Lighting with no earth - options and 1950's cable sizing help

[batty]

dont know about you guys but that bloke who cuts the earth off/no sleeving even worse wrong colour sleeving and short cables gets every where..same problem class one fittings no earth = 1 very upset customer..but as i said at least you are still alive!!!!!!!!! to make it worse he was going to have it all done before he redecorated...you know what thought done!!

Hello telephoneman welcome to the forum. I think the worst ones are people who have twin or rubber cables, have there lofts converted and then expect you to rewire it.

Batty

 

[Andy™]

Hello telephoneman welcome to the forum. I think the worst ones are people who have twin or rubber cables, have there lofts converted and then expect you to rewire it.Batty

you missed 'without taking up any boards'

 

[batty]

you missed 'without taking up any boards'

That would be the chipboard.

 

[Andy™]

That would be the chipboard.

150mm holesaw, screws and 2x1

 

[batty]

150mm holesaw, screws and 2x1

Mind the pipes though. I use the armeg cutters and the plugs.

Batty

 

[Andy™]

Mind the pipes though. I use the armeg cutters and the plugs.Batty

probably easier to use the plugs/steel plate... just never got round to it

 

[telephoneman]

on top of it all all boards GLUED DOWN sob sob

 

[Apache]

on top of it all all boards GLUED DOWN sob sob

Ok chipboard, rubber cables, glued down AND a dead rat

 

[kme]

"Eees not a rat. Ees a Pedigree Siberian Hamster!"

 

[Apache]

"eees not a rat. Ees a pedigree siberian hamster!"

"Basil"

 

[great68]

Don't forget to put them on an RCD.

Unfortunately you shouldn't if any metal lights/ switches are present. I know it would make it safer but you would be working on and certifying a circuit that does not meet BS7671.

To save replacing all metal backboxs you can get plastic 3.5mm screws such as these,

http://www.nylonalloys.co.uk/cgi-bin/shop/nylon-alloys-products.pl?NYLON|METRIC|SCREWS|countersunkraisedslotted|countersunkraisedslotted

I have found quite a few houses of the same period ( late 50s-60s) that are wired in twin only but have a single core earth cable running to the kitchen and lounge as these would have had a 'nice' fitting in the lounge and a flourrie in the kitchen when new. Have you checked these ?

 

[spinlondon]

Unfortunately you shouldn't if any metal lights/ switches are present. I know it would make it safer but you would be working on and certifying a circuit that does not meet BS7671.To save replacing all metal backboxs you can get plastic 3.5mm screws such as these,

http://www.nylonalloys.co.uk/cgi-bin/shop/nylon-alloys-products.pl?NYLON|METRIC|SCREWS|countersunkraisedslotted|countersunkraisedslotted

I have found quite a few houses of the same period ( late 50s-60s) that are wired in twin only but have a single core earth cable running to the kitchen and lounge as these would have had a 'nice' fitting in the lounge and a flourrie in the kitchen when new. Have you checked these ?

I thought that we were changing the fittings to Class II?

 

[Andy™]

I thought that we were changing the fittings to Class II?

yes, and RCD should also be installed

 

[Blue Fox]

I am fitting an RCD - the original job is a consumer unit change so all lights will be going on an rcd. THere are 3 metal light fittings currently fitted in the house, these are going to be changed for pendants. There are no metal switches in the house just the back boxes that I'm going to be changing. I've checked all the lights and no earths anywhere unfortunatly in the lighting circuit.

 

[Blue Fox]

Unfortunately you shouldn't if any metal lights/ switches are present. I know it would make it safer but you would be working on and certifying a circuit that does not meet BS7671.To save replacing all metal backboxs you can get plastic 3.5mm screws such as these,

http://www.nylonalloys.co.uk/cgi-bin/shop/nylon-alloys-products.pl?NYLON|METRIC|SCREWS|countersunkraisedslotted|countersunkraisedslotted

I have found quite a few houses of the same period ( late 50s-60s) that are wired in twin only but have a single core earth cable running to the kitchen and lounge as these would have had a 'nice' fitting in the lounge and a flourrie in the kitchen when new. Have you checked these ?

I looked for some plastic screws but couldn't find any, may go with these instead of chaning the back boxes - much quicker and easier!!

 

[Andy™]

I looked for some plastic screws but couldn't find any, may go with these instead of chaning the back boxes - much quicker and easier!!

i would still change the backbox if possible. if there is a fault and backbox becomes live, it wont get discovered until someone touches it. i.e DIY around the switch