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Steve T

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Hi all,
I'm helping a friend of mine do up an old cottage that he has bought recently. Most rooms are in such a state that they need completely redoing. Our first project was to rip out one of the bathrooms, and in doing so we had to disconnect an old infrared wall heater, where we discovered aluminium t&e. It's definitely PVC not rubber. I had a quick look in the ceiling rose in that bathroom and it also appears to be wired in aluminium t&e. We didn't look at anything else today so I don't know what other circuits may or may not have aluminium t&e.

The property has clearly had quite extensive electrical work over the years(has had an extension and loft conversion) as well as some diy bodges, as I suppose is to be expected. The CU is also not original, it looks like it should be a 16th edition split load but someone has replaced the main switch with an RCD. So clearly the CU has been changed at some point.

I'm definitely going to suggest he gets an EICR done, but do you think the aluminium t&e presents an immediate problem and should be rewired, or is it still OK to be in service?

Also if we have to work with the aluminium t&e at all (changing lights, sockets etc) how should we treat it? It's all stranded of course, so should we use ferrules on the ends and connect to screw terminals directly or into wagos and 'pigtails' in copper to the accessory?

I haven't got any pictures at the moment unfortunately but I am back at his house tomorrow so I can get some (of the CU, and anything else?)

Thanks!
 
Thanks for the replies so far, I will go back again tomorrow to try to figure out if it is actually tinned copper, and will also post some pics. But from your posts it seems most likely it is not aluminium as it didn't just break when flexed about. If its tinned copper are there any special considerations when working with it and how old is it likely to be?
 
The appearance of the conductors is quite different - aluminium looks duller, softer and greyer than tinned copper and is mechanically very weak. It indents and crushes under the tip of a screwdriver in a way that copper doesn't. As above, small aluminium cables are likely to be solid.

Imperial cables prior to metrication around 1970 were usually tinned copper and stranded (although the common 3/.029 lighting cable has a solid 1/.044 CPC.)

If its tinned copper are there any special considerations when working with it and how old is it likely to be?

No special considerations, it's just copper cable with a protective finish of tin to make it more corrosion resistant. Historically tinning was needed to prevent sulphur in rubber insulation reacting with the copper, but with PVC insulation it was something of a luxury and dropped in the transition to metric to save cost. It is still preferred for some applications.

Your cable is therefore likely to be 1960s if it is PVC insulated.
 

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