Old Rubber T&E

[leolec]

Just had to quote for some 'MINOR' works in a 1980's extension to an old cottage.

The extension is PVC as you would expect but the main house is pre 62 rubber.

The property is owned by a sprightly widowed lady in her late 80's so I'm trying to be appropriate with my words, and I've agreed with her that I would look (via the front with a meter) at the old wiring to satisfy ourselves that things are still safe.

She's very astute and realises a full rewire would cost which as you would expect horrifys an elderly lady living on a pension with a bit extra.

Is there any good rubber left out there? - the only remains I've ever come across is well past it removal date.

Can we get a council grant to help with the cost?

 

[Sparky Ninja]

I would suggest carrying out some IR tests so you can get an assessment of the installations existing condition.

 

[leolec]

Yep I was thinking that, continuity as well, which should give the state of the connections at all the boxes. I've got no intention of opening any of the switches or sockets as in my experience this normally dislodges cracked insulation.

 

[ian]

Yep I was thinking that, continuity as well, which should give the state of the connections at all the boxes. I've got no intention of opening any of the switches or sockets as in my experience this normally dislodges cracked insulation.

made that mistake before.
ian

 

[rsmck]

For what it's worth the house I just moved into was built in 1953 ... I am about half way through rewiring it but all the old VIR cable has now been stripped out - it was in better condition than I thought it would be except for a few pieces in junction boxes that were starting to deteriorate.

I took a few offcuts and ran IR tests at 500V on them just out of curiosity and much to my surprise they did manage around 1Mohm! ... The previous owner was 90-something and probably didn't demand much from the electrical installation (one tv, gas cooker, no tumble dryers or anything like that) and she was obviously quite happy with it... can't imagine it would cope quite as well with our plans for a modern fitted kitchen, electric shower, my home-office etc

 

[rsmck]

As an aside, interesting you mention rubber T&E ... mine was all just two core, with a separate (uninsulated) earth wire ran alongside it in most cases. Was there VIR T&E ?

 

[leolec]

It looks like t&e but I haven't opened the switches - will see tomorrow

 

[Engineer54]

For what it's worth the house I just moved into was built in 1953 ... I am about half way through rewiring it but all the old VIR cable has now been stripped out - it was in better condition than I thought it would be except for a few pieces in junction boxes that were starting to deteriorate.

I took a few offcuts and ran IR tests at 500V on them just out of curiosity and much to my surprise they did manage around 1Mohm! ... The previous owner was 90-something and probably didn't demand much from the electrical installation (one tv, gas cooker, no tumble dryers or anything like that) and she was obviously quite happy with it... can't imagine it would cope quite as well with our plans for a modern fitted kitchen, electric shower, my home-office etc

That doesn't surprise me at all!!! I've always found that only installations where this type of wiring has been stressed, or overloaded over the years will be found in a bad condition. The most common degradation being on ceiling lighting points where heat build-up, has made part of conductor insulation brittle. That and power points where, because of the lack of power point numbers in older properties, overloading, have taken there toll.

I think i've mentioned here before, that i wired my fathers garage sockets out in old rubber T&E 7/029, that i stripped out during a re-wire of the main house. That cable was as good as if it had just come off a new roll of cable. Stands up to UK's freezing winters better than modern PVC cable...lol!! .... When testing after the garage installation was completed i got far better than just 1 Meg, tens of Meg's in fact, from my memory!!!!

 

[leolec]

When testing after the garage installation was completed i got far better than just 1 Meg, tens of Meg's in fact, from my memory!!!!

So there is some good stuff left out there then!

I'll let you all know what readings I get.

 

[cheeky_blue]

Had one like this last week,
Was pleasantly surprised when I got around 30M ohms

 

[leolec]

How did you leave it with them?

 

[Des 56]

Old rubber
Whenever I see or hear that, it projects the image of the poor farm hand who has just lost his longtime faithfull steed,never to ride him again

Old Rubber, sob :wings:

 

[leolec]

Well what can you say - 16.3Meg and 0.54 on the rings, so in theory within limits although I have replaced one overheated socket and an old light fitting which needed rewiring and left the obvious advice.