Help me put right a bit of iffy electrics done by elderly relative.

[72-van]

Hi Guys
For the last few weeks i have been sorting out some iffy stuff at a relatives home .Some of which was exceptionally iffy.
Heres a description of the latest one i have found .
two storey semi with attic
upstairs ring main single socket has a spur taken from it (no fused unit for isolation) which feeds a double socket in a cupboard .
This double in turn has two plugs in it .
Both the plugs are wired with 1mm twin n earth lighting cable.
plug 1 feeds an external pir lamp at the front door of the property .
plug 2 feeds a series of flo fittings in the attic via an antique neon switch which accesory is broken not securely fixed.


I would welcome any pointers as to the best remedy.

My thoughts are fit a fcu at the single socket then wire the exterior light correctly to this .
find the upstairs lighting circuit and break into that with a 5amp terminal unit and feed the lights from there.


However is there a way to use the single feed from the ring suitablly fused for isolation to feed both the attic lights and the exterior light.


Many thanks

72-van

 

[trev]

I'd find the last light on the upstair circuit and extend from there for the attic light just to make testing easier and its a bit more logical than spidering off. Subject to the circuit load you could also extend for the outside light. Otherwise your method sounds ok.

 

[72-van]

Perhaps i should have said the exterior light is a Pir controlled fitting with a 100w bulb .

I did wonder about using the lighting circiut for that as well but might be more akward for a real spark testing this later with the electronics of the lamp to disconnect whilst testing.

 

[trev]

A real spark will know what to do mate

 

[Inteificio]

I would say burn the house down and start again, but it would be easier to leave it a few weeks and let it burn itself down.

 

[72-van]

I hasten to point out that I am Not a spark nor ever claim to be one unlike many that post here .

I would rather not be doing the relatives rectifications but he just wont pay to get it done proffesionally and he got a bad shock recently with his complete lack of understanding .My priority is to get the several things he has done back safely or disabled and removed.

I believe i am sufficiently competent in safe isolation and have sufficient theoretical knoledge to carry this out ..

hence my questions ..


cheers for your help guys

 

[trev]

When I made the last comment about a real spark that was not intended as a dig mate. I know on other posts you have told us about not being a spark, your honesty is appreciated and that's why you have got advice from a lot on here.

 

[72-van]

When I made the last comment about a real spark that was not intended as a dig mate. I know on other posts you have told us about not being a spark, your honesty is appreciated and that's why you have got advice from a lot on here.

cheers Trev ..
plain talking is the best way

 

[Inteificio]

look up cable calculation based on bs7671, there is one on android that'll cost you 75p. make sure the spur off the ring is fused to protect the on going cable. As long as all the wires are fused correctly you will be a lot safer. That means that in stead of wires melting you get fuses blowing. This is a simple way of testing if the circuits are rated fine for what they supply. Most appliances rarely if ever draw what they say on the side (heating being a BIG exception), so protect your wires.

Then if the fuses start popping you need to do more.

"not fused for isolation" a fuse will only break the live, that is switching. To isolate you need to break live AND neutral. Just as much 'trickery going through the N as L.

For this spur, what is the size of cable on the ring and what is the size of cable on the spur?

 

[72-van]

The upstairs ring is wired in 2.5mm twin n earth and the spur which has been taken off that ring is also in 2.5 mm twin n earth.

the spur wire runs under the floor and then up the wall to double socket i mention in the original posting .The cable is poorly clipped but secured after a fashion in the inside of the cupboard surface mounted.The Double socket is an old accessory surface mounted in a metal box.

I am fairly confident with cable selection csa etc i have my notes from the 17th and 2391 etc.

 

[Des 56]

Change double socket for a switched fused spur with 5 amp fuse to feed a 2 gang switch

 

[72-van]

Thanks des
I take it that you mean run the exterior light from this and take the attic lighting form the last point in the upstair lighting circuit then ?

cheers
72-van

 

[Inteificio]

You cannot take a 2.5 spur off a 2.5 ring. The 2.5 ring effectively has a cross section of ~5mm. The fuse protecting the ring will be rated to protect a 5mm circuit; therefore the 2.5mm spur is not protected by the fuse and may fail if there is a fault/overload.

This is a safety concern.

fuse that spur.


make sure the plugs are appropriately fused too.

 

[Inteificio]

just spotted something....you are 2391?!

yeesh thought I was giving advice to a DIYer, not an expert. Heh, guess my advice is a little bit basic for your skills ;-)

 

[BluSparx]

72-VAN where abouts are you as if you struggle due to your honesty about not being a spark I am sure that somebody on this forum would happily provide a quote to your elderly relative (Free of charge for quote) and explain why the testing should be carried out especially as he has had a shock.