Those lovely plumbers

[sparkinlee]

I've done first fix on a house rewire, and am followed by the plumbers putting in a completely new central heating system. I go upstairs to find, under the landing floor:



A whole bundle of cables sandwiched between heating flow and return pipes!

I've put foam insulation on the pipes to try to protect the cables from the direct heat, but do I need to insist the plumber adjusts the pipes? I don't fancy pulling the cables out to re-route - one of them I'm sure is the upstairs lighting feed continuous from CU downstairs to loft!

 

[Engineer54]

you could fit a bit of the split pipe insulation over the pipes where they are close to the cables.

Trouble with that is, a lot of them use the foam that can take the plasticisers out of PVC cables and heat tends to exaggerate the process. I've seen that a good few times!!!

 

[GLENNSPARK]

Trouble with that is, a lot of them use the foam that can take the plasticisers out of PVC cables and heat tends to exaggerate the process. I've seen that a good few times!!!

Polystyrene eng. Its why pvc cables should never be run in a polystyrene insulation as the polymers in the pvc tend to migrate out of it and into the polystyrene so cables become brittle and eventually will fail an IR..........

 

[Engineer54]

Polystyrene eng. Its why pvc cables should never be run in a polystyrene insulation as the polymers in the pvc tend to migrate out of it and into the polystyrene so cables become brittle and eventually will fail an IR..........

From my understanding, the loft type insulation problem has long been sorted, by introducing a different chemical make-up for the polystyrene. These foam rubbers that they use for copper pipe lagging etc, is a totally different kettle of fish. ...lol!!!

 

[GLENNSPARK]

From my understanding, the loft type insulation problem has long been sorted, by introducing a different chemical make-up for the polystyrene. These foam rubbers that they use for copper pipe lagging etc, is a totally different kettle of fish. ...lol!!!

I suppose its fair to say that current carrying cables should be kept away from insulation wherever full stop and plumbers should DEFINETELY be kept away from our cables FULL STOP.

 

[Geordie Spark]

Just to play 'Devil's Advocate' for a second or two...
How hot do CH pipes get? Surely not up to 70degC, cable's rated at 70degC, so what's the problem?








To the OP, I'd be urined off as well.
Get the copper basher to move his pipes or as telectrix said use some foam lagging.

A decent size Combi such as a Worcester 37CDI (which is a 37Kw job) delivers water to the radiators at up to 95 degrees C. when it's running flat-out.

As for lagging the pipes, I've always lagged them when they are under the ground floor, but left them bare under upstairs floors so that bedroom floors are warm for the feet first thing in the morning!

 

[Silly Sausage]

A decent size Combi such as a Worcester 37CDI (which is a 37Kw job) delivers water to the radiators at up to 95 degrees C. when it's running flat-out.

With my house and about 10 to 15 year old Vaillant I never have it on full blast anymore, so it never gets any where near as hot as that, it used to munch gas as if was cheap as air. Keep me jacket zipped up now if gets a bit chilly.

 

[Geordie Spark]

With my house and about 10 to 15 year old Vaillant I never have it on full blast anymore, so it never gets any where near as hot as that, it used to munch gas as if was cheap as air. Keep me jacket zipped up now if gets a bit chilly.

I keep mine turned down - or off - nowadays, the price of gas is ridiculous.

Generally, I only run a boiler flat-out when I'm testing & comissioning it.

 

[GLENNSPARK]

With my house and about 10 to 15 year old Vaillant I never have it on full blast anymore, so it never gets any where near as hot as that, it used to munch gas as if was cheap as air. Keep me jacket zipped up now if gets a bit chilly.

open fires like the old cast iron arches and stuff are the future i think......got all the fireplaces in my house in running order and a solid fuel rayburn.......wouldn`t go on gas now...not a chance...folk are being robbed...........

 

[Silly Sausage]

I'm dreaming of putting in a multifuel burner in my back room, but looking at some of the prices for a reasonable one it's going to have to wait. Got a backyard full of nice dry wood to burn as well.

 

[Geordie Spark]

open fires like the old cast iron arches and stuff are the future i think......got all the fireplaces in my house in running order and a solid fuel rayburn.......wouldn`t go on gas now...not a chance...folk are being robbed...........

I agree ..... I'm thinking about one of those for myself

 

[GLENNSPARK]

I'm dreaming of putting in a multifuel burner in my back room, but looking at some of the prices for a reasonable one it's going to have to wait. Got a backyard full of nice dry wood to burn as well.

Right ..what you do is get a large calor gas bottle (empty of course) and unscrew the valve of it to let any residual gas out. Cut a square out of it about a third of the way up for a door and cut a round hole in the top for the smoke to get out. Do you have welding plant at home archy? I used to work in heavy industrys as a welder so i have a stick welder at home and may be able to get a large calor gas bottle. I could make it up for you if you want but you`d have to collect it (dewsbury) . its just over the pennines not far.......

 

[baileysufc]

ive got one of them i made from a gas bottle works like a dream tbh but had to put a tray in bottom to collect ash to make it easier to clean deffonatly work the 2 hour making it.

 

[GLENNSPARK]

There easy to make and they really do get hot without using much fuel you can put a damper on em n all which helps to control the burn rate............

 

[baileysufc]

There easy to make and they really do get hot without using much fuel you can put a damper on em n all which helps to control the burn rate............

just thinking i have made burners from 4 steel wheels as well not quiet as afective as the gas bottle but works

 

[GLENNSPARK]

just thinking i have made burners from 4 steel wheels as well not quiet as afective as the gas bottle but works

Chap down the road from me does em like this...couple of centres off truck wheels welded together to make a barrel ....works well he uses em to heat up outbuildings.....