Made me jump!

[Mjward]

Moved into a new house and before I make a start on the serious renovation, thought I'd mount a TV so I have some evening entertainment.

Easy, the previous owners already had one up, just need to move along slightly for new pilot holes for the new bracket. Or so I thought.

Drilled first pilot hole, no issue.
Drilled second pilot hole and lights in room went out. (I didn't connect the two immediately as the microwave was on and this earlier triggered the RCBO).
Drilled third pilot hole and poof, bit of a spark, RCBO triggered again and told me something was not right.

The things that are alarming me are:

1) I've drilled a couple of inches horizontally from where previous mount was installed. Closer to a power socket but nowhere near above. Further away from a light switch and in no logical route of a cable run

2) the room lights are switching off when there was a power overload earlier on the sockets. Don't know why these would be on same RCBO.

This house is completely new to me less than a week ago so don't have a full understanding of the electrics but there s growing number of warning signs that something isn't right

 

[Mjward]

It's good practice to remove redundant cables and switchgear, sadly not everyone follows good practice.

The jointed alarm cables are indeed a right mess and should be enclosed in a box of some kind. As to the reason they've been joined here - either some berk chopped through them accidentally, or the alarm panel has been moved to a different location.

The metal pin is an early earth rod, usually installed when the earthing arrangement is TT.
Again, poorly installed, with no proper means of connecting the cable, and no protection from the elements. There should be an inspection pit sunk in the ground.

Thank you! Will enclose them in a MF box and affix to the joist. As for the earth rod, other than tracing back to CU is there a way I could test if it actually forms part of the current circuit as I'm uncovering a lot of redundant wiring.

 

[loz2754]

Thank you! Will enclose them in a MF box and affix to the joist. As for the earth rod, other than tracing back to CU is there a way I could test if it actually forms part of the current circuit as I'm uncovering a lot of redundant wiring.

From the look of the earth rod, and the wire connected to it, it looks likely to be not in use. A picture of the main earthing terminal (either in or near to the consumer unit) may reveal whether the rod is in use or not.

 

[Mjward]

From the look of the earth rod, and the wire connected to it, it looks likely to be not in use. A picture of the main earthing terminal (either in or near to the consumer unit) may reveal whether the rod is in use or not.

Suspect you'll need a different angle but here is one I have on file if of use

 

[brianmoooore]

That could be an old telephone earth.

 

[Mjward]

That could be an old telephone earth.

Funnily enough...where it enters the property is where the BT line comes in. If that is the case, is it redundant or still required?

 

[brianmoooore]

No. The old style lightning arresters needed an earth. Modern ones don't.
What does the BT line come into?

 

[Mjward]

No. The old style lightning arresters needed an earth. Modern ones don't.
What does the BT line come into?

A few supplementary pictures showing cables entering the property (terminating into BT box), external view of cables (3 going into property, including the 1x earth, 1x cable from telephone point, 1x unknown) and a view of the telephone point which has an overhead wire taking it to a BT pole on the street.

 

[brianmoooore]

The wring that originally went with those insulators on the wall bracket would have needed an earth wire exactly like the one in your pic.
I removed the last traces of ours when I re roofed and upgraded the porch last summer.
The earth wire would have gone into a rectangular Bakelite box mounted where your BT master is now.

 

[polaroid]

A few supplementary pictures showing cables entering the property (terminating into BT box), external view of cables (3 going into property, including the 1x earth, 1x cable from telephone point, 1x unknown) and a view of the telephone point which has an overhead wire taking it to a BT pole on the street.

That Twin&E probably aint UV resistant either...

 

[DPG]

Nice stonework round the door, and nice leaded glass.

 

[Mjward]

The wring that originally went with those insulators on the wall bracket would have needed an earth wire exactly like the one in your pic.
I removed the last traces of ours when I re roofed and upgraded the porch last summer.
The earth wire would have gone into a rectangular Bakelite box mounted where your BT master is now.

Good knowledge. Thank you!

 

[Mjward]

Nice stonework round the door, and nice leaded glass.

Fine bit of Yorkshire stone. In the centre of the glass is a painting of the view from the house when it was built in 1906, don't see that kind of detail these days!

 

[DPG]

Fine bit of Yorkshire stone. In the centre of the glass is a painting of the view from the house when it was built in 1906, don't see that kind of detail these days!

Nice!

 

[Mjward]

Forgot to say...was ripping out a built in book case and had a nice surprise... Was puzzled where the socket was being fed from ??

 

[Mjward]

Any recommendations for a slow to start pendant? Roughly 1 second delay between flicking switch and bulb illuminating.

Thus far have tried:
1) changed the light fitting to a basic one bulb MK pendant set for testing purposes
2) changed the light switch
3) changed the wiring from switch to light

For reference it's wired at the switch with a separate neutral loop going from pendant to pendant and a live & earth loop going from switch to switch. Pendants in adjacent room illuminate instantly.