Builder has removed wiring on ring main

[alw94]

Hello all,

Wired up an extension for a friend of mine who lives some way away, so to help them along completed 1st & 2nd fix in one go, tested - all fine - and then left them to work room by room, boarding out and all, reconnecting sockets/switches as they went. No problems and I have been down regularly - checked progress and re-tested.

I have just found out that the builder has messed about with the utility room, which I had run in ring main giving enough sockets for appliances. He has apparently removed one set of sockets which would have been in the middle of the ring and I suspect the wiring has, therefore been removed, which I think may effectively left it as 2 radials fed from the same CB 32a (2.5TE wire used). I'm sure that all spare ways in CU are now used so I don't think there is spare to re-fit as 2 radials fed from 2 CB (CB rating would need to be changed of course).

At best, the ring might still be in place but with each sockets fed by single 2.5t&e wired into it but unsure till I check it out. I can take the boarding down but time is key as I have limited time to spend working on it - also it seems that they have scrimmed and got everything ready before plastering on Monday.

Also - to reconnect that socket that he removed I'm thinking of a shortcut of a FCU before running to the socket. Thats if I don't go down the line of taking all the boarding off to re-do.

So, from what I've described (if I 've been clear enough) any easy ways to deal with this?

To cap things off - he's taken off the extractor from the bathroom light, removed the isolator outside and boarded it back up - why? I don't know.

Ideas and shortcuts appreciated but of course looking for it to be compliant to sign off.

Cheers.

 

[mart8235]

you can change the 32A MCB to 20A. this can be recorded as a radial circuit with 2 legs. all the cable is then protected by the MCB. it may not be best practice but it is compliant.

 

[mogga]

Test the IF of builders nuts then test full installation

 

[alw94]

full test of course - 2 radials preferable - 2 legs acceptable?

 

[grantr37]

Here Hold Dis.......uh ok...(builder holds megger leads).....(winds handle on old style megger with increasing speed) wuw wuw wuw wuw wuwuwuwuwuwuwuwuwuwuwu .......yaaa hhaa hhaaa aaaaawwwww aoooooowwwooooooohhhooooi oooiiiiiiyyyyy .ah it hurts..aahh .....(HAHAHA LOL)

 

[Octopus]

I'd go back and take a good look before making any decisions - which ever way you go you'll need to bill your friend some more dosh!

 

[Mark_Burgess]

Seeing as your mate is paying the builder, your mate should tell the builder to remove the effected boarded areas so you can put it right. At the end of the day your mate paying the builder and he has messed up, end off.

 

[telectrix]

agree with mark. wtf is the builder playing at. would he be happy if you removed a load of his brickwork?

 

[i=p/u]

i agree with 1 post and cover with 20A mcb but is downgrading it a bit if you dont want to take fabric apart, and builder needs shocked to teach him lesson

 

[gpz900jim]

if you dont find out what has happened to your ringmain, you may be leaving a cut cable under a floor somewhere, waiting for someone to stick their hand on, result, ??? I think you need to clarify what has happened to your circuit. You shouldnt just assume its going to be ok if you just put a 20a breaker in. You need to find where the break is.

 

[telectrix]

time fot the 2lb lump hammer

 

[Martin Bradley]

Take a resistance reading of each leg then calc it to find out ruffley were the cable is dameged or disconnected, then smash a big whole in the w

all and rip out the cables and Mechanically crimp the Fcukers, and carry on like nothing ever happend. just like BOB.

 

[rocker]

I'm agreeing with the last few here - take out your crack hammer and go to town on their boarding. None of this trying to determine where it might be and gently padsawing little holes, just knock the bloody lot down. Who gives a ---- if they've put a bit of scrim tape, they shouldn't have been messing with your installation. A very good point has already been made in this post, it's not just a case of sticking a 20A in and forgetting about it, there are potentially two live cables, unsheathed and fizzing away in your mate's wall. Are you going to sign your name to that?

Get in early, knock holes in the bloody lot of it, and make sure you have that crack hammer in your hand and an insistent look in your eye when the builder turns up and wants to know what's happened.....

 

[mayfair]

Baseball bat springs to mind

time fot the 2lb lump hammer

 

[telectrix]

a 1000v IR test on the builder's nuts would be fun

 

[alw94]

Thanks for replies.

Yep, builder removed middle section, 1 socket, extractor isolator wiring + box & switch! hidden behind plasterboard ("No i didnt see any wiring" - no, not those attached to the whole switch!!").

Anyway, plasterboard ripped off and middle section found behind it. Just extends the time for me fitting everything else. I wasn't happy leaving it with anything unknown nor having it as 2 legs. Considering it a new installation that wouldn't have been the best way to leave it. Luckily it wasn't plastered like the extractor wall.

Like said before - all fixed and carry on as if nothing has even happened.

 

[UNG]

I think the builders nuts between two lump hammers would sort this out. To many other trades mess around with the sparks first fix. If it was me the builder certainly wouldn't have found the site like nothing had happened

I take a dim view of this sort of thing had a major argument with a plasterer many years ago who thought it was ok to cut the cables and the identifying marks to a 12 way gridswitch then plaster this and 3 sockets totally flush and then told me it was my problem to find them so I was about to start removing the plaster from the whole wall to make a point when the site agent said my extra costs would be covered by the plasterer. I just made sure the plasterers plaster was going off quicker than he could use it after that he took the **** to I put it in his plaster mix

 

[telectrix]

a couple of handfulls of pea gravel in his finish mix works a treat.

 

[UNG]

If you pee in his mix it makes it go off a lot quicker than he can use it

 

[telectrix]

must remember that.