as to oop north, so doesn't really explain 'regional preferences'

Kind Regards, John

 

[sparkwright]

No, it doesn't explain the regional preferences.

I wonder where the bulk of UK electrical cable was made in the 20th century? At a guess, the midlands and the north?? Could there be a link?