Whats this on the cut out?

[Welchyboy1]

I have seen this red single core cable coming out of the old cast cut outs quite a few times now and just wondered what they were?

Anyone know??

 

[JBW175]

I’ve never came across that before, but is that VIR cable?

 

[DPG]

Looks like an old kettle element. Try sticking it in a cup of water with a teabag. Actually, best not eh.

 

[westward10]

It is VRI or PBJ most unusual I suspect that is actually live.

 

[Dustydazzler]

Could be a an old looped Live for a 2nd meter ?

 

[mattg4321]

Never seen anything like that. I think I’d be having DNO out asap

 

[Lucien Nunes]

Not familiar with that either. Are the head and service cable ordinary in other respects? Seems odd that they would leave a vulnerable length of unfused cable hanging out. I'm struggling to guess the size in the pic but it looks small, less than the 7/.064 that the service cable is likely to be.

Would be interested to know if it is live.

 

[littlespark]

Has it been put there to supply an old timeclock or teleswitch, and never got used?

You say you’ve found a few of these?

Agree it’s very strange if live. Not exactly well protected.

 

[Welchyboy1]

Yes it’s not the first one i have come across on the old iron heads with this odd looped red single core of old braided conductor by the look of it

in new money I’d say it was between 6mm-10mm

to be honest I’m not sure if it’s live or not I’ll put a wand on it when I’m back there

the head is not unusual in any other way

as mentioned maybe it’s for a timeclock or some other addition

 

[Welchyboy1]

Never seen anything like that. I think I’d be having DNO out asap

Well the DNO have been in to up grade the fuse to 100A and never mentioned anything about it, I did think they may change the entire head whilst doing the upgrade but never

 

[DPG]

Well the DNO have been in to up grade the fuse to 100A and never mentioned anything about it, I did think they may change the entire head whilst doing the upgrade but never

Can't believe they've left that loop there. Doesn't look very safe. At least needs clipping/securing.

 

[brianmoooore]

Has a voltstick (non contact voltage indicator) been anywhere near it?

 

[freddo]

Can't believe they've left that loop there. Doesn't look very safe. At least needs clipping/securing.

I doubt they'd bother digging all the pitch out to sort it! I'd just leave it well alone, it could be a talking point at parties.

 

[marconi]

As it it is a loop, might it be for an optional peak(maximum) demand recording meter and associated tariff - but perhaps very unusual in a domestic setting. Being an ammeter this would only require line in and out. I cannot find an image of an old one.

 

[Lucien Nunes]

I've never seen or heard of an MD meter in a domestic setting, but any other metering would surely be connected after the cutout fuse inline with one meter tail, so that it is both protected and capable of being isolated. I can't see any justification for connecting anything but another fuse directly to the supply, although breaking a flying lead out of one of the spare entries in the sealing chamber is not the normal way to do that.

I wondered whether the service cable is actually 3- or 4-core. The installer might have been issued with SP+N terminal equipment and instructions to provide an SP+N connection, but had one or two extra cores available that were unconnected upstream. A stub of cable was then sweated onto the spare core(s) in case they needed to be brought into service in the future, and the fact it is physically a loop at the moment is not significant.