Round Pin plugs

[alien2]

This evening while I was visiting my parents, their elderly next door neighbours came round and asked for help changing a fuse wire because he couldn't see it properly. Fine, I went round and changed it no problem. I said to him it would be far easier if he renewed his old CU for a modern one with push button breakers in, he said he would get a quote. Anyway, I was amazed to see in their living room (and presumably the rest of the house) that they still had round pin sockets on the walls with square pin adapters in! If they get their CU upgraded will they have to get the rest of the house wiring updated as well? Is the spark going to be able to sign off the job if the rest of the house wiring is so old? Obviously, if any of it is dangerous it has to be changed regardless of cost, but I don't want them to have any unnecessary work done.

Cheers in advance for any advice.

Andy

 

[the_jinj]

A rewire would be the best bet for safety reasons I reckon - assuming these are the old Type D(?) sockets the wiring will no doubt match.

 

[Adam_151]

Bearing in mind that round pin sockets are still used sometimes these days (usually for connecting table lamps to wall light switches)

Providing this isn't the case, and a south affician resident at some point hasn't swapped the BS1363 outlets out for them at one point in the past (would would be dodgy on a 30A circuit, btw), then it would certainly point to dated wireing (probably rubber) which will most likely be past its best and falling apart now.

You could take off the cu cover and post a picture here, I would however ask that you refrain from removing socket outlets or switches, etc, as this would cause wires to move and the insulation could crumble away

 

[plugwash]

there is nothing to prohibit use of round pin sockets but as the_jinj says they are probablly an indication that the installation is beyond its safe life.