Old Stranded Steel conductors in house wiring.

[Breaker]

Hi.

I visited a clients bungalow today as I am looking for some work to get registered by elecsa.

The client wanted some new sockets fitted and after a quick check I noticed that he has no RCD protection for his ring main or his lighting. I then examined the wiring to find that it is the old steel wiring. I was wondering whether it would be worth conducting a test first or is the property well overdue for a rewire.

Thanks.

 

[Breaker]

test the install to BS7671....
you wont/cant really say owt else until you have...
a good start would be a quick Ze, and an IR (l-E & N-E)....if permission is granted by the customer....
IR test between the neutrals as well....
if its a board change then better to know now....rather than any nasty surprises later on

Cheers, will do. :yes:

 

[power ranger]

Breaker,

as you will need to do notifiable work for your ELECSA assessment, then I think the only way forward is for you to install a new circuit for the additional sockets.

Then there is no need to worry about having two different types of wiring on one circuit or having to check the existing ring final before making additions.

Just make sure earthing/ bonding is up to scratch and you add the required RCD protection which might be seperate RCD to the consumer unit.


What type of consumer unit is it and do you have any spare ways on it?

 

[GLENNSPARK]

Cheers, will do. :yes:

do IR as a (global test)...if low then seperate and do individually....just as a pre job check of course..

 

[GLENNSPARK]

Breaker,

as you will need to do notifiable work for your ELECSA assessment, then I think the only way forward is for you to install a new circuit for the additional sockets.

Then there is no need to worry about having two different types of wiring on one circuit or having to check the existing ring final before making additions.

Just make sure earthing/ bonding is up to scratch and you add the required RCD protection which might be seperate RCD to the consumer unit.


What type of consumer unit is it and do you have any spare ways on it?

rubbish...
you need to confirm that any existing circuit/s that you intend to add to/extend/modify are up to it...
this would go for any circuit

 

[power ranger]

Glennspark what I am saying is that for his assessment then adding spurs to the ring final is not enough work for his assessor to see.

Therefore, by installing a new circuit he will satisfy his assessment requirements and he will not need to check the existing RFC as he wont be touching it.

However, if he is to modify any existing circuit, then yes preliminary checks should be made prior to any work undertaken.

 

[power ranger]

Taken from the ELECSA website for types of work for assessment:
- A fully completed rewire

- The addition of a new circuit (i.e. a shower)

- The addition of a number of circuits (i.e. ground floor/first

floor extension)

- A supply to an external garage or outbuilding with further

subcircuits within that building.

Also dont forget that now the new changes to Part P have come in to effect in England that additions to circuits in a kitchen are no longer notifiable, so Breaker will have to make sure he has notifiable work for his assessment.

 

[Breaker]

The client has an old distribution board with two 30a fuses and thats it. Ring main and lights are on there own 30A fuse. Everything else has its own board. The only RCD he has is for the shower. He needs a new CCU to tidy this lot up I think. Would a newly fitted CCU with the existing wiring and the extra sockets be enough for the elecsa assessment?

If I can use this job to get me through the assessment then great but I don't want to do any unnecessary work that will rip the guy off. But I genuinely think he needs a new CCU. He needs RCD's on those circuits.

 

[stuartcourt]

dont fall into the trap of thinking everything needs an RCD as long as its safe then its safe (RCDs are not the answer to all our prayers)

 

[power ranger]

The client has an old distribution board with two 30a fuses and thats it. Ring main and lights are on there own 30A fuse. Everything else has its own board. The only RCD he has is for the shower. He needs a new CCU to tidy this lot up I think. Would a newly fitted CCU with the existing wiring and the extra sockets be enough for the elecsa assessment?

If I can use this job to get me through the assessment then great but I don't want to do any unnecessary work that will rip the guy off. But I genuinely think he needs a new CCU. He needs RCD's on those circuits.

Yes this should be fine for assessment, but if your in any doubt then call ELECSA for confirmation.

Dont know about the rest of the guys on here but I always think CCU cooker control unit, CU Consumer Unit

 

[Steven B]

Think you will find it is tinned copper not steel

No, he found steel wirring! I have seen strnded steel wiring also. A dummy wouldn't scrape or trim the ends to check. I don't spell my name: Charlie McCarthy

 

[westward10]

No, he found steel wirring! I have seen strnded steel wiring also. A dummy wouldn't scrape or trim the ends to check. I don't spell my name: Charlie McCarthy

Welcome to the forum but this thread is nearly ten years old. Did they find steel wiring, almost certainly tinned copper.

 

[brianmoooore]

just because its old, doesnt make it knackered

Just showed this line to the missus, who finally catches up with the ever increasing pension age next week.