installation life expectancy

[Engineer54]

Just rewired a VIR house and the cable under the floor was fine.... Made in Lydbrook in the Forest of Dean :smug: Didnt appear to have degraded at all, however where it has seen the light of day, or been warmed .... Different story.

Any damage to the old VIR/TRS is generally limited to the connected ends, especially at incandescent enclosed light fittings and accessories, or at outlet points that have been carrying current at or over it's CCC for many years. I've stated before, that i used the TRS cable i pulled out of my parents house, to wire the sockets in my fathers garage, and it's probably still there to this day. It was in pristine condition, and just the job for wiring a freezing cold garage... lol!!

 

[Badged01]

Even the 5WWs know that a BS3036 DB is ILLEGAL and needs to be replaced before the house explodes.

They never told me that .... which short course did you learn that on?

I know it can keep tripping all the RCBO's if you havent got all your supplementary bonding in-place and even that sometimes the back boiler fuse will blow if you've got the tin bath to close to the fire but the house exploding?!?!

 

[Engineer54]

Originally Posted by Andy78
Even the 5WWs know that a BS3036 DB is ILLEGAL and needs to be replaced before the house explodes.

As far as i'm aware, Wylex 3036 type CU's are still available to this day!! ...At least i know they were up to around 3 or 4 years ago....

 

[johnbyrne]

I saw some figures I think on the IET site around ten years ago, that gave PVC a lifespan of 69 years subject to full load for a quarter of the time, very few domestic circuits would work that hard. I'll attempt to find the source of the figures this week.
In the end we simply test it and confirm or not that it is satisfactory for continued use, as others have pointed out already.
Cheers

 

[Engineer54]

Think you'll find that manufacturers will still state 25 to 30 years, but they always add in those magic words, ...''a Minimum of''!! Along with a bunch of provisos ...lol!!

 

[sparkdog]

Mine last for 10 light years.

 

[trev]

As far as i'm aware, Wylex 3036 type CU's are still available to this day!! ...At least i know they were up to around 3 or 4 years ago....

GASP! But....But....But A Electrical Trainee told a client of mine that they were ILLEGAL! Surely the chap wouldn't have lied?

 

[R G]

British Gas would give a true assessment Im sure ,,,LOl,,,,
All installations condemned until proven otherwise ,,,,,lol,,,,,

 

[silver surfer]

BASEC guidelines here

BASEC - British Approvals Service for Cables

 

[Engineer54]

They do make you laugh at times!! Has anyone here seen any standard electrical installations ever running at or even close 70C?? I know i certainly haven't... Maybe someone like Tony, that's worked in steel Foundries and the like, may have??

7 years if the cable is running at 80C, ...hmm, i don't think i'd like to take that risk, not that the installation would be able to comply in any way shape or form, to any international recognised code/regulation that i know of anyway...