Anyone can fix an MICC cable leading to a light switch in my house (London, N6)?

[Deleted member 148954]

Hello, I am looking for an electrician who has an expertise in dealing with MICC (mineral-insulated copper-clad) cables. It is a domestic job in my house (I live in Highgate, London; postcode is N6). When I was replacing a light switch in my living room, 2 out of 6 wires coming out of 2 MICC cables (which come through the wall; each cable has 3 wires) broke off. I am attaching two photos of the light switch in question (the 2 wires that have snapped are behind the switch). Please contact me if you can do the job and provide a quote. (If you need any further info, please let me know). Thanks, Eugene

 

[Dustydazzler]

Home - Eastway Electrical

www.eastwayelectrical.com

 

[littlespark]

Not sure if any member is close to you, but we will soon find out.

MICC is a fairly specialist area now. Not used so much nowadays as a new install.
If the core snapped right at the pot (I still know the lingo!) it’s going to need replaced.

Looks like it’s buried in plaster on a brick wall.

What do the switches control? If they’re all in the same room, likely solution is to have only one switch, controlling all lights and taking that length of cable out of circuit.
Or remake the end of both cables, bringing the switch up the wall a bit.
Or remake the cables high up on the wall, fitting in a box to use as a joint box with a blank plate… then extend in regular t&e cable back down to switch.


Have never know MICC to be used domestically except as a sub main up a tenement building in Edinburgh.
Was my brothers flat, and all the sub mains were bare copper MICC clipped surface up the stairwell. Amazing neat job.


Edit. Just saw Dusty’s reply….. Is that the celeb spark, Delroy? Love to see him work on MICC on YouTube… lol

 

[Dustydazzler]

There are a few old house round my way where where MICC was buried just like that in the render and runs here there and everywhere exactly like above with it potted into a back box

More often than not it doesn't follow any safe zone so can be a bit of a pig to work in these houses and I have found the MICC running diagonal much of the time

 

[loz2754]

Another option for those not skilled in MICC would be to disconnect the cable at both ends and install Quinetic wireless switches.

 

[timhoward]

More often than not it doesn't follow any safe zone so can be a bit of a pig to work in these houses and I have found the MICC running diagonal much of the time

I thought MICC complies with 522.6.204, so hadn't previously thought that diagonal running is actually an issue?

 

[Dustydazzler]

I thought MICC complies with 522.6.204, so hadn't previously thought that diagonal running is actually an issue?

It may have complied back in the day but still a nightmare if you are drilling 6mm holes to put up a shelf or TV bracket and drill straight through the buried MICC

 

[timhoward]

It may have complied back in the day but still a nightmare if you are drilling 6mm holes to put up a shelf or TV bracket and drill straight through the buried MICC

Ah I see what you mean now!

 

[loz2754]

It does still comply with regulations today to install this type of cable at a depth of less than 50mm, even outside the prescribed zones.
Although no-one would consider it as standard practice today.

 

[ipf]

Not sure if any member is close to you, but we will soon find out.

MICC is a fairly specialist area now. Not used so much nowadays as a new install.
If the core snapped right at the pot (I still know the lingo!) it’s going to need replaced.

Looks like it’s buried in plaster on a brick wall.

What do the switches control? If they’re all in the same room, likely solution is to have only one switch, controlling all lights and taking that length of cable out of circuit.
Or remake the end of both cables, bringing the switch up the wall a bit.
Or remake the cables high up on the wall, fitting in a box to use as a joint box with a blank plate… then extend in regular t&e cable back down to switch.


Have never know MICC to be used domestically except as a sub main up a tenement building in Edinburgh.
Was my brothers flat, and all the sub mains were bare copper MICC clipped surface up the stairwell. Amazing neat job.

Seen loads of domestic pyro in the past.
As regards the photo, it looks like the cables are going through the wall, (OP mentions it) at the mortar seam. There isn't enough length, at present, to remake off the pyro ends so it all depends on the other side of the wall and making available enough to work on.
Cable trace to start with.

 

[buzzlightyear]

a good old fashion spark would sort the out if he has the tools, I bet some young uns never done anything like that, it will blow the brains out looking at never mine playing with it, hands up if you done work like that, still got me old tools.you will never know when you need them.

 

[davesparks]

a good old fashion spark would sort the out if he has the tools, I bet some young uns never done anything like that, it will blow the brains out looking at never mine playing with it, hands up if you done work like that, still got me old tools.you will never know when you need them.

I've done it and still do it, both repairs/rework of old cable and installation of new.

 

[Dustydazzler]

My dad has all his old pyro tools in a wooden box in his garage , it can say neither of us have used it in probably 5 years or more

he has some lovelty old junk , like wooden handle files , some really old eclipse hacksaws all from when he did his apprenticeship back in the mid 1950s

 

[davesparks]

Hello, I am looking for an electrician who has an expertise in dealing with MICC (mineral-insulated copper-clad) cables. It is a domestic job in my house (I live in Highgate, London; postcode is N6). When I was replacing a light switch in my living room, 2 out of 6 wires coming out of 2 MICC cables (which come through the wall; each cable has 3 wires) broke off. I am attaching two photos of the light switch in question (the 2 wires that have snapped are behind the switch). Please contact me if you can do the job and provide a quote. (If you need any further info, please let me know). Thanks, Eugene

Can you post a picture of what's left inside the switch?

Is there any writing on the black insulation of the conductors inside the switch? Hopefully it will have the cable size written on it to help identify what size fittings will be required for repairing it.

A lot of the flush MICC installs I've come across/dealt with have been imperial sized cables which can add another little bit of complexity to the situation.

 

[ipf]

a good old fashion spark would sort the out if he has the tools, I bet some young uns never done anything like that, it will blow the brains out looking at never mine playing with it, hands up if you done work like that, still got me old tools.

Mine are in the van.
A couple of years since last used.

Got a church Test and Inspection soon, done in pyro.

 

[buzzlightyear]

The wifey was cleaning the garage came
Across the old pyro gear, she says you can chuck this lot out me to her throw that out you has well throw the washing machine out has well.

 

[cireland]

Wasn't the older stuff imperial?

 

[Lucien Nunes]

A lot of the flush MICC installs I've come across/dealt with have been imperial sized cables which can add another little bit of complexity to the situation.

Agreed, the cables looks large relative to the seals. Are they 5/8" seals on 0.0015 sq ins. cable? Hopefully an inside view of the seals and sleeves will resolve that question. Although I expect the OP is simply looking for a contractor to do the work, rather than chat about it on here, eliciting any complications might help the said contractor prepare for the job and not arrive without the necessary bits.

It looks like there is just about enough cable there to make the ends off again and have an inch beyond the disc to put a Wago on. But has anybody ever jointed a conductor within a pot and sealed it up again? I think one would have to be very careful to avoid soldering flux wicking into the insulant and deflux thoroughly before filling with compound. But it might be possible, especially if one is prepared to go to the trouble of making a scarf joint in the conductor. Then again, not much room in a 5/8" seal if that is what they are.

I wonder how they came to break in the first place? Perhaps the conductors were nicked with the stripping tool and weakened. It would take a lot of mauling to break an otherwise completely intact conductor.

 

[Deleted member 148954]

Home - Eastway Electrical

www.eastwayelectrical.com

Thanks for your reply. I'll contact you shortly.

Not sure if any member is close to you, but we will soon find out.

MICC is a fairly specialist area now. Not used so much nowadays as a new install.
If the core snapped right at the pot (I still know the lingo!) it’s going to need replaced.

Looks like it’s buried in plaster on a brick wall.

What do the switches control? If they’re all in the same room, likely solution is to have only one switch, controlling all lights and taking that length of cable out of circuit.
Or remake the end of both cables, bringing the switch up the wall a bit.
Or remake the cables high up on the wall, fitting in a box to use as a joint box with a blank plate… then extend in regular t&e cable back down to switch.


Have never know MICC to be used domestically except as a sub main up a tenement building in Edinburgh.
Was my brothers flat, and all the sub mains were bare copper MICC clipped surface up the stairwell. Amazing neat job.


Edit. Just saw Dusty’s reply….. Is that the celeb spark, Delroy? Love to see him work on MICC on YouTube… lol

Thanks for your reply. Very helpful input.

 

[Deleted member 148954]

Can you post a picture of what's left inside the switch?

Is there any writing on the black insulation of the conductors inside the switch? Hopefully it will have the cable size written on it to help identify what size fittings will be required for repairing it.

A lot of the flush MICC installs I've come across/dealt with have been imperial sized cables which can add another little bit of complexity to the situation.

Thank you for your reply. There is no writing of any kind on the black insulation of the conductors. I'll post a picture of what's left inside the switch tomorrow morning. In the meantime, here are the pictures of the conductors that have snapped. Are these the imperial size in your estimation (don't know if it is possible to determine from the pictures). Thanks.