Training pic and question

[pcboffinuk]

Here's a freebie for anyone looking for a good training pic of a disaster area


This is the lightswitch in my father's bedroom, which I only bypassed last week with a temporary fix, prior to a full rewiring of the lights in a week or so.

One question I have though - what is the white substance, something to do with a reaction as the covering of the cable degrades?

Whatever, the sooner I get the place rewired and retire all the switches the happier I shall be

Gavin

 

[RF Lighting]

I really do hope that is not live.
If it is, switch it off right now, and do not switch it back on ever again.

I mean now, not in a weeks time when rewiring starts.

Not sure what the white stuff is. Could it just be plaster?

Don't forget to keep your camera handy for the rewire, as I am sure some more beautys will be uncovered

 

[sparky40]

Strange that the 'back -box ' seems to be a lot more up to date than the wiring, still at least you dont need side cutters to make ends off ! The cable needs sorting as you know, but the' cable-goo' that I encounter on a local estate is a sticky, toxic substance which can become green when the copper oxidises ?
Do us a pic of the C/U and i will be eternally grateful !

 

[pcboffinuk]

Strange that the 'back -box ' seems to be a lot more up to date than the wiring

Yes, they were wooden back boxes originally - My father updated them back in the 70s I think but couldn't face the wiring.

Mind you, he rewired the socket ring final circuit by following a DIY manual in the 60s, which saves me some work now as mostly that side is ok (except for the one piece of conduit left on the ring with original wiring I've just discovered

The cable needs sorting as you know, but the' cable-goo' that I encounter on a local estate is a sticky, toxic substance which can become green when the copper oxidises ?

Do us a pic of the C/U and i will be eternally grateful !

I've read of the green goo, but yet to experience it. I think this is some sort of deterioration of the cable cover. Needless to say I don't plan to reuse the switch, so its merely out of interest.

http://www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=55058&highlight= has some pics of the offending CU (it looks worse than it is actually - the CU is prolly the safest part of the installation.

Enjoy

Gavin

 

[Spark123]

Providing the cable is installed in conduit and hasn't been in contact with the air you'll probably find it is still in quite good condition. I ripped out a load of VIR last year which was installed in at a guess the 1950/60s. The ends were not in the best of states but the cable in the conduit was still in very good condition.

 

[pcboffinuk]

You're quite right Spark123,

It is in conduit, and where I've exposed the wiring from it the condition has been surprisingly good.

Thats why I'm spending some time preparing before I start disturbing the wires too much - I plan to run the lighting from a fused connection on the socket ring while I rip out all the switches and locate the switch drops.

Did you leave the conduit in place, or was it easy to rip out? I'm concerned that it will be plastered into the wall and therefore will have to be left in place. Its large enough for a single switch drop cable, but I may see if I can insert some plastic tube first to prevent chafing.

Gavin

 

[Spark123]

As it was in a commercial environment I left the conduit in place, I re-used some of the old conduit and just pulled in conduit singles, I also pulled an earth wire in, I had to drill and tap the old conduit boxes to connect the earths.

 

[DanTheMainsMAn]

http://img200.imageshack.us/my.php?image=picture005io6.jpg Left Hand DB

 

[fireman22]

dan what is that photo of, your work?

 

[Steve]

dan what is that photo of, your work?

dont know how it got here, it was meant to go in his megapost

 

[ban-all-sheds]

dan what is that photo of, your work?

Yup - that's the one - exposed conductor on one of the tails, no grommets, some undersized-looking conductors, a SWA core just flapping about, and apparently no paint removed where the earth cable on which the SWA cables are relying is bolted to the enclosure.

He's a registered Domestic Installer, he tells us.....