Wiring to socket sleeve damaged

[Dazza0]

Hi All

brand new to this forum and looking for some advice

my name is Daz I am a big diy enthusiast will give anything a try once I have the confidence to complete the job safely,

I just had a phone call from the mother in law saying her dishwasher keeps tripping the electrics,

I have taken it apart and checked all parts for any burnt out connection a or signs of water damage but found nothing,

then looking under the counter I saw the two grey cables leading to the sockets, one of these cables has the sleeve melted off, then on the back of the dishwasher It seems the cable has moulded into the bitumen pad on the back through to the metal,

I will try to add photos,

my questions are..

does the grey cable need replacing now the sleeve has slightly removed or can it be repaired?

can electrical tape over this be suitable?

how easy is it to replace the cable if required?

how expensive would it be if I needed a qualified electrician?

Many thanks for your time

 

[telectrix]

i would make a guesstimate that the bitumen on the machine has formed an insulation (heat wise) causing the cable to overheat in a confined space.not a big job for an electrician to see if the cables are OK and check it out. I would have them chased into the wall.

 

[brianmoooore]

That is very bad workmanship by the original electrician. A dishwasher usually occupies every inch of the space it fits into, and the back panels get very hot in use - way over the max. temp for a T&E cable. There's also a certain amount of vibration from a dishwasher, which can damage a cable trapped behind it, especially if they're not fixed properly and cross over each other.
Can't really see damage to the cable in the pic. Is the grey outer sheath worn through somewhere?
Where do the two cables go to on the left of the pic?

 

[Dave OCD]

Dishwashers do get very hot , to the extent that I've come across plugs in behind melted to the back of the dishwasher . Far better to repair and relocate the cables into an adjacent base unit, fit a new socket and route the dishwasher plug into there. Well away from the heat and far easier to isolate the appliance if a fault develops.

 

[brianmoooore]

A lot of the refurb work I get involved in starts with starts with lining the inside of exterior walls with Celotex.
IF I get there in time, I arrange for the insulation behind where a free standing dishwasher is going to be made an inch thinner, and the wall board a corresponding inch further back.
All my properties are done like this, plus several of my customers', and it pays dividends when it comes to sliding the dishwasher back into place.

 

[Dazza0]

That is very bad workmanship by the original electrician. A dishwasher usually occupies every inch of the space it fits into, and the back panels get very hot in use - way over the max. temp for a T&E cable. There's also a certain amount of vibration from a dishwasher, which can damage a cable trapped behind it, especially if they're not fixed properly and cross over each other.
Can't really see damage to the cable in the pic. Is the grey outer sheath worn through somewhere?
Where do the two cables go to on the left of the pic?

Thanks for the response
Yeah the grey outer sheath has become one with the bitumen by the looks of it,

the two cables go through to a twin plug socket which is under the sink
I have had a socket tester plugged into it and it says the sockets are still good,

 

[brianmoooore]

What's plugged into the double socket, and what (if anything) is vertically above the point where the wires emerge from the wall?

 

[Dazza0]

What's plugged into the double socket, and what (if anything) is vertically above the point where the wires emerge from the wall?

The dishwasher is in one and the washing machine is in the other,

directly above the wires emerging from the wall is the back of the draining board

many thanks

 

[brianmoooore]

That's poor design in itself. The maximum load for a double 13A socket is 20A, and the combined load of those two could possibly exceed that at times.
Is there a socket on the wall directly above the draining board, directly above where the wires emerge?

 

[telectrix]

should be separate single sockets for the 2 appliances. as above, poor design.

 

[Dazza0]

That's poor design in itself. The maximum load for a double 13A socket is 20A, and the combined load of those two could possibly exceed that at times.
Is there a socket on the wall directly above the draining board, directly above where the wires emerge?

Hi thanks for your response

no not a plug socket but there is a double light switch that’s all,

 

[brianmoooore]

If the light switch is VERTICALLY directly above where the cable emerges, that at least means the cable is chased into the wall in compliance with the regulations, but unfortunately, it does preclude the solution I was going to suggest.