Upgrading Old Fuse Board - Contrasting Quotes

[sparkyspike]

It is possible to rewire a lighting circuit by only lifting floorboards. In a 1960s installation, it is possible that the lightswitch drops are all in conduit, making it easy to pull new cables through on the old. So no chasing and no drilling.

However you are then limited to having switches and lights in the same position. This is more limiting with regards to socket outlets, which in old houses are usually in the wrong place.

 

[Cluelesstotally]

Again thanks for the replies, unfortunately it is a house not a bungalow.

Sorry what is VIR?

The plug sockets are largely in the worng place and are in the skirting boards in places but I was planning on moving these to the correct height and spuring new ones off where I wanted additional ones.

The light socket and fittings placements are all fine.

Thanks

Rose

 

[ColJack]

 

[flameport]

... I was planning on moving these to the correct height and spuring new ones off where I wanted additional ones.

Waste of time.

To move them up the wall, you will have to chase the walls and take up the floorboards to get at the cables (as they will need to be extended), so you might as well pull new cables in and do the job properly.

 

[Cluelesstotally]

I don't have anything that looks like that as far as I am aware.

How do I know what age the wiring is or if it does need replacing, it could have been redone as some point in the past for all I know.

 

[Spark123]

Sorry what is VIR?

VIR stands for Vulcanised Indian Rubber, it is basically a waxed fabric sheath covering a layer of rubber surrounding (usually tinned) copper wire - you can see the fabric sheath in the pic above.

 

[Cluelesstotally]

Oh ok, no I don't have any of that mine are regular red and black wires, with a multistrand earth that isn't in sleave, all covered in a whiteish/ greyish sleave.

 

[securespark]

Multistrand earth? Are the wires silver or copper-coloured?

Sounds like you have a plastic cable but imperial sizes. Can you post a piccy of your fusebox?

 

[Cluelesstotally]

A pic as requested.

 

[ColJack]

I do hope that picture as been accidentally rotated sideways??

 

[securespark]

So do I! I think this is how it looks really...

 

[Steve]

So do I! I think this is how it looks really...

Golly, thats a TINY fusebox!

 

[RF Lighting]

Are you referring to the doorbell transformer?

 

[Cluelesstotally]

Yes sorry I did put the pic up sideways, sorry wasn't sure how to rotate it.

So whats the diagnosis, could the wiring be mid-60's from the wires going in and out of it or are they newer than that, suggesting a rewire at some point? There is a serpate modern RCD style fuse box in the garage too that was installed in 2004.

Thanks

Rose

 

[securespark]

That style of fuse box was introduced in 1956.

If your house is wired without earth wires in the lighting cables, with cables that have a grey sheath & silver coloured wires with multi-stranded earth wires (in the power cables), then I would confidently say the electrical installation can be dated between 1956 and 1966.

1966 was when regs changed and earth wires in lighting cables were introduced.

There was a fairly long cross-over period between rubber cables (black sheath) and plastic-based cables (grey, or more recently, white sheath).

Rubber started disappearing in the late fifties, but was still being used in the early 60's. From my experience, by 1966, rubber cable was no longer installed. I have come across some cable in the past with "Alkathene" printed on it. I guess it was used before PVC became commonplace. But I have not seen it since. Alkathene was commonly used for water pipes before PE came in.