Rip out wiring and start again?

[chicken65]

I've recently moved into the house and I'm planning to install a Heatmiser PRTHW-W plus suitable relay to give replace an existing Danfloss 102E5 timer and provide me with a room thermostat (none currently fitted). This is on a Y plan system. The existing 'wiring centre' is as below:

A few things are giving me cause to consider rewiring or replacing it entirely and starting from scratch, namely:
1. No clamps on the flex
2. Access partly obstructed by condensate drain
3. Numbering non-standard (as far as my limited knowledge goes)

Here you can see it in-situ, together with the incoming mains and the connection of the three port valve via a 4-pin socket:

Should I just start again? Is there anything particularly wrong with the existing setup? Opinions welcome!

 

[OwainDIYer]

That's quite neat for central heating wiring.

Of more concern is that you appear to have 6 cables/flexes but only 4 earth wires.

Every cable/flex should have an earth wire and that must be coloured or sleeved green/yellow and used for no other purpose but earth.

It's possible on some of those cables that the 'earth' wire has been borrowed for use as a switched live, which is unsafe and should be made good, installing new cables if necessary.

 

[chicken65]

That's quite neat for central heating wiring.

Of more concern is that you appear to have 6 cables/flexes but only 4 earth wires.

Every cable/flex should have an earth wire and that must be coloured or sleeved green/yellow and used for no other purpose but earth.

It's possible on some of those cables that the 'earth' wire has been borrowed for use as a switched live, which is unsafe and should be made good, installing new cables if necessary.

Earth appears to have been removed/chopped rather than terminated in one run of T&E to the timer and there is no earth in the flex from the mid position valve, just the four conductors for control.

But it appears my starting position is not as horrendous as I feared! Many thanks.

 

[Galoka]

Yeah what you complaining about all mine was stuffed into two pattress boxes, behind an FCU and a flex outlet, choc blocks a go-go

I wouldn't necessarily rip out all the wiring, but I would certainly use the opportunity to check it and replace any as necessary and rewire into a new wiring centre.

I like the Drayton LWC1 wiring centre, individual terminals for all the separate components, with wiring links between them, separate incoming mains, neutral and earth terminals, labels for the cables, cable clamps, keeps it all neat and tidy, easy to wire up and to troubleshoot.



http://www.draytoncontrols.co.uk/LWC1WiringCentres.aspx

Shop around though, I've seen it for silly prices (>£20) in some places.

 

[DP]

Nothing wrong with the wiring. Wish more were done like this. Can see what wire/ component goes where.

 

[Dan Robinson]

Indeed - that wiring centre is hogs heaven compared to most abortions I open up.

 

[HERTS P&D]

Good use of PTFE tape on the 3 port valve!

Andy

 

[Agile]

I also agree that it would probably rate as about 7/10 for the wiring that we often see.

About the worst is a blank box, or two, stuffed full of single choc block connectors! They would be 1/10.

What I see as potentially more annoying would be the motor valve actuator stuffed behind part of the boiler case.

Many would say the boiler installer should have tidied up the installation when the new boiler was installed. But that would have added about £100 for the wiring and another £75 for relocating the motor valve!

When owners look for the cheapest its just someone who bungs in the new boiler with the minimum amount of work!

Tony