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Davida1992
Hi all, this post is more for my own clarification, we have a council house in the UK and several years ago the cabling was essentially found to be dangerous and it was decided that they would rewire the entire house, all fittings, sockets, breaker boxes etc. They managed to achieve this in only 1 day (about 6 electricians though).
Before the re-wire I have purchased some Crabtree chrome finish sockets and switches for the hall and landing, these had already been fitted prior to the rewire so we asked the council to fit the same ones again on the hall and landing which they did after the re-wire.
Moving forward to last week, we had an electrician come out as a council contractor as the shower (electric shower) was overheating on the box attached to the pull string, the casing had actually turned dark brown where it was burning. So this was all replaced no problem and seems to be working again now.
This afternoon I went to use the socket on the landing upstairs, I plugged in the hoover and it went with a loud pop and the RCD went off at the main box. I thought maybe it was a blip, turned it back on under the stairs and the same thing happened again and it immediately went off.
I was concerned so I call the repair line at the council and they said that as the power was off upstairs they would send someone out this afternoon to take a look.
An hour or so ago, the same electrician turned up that came last week to look at the shower issue... He did not seem happy... He went to take a look and told me that the council would never fit chrome finish sockets like we had, he informed me that last week when he came they were definitely the white sockets that the council usually fit. I explained that the sockets were purchased several years ago and cost about £20 per socket so they are not cheap crap. He was not happy and was swearing dropping F bombs, so I didn't want to argue with him to be honest....The point is that the sockets and switches were always chrome finished since years before and the council fitted them again during the re-wire...
Anyway, he took and look at the wiring behind and he said that one of the wires (blue wire) had been knocked when screwed in, it was down to the bare copper wire underneath on the cable, he said it has likely short circuited. He basically moved the wires a bit to stop it shorting and screwed it back on.... He did not use any electrical tape or any sheath cover - I don't know much about electric but I would imagine in this scenario that he should have covered it?
He told me it would be fine and then off he went....
Is this quite safe, or do I have anything to worry about here?
I would like other peoples opinion on if this is actually safe?
Thanks, sorry for the big back story, but I though it would be important in this case.
Thanks very much.
Before the re-wire I have purchased some Crabtree chrome finish sockets and switches for the hall and landing, these had already been fitted prior to the rewire so we asked the council to fit the same ones again on the hall and landing which they did after the re-wire.
Moving forward to last week, we had an electrician come out as a council contractor as the shower (electric shower) was overheating on the box attached to the pull string, the casing had actually turned dark brown where it was burning. So this was all replaced no problem and seems to be working again now.
This afternoon I went to use the socket on the landing upstairs, I plugged in the hoover and it went with a loud pop and the RCD went off at the main box. I thought maybe it was a blip, turned it back on under the stairs and the same thing happened again and it immediately went off.
I was concerned so I call the repair line at the council and they said that as the power was off upstairs they would send someone out this afternoon to take a look.
An hour or so ago, the same electrician turned up that came last week to look at the shower issue... He did not seem happy... He went to take a look and told me that the council would never fit chrome finish sockets like we had, he informed me that last week when he came they were definitely the white sockets that the council usually fit. I explained that the sockets were purchased several years ago and cost about £20 per socket so they are not cheap crap. He was not happy and was swearing dropping F bombs, so I didn't want to argue with him to be honest....The point is that the sockets and switches were always chrome finished since years before and the council fitted them again during the re-wire...
Anyway, he took and look at the wiring behind and he said that one of the wires (blue wire) had been knocked when screwed in, it was down to the bare copper wire underneath on the cable, he said it has likely short circuited. He basically moved the wires a bit to stop it shorting and screwed it back on.... He did not use any electrical tape or any sheath cover - I don't know much about electric but I would imagine in this scenario that he should have covered it?
He told me it would be fine and then off he went....
Is this quite safe, or do I have anything to worry about here?
I would like other peoples opinion on if this is actually safe?
Thanks, sorry for the big back story, but I though it would be important in this case.
Thanks very much.