MICC/PYRO. CABLE FAULT. / FUSE NOT BLOWING

[MOGTARYAN]

Hi. I have a question about MICC/PYRO cable.
I have only very rarely worked with this type of cable , I've mostly worked in domestic wiring.
However the other day a friend asked me to change a faulty single socket for him, ( piece of cake). It didn't turn out to be !!!
He lived in a flat built in the 1960's and it was wired in MICC cable. A ring main . Protected by a rewirable 30 amp fuse.
I fitted a new single socket and as I screwed the socket back, I nipped one of the cables and caused a short! I said to my friend, don't worry, done that a few times, and went to change the fusewire. Fusewire still intact ( and correct size ).
I have a few theories on what has happened, but would like to here others points of view.
What is the lifespan of MICC cable?
Cheers!!!

 

[Dave the spark]

Not used Pyro in many a year but I'm pretty sure I could still make end after end without any problems. Enjoyed working with it.

 

[Dave OCD]

Me too, used to be my favourite to work with.

 

[Sam cook]

It took me quite along time and constant demonstrations from my dad to dress MICC into a fixed Bess box position. After that job I had quite a lot of respect for the older generation of sparks. We've got a job coming up with a load of 6mm / Imperisl MICC radials coming out of old mem Distribution Boards and we are recruiting my dad out of retirement to lend a hand in case we run up trouble. I can make a end off and dress but would take longer then we'll experienced sparks, something a lot of companies can't understand or see, not like a soft skin fp cable knife, strip and connect!

 

[Dave the spark]

Unfortunately cost is king and it costs too much in terms of outlay on cable and time spent using a degree of skill to make ends and dress and clip neatly.

Christ, I've turned in to my tradesmen of yesteryear!

 

[Sam cook]

Unfortunately cost is king and it costs too much in terms of outlay on cable and time spent using a degree of skill to make ends and dress and clip neatly.

Christ, I've turned in to my tradesmen of yesteryear!

I agree about the cost and time, we've had a drum of new 2L 1.5 orange left over from a job, must be 20 years ago and the cost to buy that drum now is astronomical.

 

[westward10]

Life and technology moves on, if FP had been about 40 years ago then the demise of MI would probably be old news now.

 

[MOGTARYAN]

Hi, yeah as regards learning from ones mistakes, when I said to my friend, don't worry ive done that a few times, it's in context of working for @ 43 years and connecting probably millions of fittings.
Also not 2 circuits, as somebody suggested, I'm talking about 1 ring main. It's great to hear people remenicing about the days of dressing PYRO and making the ends off. Yes you could make a beautiful job with it. Does anybody know do you still make the ends off as was done @ 35 years ago?
I'm looking for solutions to a problem by the way, not for judgements on whether I should not have nicked a cable, or taken a friend's word that the upstairs sockets were off.
Thanks again for those with positive or funny remarks.

 

[soms]

Did some MICC at college recently. I have a CITB book from the late 80's which I used for reference and the process and tools are the same.
I suppose with many decades the difference will be imperial sizes moved to metric and perhaps different materials for potting and insulating the bare conductors.
How is the cable damaged? If you just nicked the conductor with a machine screw can you not repair the insulation by replacing the sleeving (with the correct type)?

 

[Toneyz]

I can only think of two scenarios for the other sockets not working
1.It is not a ring and cable broken where nicked it.
2 it is a ring and it as above but there is another break in the ring now making not working after about 1/4 round after protective device.

 

[buzzlightyear]

I have only very rarely worked with this type of cable ,

whots the betting he's blown pot ,

 

[westward10]

whots the betting he's blown pot ,

Well it is a Sunday, why not

 

[MOGTARYAN]

Totally Agree, nice one!

 

[buzzlightyear]

have you have blown a pot ?.
got the tools for this pot blown .

 

[Pete999]

have you have blown a pot ?.
got the tools for this pot blown .

Yep smoke paper some herbs a lighter off you blow