Has anyone cut these before

[chris day]

hello guys

I need to put some plastic switches on some switch drops with no Earth and replace the backboxes.
The plan is all class 2 fittings and plastic switches

I have been told these old 12mm conduits and backbones are made of nickel and my multi tool won't cut them, i suspect they had wood blades as they can't be that hard to cut.

Has anyone tackled a similar job with any advice?

 

[Leesparkykent]

Just use switches that come with screw covers like BG nexus or Schneider lisse.

 

[Bobster]

Are you sure the conduit isn't the CPC?

 

[Pete999]

12mm conduit never seen that size before Chris

 

[Pete999]

hello guys

I need to put some plastic switches on some switch drops with no Earth and replace the backboxes.
The plan is all class 2 fittings and plastic switches

I have been told these old 12mm conduits and backbones are made of nickel and my multi tool won't cut them, i suspect they had wood blades as they can't be that hard to cut.

Has anyone tackled a similar job with any advice?

View attachment 37982

Cant see any fixing lugs

 

[andyb]

Cant see any fixing lugs

Looks like two holes have been drilled and threaded to 3.5mm

 

[Pete999]

Looks like two holes have been drilled and threaded to 3.5mm

Innovative.

 

[westward10]

It is probably 5/8 conduit and Rob is probably correct, that is the cpc unless it has been butchered.

 

[westward10]

Cant see any fixing lugs

I suspect there is one in each corner behind the plaster, they probably date back to the 1950s.

 

[snowhead]

They've got round internal corners.
They look like maleable cast, the same as steel conduit boxes.

 

[telectrix]

scrape a bit of the box down to bright metal. then get Tester and a wander lead from MET to box. check resistance.

 

[Rocboni]

Yep, boxes look like cast to me. They will split with a cold chisel.

 

[Pete999]

Yep, boxes look like cast to me. They will split with a cold chisel.

Not if you heat the chisel up a bit? Sorry it's the mischief in me

 

[chris day]

Yep, boxes look like cast to me. They will split with a cold chisel.

Yes they are cast like conduit boxes

 

[chris day]

The DB has been changed last year so the MECH Earth to conduit is no longer existent.

What class 2 pendants would be complaint with no earth?