rewire?

[Hawk]

Had a quick look at a property, which a friend has bought, to see what the electrics are like. From just doing a visual and from information from the previous owner, the property is late 60's early 70's and had additional works carried out in the 80's. My initial thoughts are that it will need rewired due to the age of the installation. However I will know better when I do a thorough inspection and tests. I have attached a picture of the fuse boxes/wiring.

What would your thoughts be from the info and picture. Would you rewire, due to age, even if the tests prove the wiring is ok?

 

[UNG]

yeah its not good, shows that the circuits have been overloaded as well (quite often a single socket ring in the house)

Would you care to enlighten us, I have seen many cables that have certainly not been overloaded yet they are still oozing green goo

 

[UNG]

To rewire or not to rewire, I would rewire if only to install more sockets to feed all the tech and gadgets that life today seems to need

 

[Hawk]

I told them that that I recommend rewiring even though the insulation resistance on the cables is satisfactory. Why have I recommended rewiring? Age of the installation and the type of cable that was used is that which produces the " green slime". Plus the fact that on average there is only 2 sockets per room. As they don't have the funds I am only fitting a dual rcd board and adding more sockets in and upgrading the bonding to 10mm.

 

[DuaneMHunt1976]

I think its more Lists of things that need going to a House, and after buying it, normally means waiting..

But the CU and the Bonding sounds like the best thing to do.

Sockets and ReWiring might be a pain for them so when they can and able to get it done, but its not NEEDED.

My house is late 60's early 70's, but will have to read up more on this "Green slime" sounds like a Electricians Horror Movie

http://www.napitonline.com/downloads/CP 6 07 P 28 Ask Eddie Green Slime.pdf
just reading about it now, dont sound good

 

[Midwest]

If you read the napit pdf, you'll see that it is not entirely necessary to rewire just because of the presence of the green slime, dependent on IR tests. Been at a couple of the properties where this stuff is evident, and got quite acceptable IR results. Eventually over the course of time, this stuff (which is the plasticiser in the used in the cable manufacture) will cause IR to break down or the cable to become brittle, so rewire will be required at some time, but perhaps no more so than any other cable without this stuff present. It is also a bit toxic, managed to get some on my face, and it stung a bit! Something to consider if it's quite bad and dripping out of accessories. Also been discussed on this forum before; http://www.electriciansforums.co.uk...s-electrical-regulations/32250-green-goo.html

and this from IET; IET Forums - Green Goo?

 

[Hawk]

Yeah researched it and mixed reactions. Some people say rewire asap while others say if it's not affecting the installation then no need for a rewire. I've only noticed it on one kitchen socket so far (see attached pic) and its not the worst. The socket, which was an original socket of the installation, had an extention lead ran off it to supply a fridge. So I was thinking maybe it has been the load which has heated the cable thus activating the reaction that causes the green goo. Only a thought though.

 

[DuaneMHunt1976]

WOW thanks for the picture, dam can see copper showing there
looks like someone had taken a lighter to it

just wondering how they get the cable that GREEN, Arsenic was a way to get Green Colour
and they did used to use it in PCB board

 

[davesparks]

Suggest you check for cable rot sometimes known as green goo.

Cable rot? That's utter rot!

Green goo has been proven to have no detrimental impact on the cable.

 

[Hawk]

The green wire is just sleeving on the earth wire. The green go is in the sheath. If you zoom in you will see it better.

 

[Midwest]

Cable rot? That's utter rot!

Green goo has been proven to have no detrimental impact on the cable.

That's not exactly true, if you read some of the references on this stuff, opinion on how to deal with it is divided. One of my own personal experinces with it, was finding it when replacing a physically damaged socket. The 'goo' was on and in the strands of the cable ends as they had been termnated into the socket. Although the terminations were tight (on the damaged socket), the cable ends were tarnished and appeared to have caused over heating. The cables were sufficiently long enough to re-terminate into the new socket terminations, but I still had to remove the 'goo' from the newly exposed conductors. I adviced the customer what I had found, gave them a copy of the napit pdf, and told them to google 'green goo on cables' and to make their own minds up on whether to rewire or not. Have to say it was not the worst Ive seen and IR tests were acceptable. I was never called back to rewire. The effects on health by Di-octylpthalate or Dioctyl Phthalate are still being researched. If it was my property, I would rewire.

 

[Dizzy_Maskell]

Be careful of that old MEM top board, you may find it has asbestos flash guards

Which opens a complete can if worms

 

[Hawk]

Midwest, I have done the exact same as you. I showed them the napit pdf and told them the final decision is up to them. Means it will be an informed decision.
Always have to be careful working around older fuseboxes. I'm sure older types do contain asbestos.