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

 

[7029 dave]

As @UNG says BICC would produce it in any colour provided the quantity was cost effective.
I was also told 'Megger' every gland you make off. Strangely enough was in one of our local churches yesterday and whilst my girlfriend was signing the Queens condolence book I was scratching the MI cables to the light switch thinking they were painted grey but the sheath and shrouds were indeed grey.

Yup every pot you make off, I always IR the whole coil before installing so I knew it was ok.
Flag out your L with tape after both ends have been IR tested.

 

[UNG]

I think last time i even touched pyro was running a non-stop 500m length through the bowels of Ninewells hospital in Dundee.

Can't remember the last time I used pyro but I can remember one of the first times as a relatively new apprentice when an electrician and myself had to pull a 7L1.5 fire alarm panel repeater link across one of the Pilkington sites through the maze of underground ducts and cellars the run was about 850m and took us the best part of week to do

 

[Diddy]

Used to love the micc. Well still do but it is a rare beast today. As above test every end as you go. For surface stuff better looking at it than looking for it - Aka leave a good foot when you run micc in if you are doing a large job and wont make the end off anytime soon.
Anyone who tells you that they have never had an end down is simply a liar.
Pro tip lol check each coil quick ir test before running in 100 mtrs of the stuff.....A lot of time surfaced clipped on the add occasion that you come across a internally twisted coil...i have seen this maybe 10 times in 35 years.
The last english heritage sites I worked on (Roehampton) was ALL surface clipped bare micc probably 20 years ago, Don't know if it is the same now but back then EH insisted that all there properties were wired in micc
Finally Micc > FP anything.

 

[Sparky5473]

Funnily enough I only installed some micc last month, wired staircase lighting in a church tower using white pvc coated and ripped out some rough installed orange coated.

 

[littlespark]

What do you need two different strippers for?

 

[Sparky5473]

What do you need two different strippers for?

That was in case one of them didn’t strip very well but I ended up using just the joistripper as the blade was nice and sharp

 

[freddo]

That was in case one of them didn’t strip very well but I ended up using just the joistripper as the blade was nice and sharp

I use a cheap chisel sharpening kit to keep my joistripper blades in good order, the guide works well at holding the small blade firmly and at the correct angle.

 

[stevethesparks]

That was in case one of them didn’t strip very well but I ended up using just the joistripper as the blade was nice and sharp

A length of 1/4" rod bent over at one end for a handle with a slit in the other end to insert a slice of pyro was the best stripping tool.

 

[UNG]

A length of 1/4" rod bent over at one end for a handle with a slit in the other end to insert a slice of pyro was the best stripping tool.

Really depends on what size Pyro you are stripping the 1/4" and 3/8" rod is ok for the smaller sizes as you move up to the larger sizes for 4H16 and 4H25 I favoured a 3- 4ft length of 25mm conduit with a 90 bend at one end and a slot at the other end

 

[7029 dave]

I have never bothered with them stripping tools never got on with them.
Ringing tool and side cutters peels back just the job.

 

[LewisM]

Did you get it fixed mate or are you still sitting in the dark?

 

[Petej999]

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

I would need eyes on before I commit