Trying to understand my wiring.

[mfarrow]

Does he have to do this? I'm fairly sure he said that with no metal light fittings he could legally leave it completely alone.

Nothing wrong with having or installing class 2 circuits, it's just a different method of protection against electric shock. Just make sure he changed all the switch screws for nylon ones and puts a warning on the consumer unit for the non-electrician.

 

[JohnW2]

Even so, I'm really not convinced that a fire caused by a live neutral fault with no earth leakage is really that likely.

It probably isn't, but how high a risk/probability are you prepared to live with? An L-N fault (without earth involvement/leakage) is probably more likely than you think, since the exposed insulation within accessories (switches, sockets etc.) is probably the most likely to deteriorate, and L & N may be in close proximity, without a nearby earthed conductor, in such situations.

Also, you have probably markedly increased the risks by your inspection. Old rubber-insulated cable is at its 'safest' when totally undisturbed. 'Testing' it to see if it is still flexible (as you've done) is about the worst possible thing for it, and carries a risk of resulting in a problem in the fairly near future.

Having said all that, unless someone comes up with a decent case for keeping it, I'm 99.9 per cent certain to replace the rubber stuff, just so I never have to think about it again.

That's certainly the best way to make sure you sleep well - and I'm sure is what the great majority of those here would advise.

Kind Regards, John.

 

[RF Lighting]

I certainly wouldn't be happy reconnecting rubber wiring. It was ready for replacing 20 years ago.

 

[SUNRAY]

ironically I posted this earlier this evening in another thread

The house I was raised in was built in 1951 there were 5 radials with a 15A socket in: 3 bedrooms, dining room & lounge. 5A socket in the lounge on the upstairs lighting circuit and 5A socket in the kitchen on the downstairs lighting circuit. This sort of installation was, I believe, fairly normal in the era.

This was all in rubber/cotton singles in 5/8" split conduit.



VIR T&E seemed to disappear around 62, being replaced by various versions of PVC. Rubber & cotton singles were still being installed well into the 60's.

Or new school hall built in 1966 had the chandelier lighting and some stage lighting wiring installed as the main build, this was 3/0.029 'plastic' singles but the remainder of the stage lighting, financed by PTA type fundraising, was in 3/0.029 rubber & cotton singles installed buy the same contractors at the same time.
The 'plastic' wire was very difficult to strip as the insulation was stuck to the copper and it felt slippery like polyethylene.
We [the students] replaced the rubber wires with 3/0.029 PVC [donated by one of the teachers] about 1969/70 as we added more circuits and needed the space in the conduit. Of course there were no earth wires in the conduit in those days.

Much of the rest of the new building power circuits were wired in MI.