Use an old cable for lighting circuit?

[DGClarke]

Hi
We are rewiring a house, and know that we'll need a Part P inspection after the work is complete.

I wonder if we can use the exisitng feed for the upstairs lights (it runs nicely in the walls to the loft space through a long conduit run, so won't be trivial to replace.

The cable is 1960s vintage, is good quality PVC cable in grey with 1.5mm2 standed condictors and a solid earth.

The core colours are Red/Black. Cable is in good condition.

It seems daft to have to replace one perfectly good cable with another, just to change conductor colours if the Part P regulations don't REQUIRE us to to this.

Any advice gratefully received

Dave

 

[montybaber]

I hope you don’t live near me- building control won’t let anyone without 2391 do anything. I just had a chat over the phone to them today- there so helpful!

thats ridiculous!

 

[WarrenG]

Dave,

Here is a picture example of one wiring arrangement for a 17th Edition Consumer Unit.

Hope it helps to give you a clearer picture.

http://i421.photobucket.com/albums/pp295/WarrenG_017/17thEditionBoard.jpg

Warren

 

[sparkyork]

thats ridiculous!

ill second that monty! who the swear word do labc think they are?! i aint got 2391 yet, gonna start the course soon mind. didnt bother the nic so why should it bother them! phhht beaurocrats

 

[ian.settle1]

ill second that monty! who the swear word do labc think they are?! i aint got 2391 yet, gonna start the course soon mind. didnt bother the nic so why should it bother them! phhht beaurocrats

I'll third it, none of the bugger's are electrically qualified either.

 

[DGClarke]

Hey guys, we've just performed the insulation test on the upstairs ring, and I'm certain we're just fine. The megger turned in a reading of about 2 Giga Ohms (2000 MOhms). The cable was separated from the consumer unit at the time of the test, and I was wondering if we ought to be performing the test with the wires connected and the MCB open.

Just for the record, what do the regs say? What is the lowest resistance that is acceptable?

 

[uksel]

i think it's 0.5 MegaOhms

and anything less than 2 MegaOhms requires further investigation.

couldn't say for sure without the book infront of me

 

[DGClarke]

Hey Guys,

You've probably forgotten all about me.

I just thought I'd pop on to this forum to let you all know I have decoded to take the exams.

I have my 2382 exam on 1st April. The course I bought online has an exam simulator buillt in and I have been practicing.

I got 92% on my last practice (pass is 80%) so I'm hopeful.

Once that is out of the way it's on tot he 2391 (looks harder).

Cheers all

 

[pushrod]

GOOD LUCK, be interested to hear how you get on.

 

[old dog]

i think it's 0.5 MegaOhms

and anything less than 2 MegaOhms requires further investigation.

couldn't say for sure without the book infront of me

hi it is now 1.0 megohm min and as you say < 2megohms further investigation

 

[DGClarke]

GOOD LUCK, be interested to hear how you get on.

Hey pushrod - thanks, and I will let you know how I get on this Wednesday.

I am hoping for a reasonable pass. In my practice exams I am routinely getting over 90%, and on ONE occasion I actually got 100%.

Of course these are not the real thing, and I have no idea how different the real exam is going to be.

On the face of it, the 2382 looks like an exam that ought to be reasonably easy to pass (famous last words).

If you are thinking about training, I'd say go for it. The 2382 looks a lot easier than the 2391, so make a start.

I used the ELECTA course. Buy online for about £70 (both 2382 and 2391). This gives you the simulator (for 2382 at least), so you can practice in exam conditions.

I'll post on Wednesday with the outcome. Because it's a computer based exam, you get ther results on the day.

 

[Spudnik]

The 2391 is one of the hardest courses/exams you will experience in this industry.

It carries quite a high failure rate.

You would be better off going on a course at a training centre.

 

[DGClarke]

The 2391 is one of the hardest courses/exams you will experience in this industry.

It carries quite a high failure rate.

You would be better off going on a course at a training centre.

You're not wrong. I have started reading the online couse material. You know what?

The first thing they say is that the failure rate for the 2391 is greater than 50% of entrants.

Although your advice is good, I'll look at the online stuff before making a decision. I don't really want to have to pay a small fortune and take time off work to attend a course, but it might come to that.

Thanks for your advice, I may have to take it (but I hope not).

 

[DGClarke]

Well, I passed Quite well I think.

Section scores as follows:

Scope, object and fundamental principles - 100%
Definitions - 100%
Assessment of general charateristics - 100%
Protection for safety - 71.4%
Selection and erection of equipment - 93.3%
Inspection and testing - 83.3%
Speciall installations or locations - 100%
Appendices - 66.7%

Bit disappointed about the Appendices amd Protection results, but what the heck,

The test was much harder than I expected. The trouble with doing the practice exams is that the same questions keep turning up, and of course you know the answer. I was completing the 60 questions in 40 mins and getting 92% overall. In this exam I needed the FULL 2 hours, and I still had to guess about 4 answers.

Still that's out of the way now.

Pushrod, I say go for it!