The History Of Cable.

[repcen]

Up the loft of an old office one day doing a rewire.We thought everything was switched off . When one of the lads shouted fire! we saw an old lead covered cable catching fire it was from the office next door . We managed to get into the office next door and up there loft to see it burning just like the fuse on a stick of dynamite very lucky! If you see lead now it has to be replaced no questions asked !

 

[Knobhead]

If you see lead now it has to be replaced no questions asked !

What you going to do hold the property owner at gunpoint? You can only advise, doubly so if you’ve just come charging in from next door. The first shot would be at you, you caused the fault, your responsible!

 

[Knobhead]

Pyrotenax.

View attachment 7461View attachment 7462

The book the pictures are from is over 60 years old! But it’s still in use to day.
Pyro not the bloody book before some of you smart a*ses start on me!

 

[topquark]

I was trying to think of a suitably double edged comment, but failed dismally!

 

[nnw49]

My first house had lead sheathed, rubber insulated lighting wiring.

The rubber had perished and shorted out when I moved cables around in the loft!

 

[Guest123]

'Anchoring Bulge' lololololol!!!!!!!!:50:

 

[Knobhead]

Knob and tube wiring.
Gutta Percha insulated singles run individually on porcelain posts (knobs) and where they pass through walls or beams porcelain tubes. As an apprentice I disconnected the supply to a building wired like this before it was demolished.

And before any smart ar*e says any thing it’s not my kitchen wiring!

View attachment 7926
it was used for domestic as well

View attachment 7927

 

[Rockingit]

I had an old-boy customer (93) talking about Pyrotenex yesterday - spooky!

 

[amstrade]

Has anyone come across Black pre-wired conduit??? Found in late 70s old people home. Nobody seems to know about this. well, not on www anyway. Please do let me know if you have any info about this wiring system and how reliable it was and why it just disappeared!! thanks!

 

[hillbillie]

I remember, as an apprentice with the post office (later to become BT) fixing faults on paper cable in manholes; thirty odd years ago London was full of this stuff.

Air is a very good insulator but why would you put paper cables underground in wet England? If there was nothing else to use I suppose?

 

[davie spark]

VIR was only designed to last 15 yearsbefore needing to be replaced so strictly speaking there should be NONE of it still in service today. PVC/PVC imperial was designed only to last 25 years before needing to be replaced, man! is this sad or what, why am I typing this crap?

 

[Spock]

Very Useful list there Lenny!

Do you or anyone else know if they ever made (possibly in the 60's) Flat Cable (2 cores and earth - all stranded) with Black outer sheath? I've come across some that looks and feels like PVC and which appears to be in good condition (i.e. not crumbling in the style of VIR) - I guess its possible that it was from later than the 60's but the customer seems to think a lot of the wiring dates back to 1962.

Thanks

 

[2BobSparky]

Paper

• Pre-war paper cable is still in service in distribution networks, and causes a good deal of downtime
• The polychlorinated bipehnyl (PCB) used in old paper insulation is toxic, and the insulation should not be handled with bare hands

Is this the diaelectric "oil" as I have heard it referred to that leaks out of some of these cables?

I came across an incoming mains cable in a building basement where this stuff had seaped down the cable and pooled on the floor.

 

[Dazed&confused]

This is very useful for me. I've got a test tomorrow in college, I've already passed my first practical of a two way lighting circuit, testing it and lighting that circuit up. IT WORKED, FIRST TIME and nobody died in the process.

This test tomorrow, i've been told is easy, but I dont work in the trade so any knowledge regarding lighting circuits and wiring would be welcome. For example one practice question was why are wires covered in PVC, so to stop any short circuits if they touched, that sort of thing.

Cheers

 

[Graeme Harrold]

Well got a nice history lesson this week, and all I can say is "big up" to the sparks and more likely apprentices because this stuff was heavy....yes I rewired a property form lead sheathed...and it was still in use following a CU change in the last 10 years!!