We finally opened the mysterious box in the hall...

[AndyPRK]

I thought the box was telephone.

 

[Triffle]

If your happy with it being there then i wouldnt worry too much about it, its been there long enough, screws are fine, at least if needed it can be accessed

Pay attention please
CONCENTRIC is one main core with a ring of outer cores usually EARTH
SPLIT CONCENTRIC is one main core, a ring of outer cores and ALSO a ring of Neutral cores

Um oops, split concentric then (Both terms had been mentioned above, so I got confused)

Whats that screwed to the Window frame, an old doorbell

I don't actually know what that is ... all I know is it is connected to the incoming phone line so it's not a doorbell (it is 'outside' of the master phone socket).

We have a wired doorbell in the hall (you can just see the terminal block connector for the bell wire, attached* to the split concentric cable, just outside of the wooden box. (*Well, it's not actually attached of course, except with paint ).

 

[333rocky333]

Also for reference thats likely not in the Wiki.
This pic of yours above is what is known as a "cut out, by coincidence it has HENLEY on it as they make a lot of stuff as do other brands, not to confuse with a HENLEY BLOCK which is like the old things in the hall.
The HENLEY block is just an insulated connecter block for big cables.
The HENLEY "Cut out" will also incorporate your MAIN FUSE

 

[Triffle]

I'm learning so much here, thank you all for taking the time to answer my many queries, this really is a great place

So if my main fuse is in the Henley Cut Out, does that take 'precedence' over the older fuse in the wooden box? What I mean by that is, will the old fuse essentially never operate (trip) because the newer one will 'get there first' if needed?

(Don't you love my terminology )

I thought the box was telephone.

Yep you're right tis connected to telephone line but any idea what for? I don't think I've ever seen one in other houses I've lived in (like so much in this house).

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

So if my main fuse is in the Henley Cut Out, does that take 'precedence' over the older fuse in the wooden box? What I mean by that is, will the old fuse essentially never operate (trip) because the newer one will 'get there first' if needed?

That is impossible to answer, without knowing the fuse ratings, but I would suspect the older fuse might be smaller that the later one - in which case the old would would blow first. Were they both the same rating, it would be pot luck as to which blew.

 

[jelliottelectrical]

I’m going to throw a wild guess out there, that the cutout and meter may have been moved by someone other than the DNO. The original cutout is the one that’s now in the cupboard and someone has fitted something old back in the original position. Look at the size of the markings on the original board

Also that concentric cable is far newer than the cutout. Ever time I have ever seen a cable replaced it always has been onto a new cutout. Always. It looks like a Bakelite cutout off an old overhead service. The cutout beside the meter looks around the right vintage for the cable

My other reason for suspecting this is the concentric seems to be running through the floor void. The DNO are unlikely to have done this as they are not keen having their cable running through the house. Though I suppose if it was a job by the DNO, that maybe why they have left the cutout there to offer some protection

 

[Triffle]

I’m going to throw a wild guess out there, that the cutout and meter may have been moved by someone other than the DNO. The original cutout is the one that’s now in the cupboard and someone has fitted something old back in the original position. Look at the size of the markings on the original board

Also that concentric cable is far newer than the cutout. Ever time I have ever seen a cable replaced it always has been onto a new cutout. Always. It looks like a Bakelite cutout off an old overhead service. The cutout beside the meter looks around the right vintage for the cable

My other reason for suspecting this is the concentric seems to be running through the floor void. The DNO are unlikely to have done this as they are not keen having their cable running through the house. Though I suppose if it was a job by the DNO, that maybe why they have left the cutout there to offer some protection

Hmmm... never expected that! I imagined that perhaps an older fuse box might have lived in the wooden box, perhaps before storage heaters were added and therefore the need for the extra CUs (but that's all just a guess on my part). I wonder if that's why there is one CU for storage heaters in a small cupboard in the hall (low down on the same wall this wooden box is on)... would that have been the initial storage heater installation, I wonder? (Just thinking out loud).

Would it even be possible for someone other than a DNO to move it? Without electrocuting themselves I mean? I certainly wouldn't want to mess with it.

I think it's going into the roof rather than the floor (unless you mean the upstairs floor void? Sorry if I've misunderstood). I did wonder about that great big cable (split concentric, I'm remembering the term now ) going so far into the house before it gets to the CU, but then again I suppose there are plenty of houses with CU's in the understair cupboard, so perhaps its not that unusual?

I hope I haven't opened the proverbial can of worms with this!


Time to break out MS Paint again methinks Here is a top-down view of the location of the various items discussed on this thread.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

I’m going to throw a wild guess out there, that the cutout and meter may have been moved by someone other than the DNO. The original cutout is the one that’s now in the cupboard and someone has fitted something old back in the original position. Look at the size of the markings on the original board

That seems like a possibility, except the new equipment doesn't seem as if it would match the green paint marks, nor is there any green paint on the new equipment. The new looks very new indeed.

I will go with the green paint marks are as a result of some much earlier equipment and that the DNO has installed a new incomer and someone has picked up and used some old scrap Henly blocks and an old cut-out. They have then moved the DNO's new items to the new position and added new cable.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Would it even be possible for someone other than a DNO to move it?

Yes, not too difficult, if isolated at that old Henly cut out. It would be much more of a risk, swapping the Henly cut-out, as I assume they have.

The DNO has installed a new incomer, they would not reuse the old cut out and Henly blocks.

 

[jelliottelectrical]

Yes, not too difficult, if isolated at that old Henly cut out. It would be much more of a risk, swapping the Henly cut-out, as I assume they have.

The DNO has installed a new incomer, they would not reuse the old cut out and Henly blocks.

Also, note how the outgoing split con has heat shrink or sleeving on the neutrals and earths, and not on the incoming. Would have probably been a bit too risky for whoever changed it live to sleeve the cable.

 

[winston1]

I'm learning so much here, thank you all for taking the time to answer my many queries, this really is a great place

So if my main fuse is in the Henley Cut Out, does that take 'precedence' over the older fuse in the wooden box? What I mean by that is, will the old fuse essentially never operate (trip) because the newer one will 'get there first' if needed?

(Don't you love my terminology )





Yep you're right tis connected to telephone line but any idea what for? I don't think I've ever seen one in other houses I've lived in (like so much in this house).

It may contain fuses and lighting arresters. They are not fitted these days.

 

[Triffle]

It may contain fuses and lighting arresters. They are not fitted these days.

Thanks! That led me to a quick internet search for "lighting arresters" (another new term for me) which then led me to find this:

http://www.telephonesuk.co.uk/images/large/old_bt.jpg

... which looks very similar to what we've got

 

[333rocky333]

Triffle are you saying the lower cable going through the doorframe is going outside and is the supply coming in.
If so then i was getting mixed up, I wrongly asumed that new cable went to thenewer cut out, maybe they renewed your supply to there for some reason.
Just noticed the left what i thought was a Henley box is actually joined to the fuse, so that makes that a "Cut out " with a seperate Henley block for the Earths, my apologies

 

[aptsys]

Also, note how the outgoing split con has heat shrink or sleeving on the neutrals and earths, and not on the incoming. Would have probably been a bit too risky for whoever changed it live to sleeve the cable.

Too risky to sleeve the neutral and earth??

 

[jelliottelectrical]

Too risky to sleeve the neutral and earth??

Yes, well it was obviously done by someone who shouldn’t have done it, they obviously didn’t feel confident doing too much with a cable still connected to the mains