VIR cable

[Electric Magic]

Doing a partial rewire at the moment in a large Victorian house. The dining room wall lights that I've now removed were wired in VIR with no cpc (despite everything else in the house being rewired 20 years ago), the wall fittings were brass, the insulation on the line wire inside 2 out of 3 of the wall lights was so decayed it was virtually non existent, and to top it all off, the plumber did his work before me and shoved his brand new copper pipes under one of these cables in the ceiling above. When I found it there was no insulation left between the line conductor and the pipe it was touching. Lucky no one decided to switch the lights on when he was working above!!!

 

[sparkdog]

Funny how you can always depend on a plumber to mess up the electrics.

 

[Farmelectrics]

disconect the wall lights and recomend the lights need re wiring

 

[Deleted member 9648]

disconect the wall lights and recomend the lights need re wiring

Just as well you are here, bet he hadn't thought of that....

 

[Farmelectrics]

well maybe just matbe he might not have wirepuller

 

[7029 dave]

Well it's been in that Victorian house since electricity was installed in it, given good service, its due for replacement is it not. (20 odd years ago)

 

[Dizzy_Maskell]

Obvious re wire required have you got the megger out yet ?

 

[Jay Sparks]

With a lot of VIR cable, it is normally at the terminations that the insulation has depleted! You will probably find that along its run, the insulation is in tact and will probably test OK! However, I and many others would recommend replacing this cable before we even get the tester out. But this is not law and some older sparks would argue the case for testing it to see if it needed replacing at all. Each to their own.

Jay

 

[davesparks]

Assuming the steel conduit is still intact then it should be pretty easy to replace the VIR

 

[PEG]

disconect the wall lights and recomend the lights need re wiring

I trust you would be seeking permission first...or one day,your doctor,who has a nice Victorian property...will observe you,with maybe an unruly child,causing mayhem in his waiting room,as you are due a Flu jab,perhaps...and as you leave,he may say "I have noticed you possibly struggling with one child,so i included a short term sterility drug,in your jab...can i recommend having the snip?"

...Only a bit of fun,pal :hat:

 

[drzsta]

I was doing a kitchen refurb last week and was pulling out some 1950's Enfield Electric TRS cable. The insulation was sound on the megger and looked fresh as a daisy visually.
I would have no worries if that was in my own house of keeping it in service.
See little things like this reminds me when the electrical industry was at the height of it game.

 

[Electric Magic]

There is no metal conduit for the wall lights (although there are bits of it elsewhere in the house). The wall lights are not being replaced so have just ripped the VIR out. They are getting a chandelier that is over a meter high (not including the chain) and has 12 lamps on it (I advised that it might be a little big and bright but it is what they want). The ceilings are high (about 2.85m) but personally I wouldn't get a light that bright if its going to sit at eye level or lower, but each to their own.

 

[Simonslimline]

There is no metal conduit for the wall lights (although there are bits of it elsewhere in the house). The wall lights are not being replaced so have just ripped the VIR out. They are getting a chandelier that is over a meter high (not including the chain) and has 12 lamps on it (I advised that it might be a little big and bright but it is what they want). The ceilings are high (about 2.85m) but personally I wouldn't get a light that bright if its going to sit at eye level or lower, but each to their own.

Going to be on a dimmer perhaps?

 

[davesparks]

There is no metal conduit for the wall lights (although there are bits of it elsewhere in the house). The wall lights are not being replaced so have just ripped the VIR out. They are getting a chandelier that is over a meter high (not including the chain) and has 12 lamps on it (I advised that it might be a little big and bright but it is what they want). The ceilings are high (about 2.85m) but personally I wouldn't get a light that bright if its going to sit at eye level or lower, but each to their own.

Are you sure it's VIR then? VIR singles were only ever installed in metal conduit or wooden cap and casing

 

[Electric Magic]

Are you sure it's VIR then? VIR singles were only ever installed in metal conduit or wooden cap and casing

Thanks for the info. Having done a bit more research, I don't think it is. I originally I identified it as such because I'd read about VIR in forum posts (where exactly what it looked like was not mentioned) and when I came across this stuff I searched for a picture of it. I found a couple of pictures identified as VIR similar to what I found at the house (black flat sheathed cable with rubber insulated conductors) but I've now found information that suggests VIR only came in twisted pair with no outer sheath or singles (which highlights the perils of internet research but I'm not sure where to look for an authoritative source on such stuff - pointers welcome). I'm not sure what the correct name is for what I've found is but perhaps you could tell me? If it's not clear enough from my description I can take a picture of it when I go back next week as I haven't disposed of it yet.