Rewire or not?

[GuitarmanU2]

Hi All,

I'm all googled out trying to find an answer, and getting quite a bit of conflicting info, so was wondering if someone could help please.

We have a detached 2 bed bungalow built 1969.
We've lived 31 years here. And had a consumer box fitted then, which I know will need replacing now, and plan to have this done ASAP.
We have over the years had a few sockets fitted here and there dating back to 31 years ago and 10 years ago.
Majority of wiring is 57 years old, and lighting has no earth, which I believe was common in the 1960's.

We dont know if we need a full rewire or not. I hear some saying wiring can last many more years.
Wife and I in late 60's a time in life when you start thinking maybe the wiring will be good for the remaining years of our life
The upheaval of a full rewire scares us a lot, but then the consequences of potentially dangerous wiring does too
Important to know its the pvc wiring and we have no problems with wiring whatsoever, never any electrical faults

Any ideas please on how I must tackle this please
Thanks

 

[pete01]

Get a condition report done and see what they say.

Pvc wiring should last a good few years more yet and no earth in the lighting is no problem as long as all the lights and switches are plastic.

 

[Murdochcat]

How long do you anticipate living in the home?
Do you realise how much upheaval a full rewire will be?

Regarding the lighting circuit not having an earth - this is something I would recommend you getting rewired.

 

[pete01]

Om sure this helps 2 opposite opinions

 

[pete01]

Regarding the lighting circuit not having an earth - this is something I would recommend you getting rewired

Can't argue with that, improvement recommended C3.

 

[GuitarmanU2]

How long do you anticipate living in the home?
Do you realise how much upheaval a full rewire will be?

Regarding the lighting circuit not having an earth - this is something I would recommend you getting rewired.

Till we snuff it, fully aware of the upheaval of a rewire

 

[ericmark]

As @pete01 says, but dates don't match, 1966 the rules changed, so built 1969 there should have been earths to the lights, even before 1966 wall lights and fluorescent lights needed an earth.

The rubber type of cable if used will want renewing, and I have not seen PVC without an earth, the problem I found with parents house 1954 build, was there was too much earth leakage for the RCDs to stay in. So even with an all RCBO consumer unit, (RCBO = MCB + RCD combined) you may find the RCD trips far too often.

Also it was common to have just one lighting circuit, but in the 80s people started fitting down lights which used a silly amount of electric, so the lighting was split into two circuits, this often resulted in a borrowed neutral, which would work OK until RCD protection is added.

I did not change my own consumer unit, but since I am an electrician, I agreed it was changed without doing an EICR first (electrical installation condition report) I was happy to fix any faults after, what ever the price. But you need to accept the risk, it may go without a hitch, and it may highlight loads, so needs rewiring anyway.

In theory a tool like this will find the faults, in practice faults can be missed. In my house, 14 circuits, all with their own RCBO, so if one fails, there is a work around, my only house with only 4 circuits, it would have caused problems.

Much depends on access, parents house with floor boards, not too bad, this house with flooring panels, it would need the ceiling to have access holes put in it.

But step one, confirm type of cable used, rubber or PVC, as 1966 was when the 14th edition came out, requiring earths to lights.

 

[ebee]

The main thing is - is it satisfactory for continued us
A consumer unit could be renewed and fitted with RCBOs and possibly an OPD this might considerably raise safety in you situation if evevery thing else is reasonable.

Any defects could be co.rrected if minor and perhaps minimal upheaval.

Conversely a complete rewire will cost a lot more but could be the most prudent course of action.
There is certainly some upheaval with a full rewire and almost certainly some redecorating need afterwards.

I did once completely rewire a house for an elderely lady with extremely little upheaval but that was by using a lot of surface trunking and surface sockets and switches.

Not the most elegant of solutions but safe and practical and lasted her remaining years out.

I even used it in my annual assesment with a Part P scheme provider.

 

[GuitarmanU2]

I did not change my own consumer unit, but since I am an electrician, I agreed it was changed without doing an EICR first (electrical installation condition report) I was happy to fix

But step one, confirm type of cable used, rubber or PVC, as 1966 was when the 14th edition came out, requiring earths to lights.

Thanks for the info, the wiring is pvc for sure, and some recently added lighting such as security lights do have earth and recently added wall lights have earth the other internal light switches show no earth when I take switch plate off

 

[GuitarmanU2]

The main thing is - is it satisfactory for continued us
A consumer unit could be renewed and fitted with RCBOs and possibly an OPD this might considerably raise safety in you situation if evevery thing else is reasonable.

Any defects could be co.rrected if minor and perhaps minimal upheaval.

Conversely a complete rewire will cost a lot more but could be the most prudent course of action.
There is certainly some upheaval with a full rewire and almost certainly some redecorating need afterwards.

I did once completely rewire a house for an elderely lady with extremely little upheaval but that was by using a lot of surface trunking and surface sockets and switches.

Not the most elegant of solutions but safe and practical and lasted her remaining years out.

I even used it in my annual assesment with a Part P scheme provider.

Thanks, i think its the chasing out of walls which scares us the most I've seen those angle grinders in use outdoors and I don't like the dust outdoors, god knows what thats like indoors, however i see there's that magic tool called a Matebo, which has dust vacum, looks impressive, and if having a rewire i would chose an electrician who uses that

 

[GuitarmanU2]

Om sure this helps 2 opposite opinions

 

[GuitarmanU2]

exactly

 

[Murdochcat]

Thanks for the info, the wiring is pvc for sure, and some recently added lighting such as security lights do have earth and recently added wall lights have earth the other internal light switches show no earth when I take switch plate off

look at the lights. I’ve seen so many installations where the CPC goes from light to light BUT not to the switches

I’d say have a decent EICR done and suggest you might want a new CU - then see what the report says

 

[ericmark]

Many council houses near where I lived were wired with metal conduit which took the earth to the light switches.

I would say, select an electrician and ask him to give the house a quick look at and advise. Pick an old one, who uses common sense and does not just quote from wiring regulations.

 

[GuitarmanU2]

Thanks too Mudo and Eric, that sounds like a good plan to me, I've now got a qualified electrician calling on Wednesday, if i do have metal conduit, then I guess thats a big win a for the earth b for the no chasing needed