age of installation

[tomek0410]

Hallo, Can anyone tell me how old this installation is and do I need a complite rewire or just new sockets and CU ? Thanks

Untitled

• tomek0410
• 13 May 2012
• 1

Untitled

• tomek0410
• 13 May 2012
• 1

 

[Taylortwocities]

Probably about 25 years old. The green&yellow earth sleeving MAY indicate a maximum age but the socket may have been an addition.
The Crabtree CU pic is blurred but it looks like 30 and 5 amp MCBs? You only have a single RCD for the whole property and this is a bad idea as a single fault will chop off all power from the property.

Its impossible to tell from a couple of photos. Testing needs to be done on the wiring, and more.........

You should get an Electrical Installation Condition Report carried out by a qualified electrician. This will detail the state of your installation and what, if anything, needs to be done.

 

[sparkwright]

The socket and it's earth sleeving suggests between 25 and 35 years.

Do you know if the consumer unit was fitted at the same time?

Is it a council house by any chance?

 

[londonboy]

Probably get away with just a new consumer unit.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

Looking at the twin and earth cable at the socket.
With the earth (CPC) being single strand, I assume it's metric, rather than older imperial cables.
So I concur with around mid seventies to eighties. Assuming the socket pictured is from the original install and not a latter add on.
As far as rewire, you would need top go down the electrical installation conditional report, to verify the condition the cables are in.
This would also be required if you were considering a board change.

 

[RF Lighting]

1989 I reckon.

 

[securespark]

However, the socket looks older...

And...are those M3.5 screws holding the patress to the wall?

Could it be a flush single - surface double conversion?

Could it be a spur which has had another spur spurred off it?

Or am I talking rubbish?

Those are not M3.5's, the board is older than '89 (which accounts for why the socket looks older) the house was rewired all in one go hence the socket and the board both matching brand-wise (Crabtree).

Looking at that colour of sleeving, I'd plump for somewhere between 1982 and 1987.

 

[tomek0410]

Thank you all. This is an ex-council house and I have no idea if the CU was istalled the same time as conductors. The earth arrangement is TN-S. There are 2x32A, 1x16A, 2x6A MCBs all type 1 and 30mA RCD – I think. I am going to get an electrician to test it. However, I wonder if I can get away with adding some new sockets and a new CU (save money) or I'd have to completely rewire as the house needs redecoration anyway.

 

[conny]

Putting aside the possible age of installation I think you should have an EICR done as a matter of course because one of those earths is not fully sleeved. If this is one socket you have looked at what are the others like? And more importantly, there used to be a trend of not earthing light fittings. Have you had a look at any of these?
Its impossible for anyone on here to say if your installation is alright so, as suggested, get an EICR done and then take it from there.

 

[plugwash]

Afaict PVC cable lasts practically forever unless it was either poorly manufacturered or abused while in service.

Having one RCD for the whole house is less than ideal because it will mean more stuff loses power when it trips but honestly unless you are having a tripping problem or there is a need to replace the CU for other reasons I'd just leave it.

Still getting an EICR done is a good idea as with an installation that age there may well be problems that need dealing with (most likely as a result of previous dodgy DIY).

 

[securespark]

Afaict PVC cable lasts practically forever unless it was either poorly manufacturered or abused while in service.

From an old thread:

Seen this??

 

[Sherbertlion]

Interesting table. Where is it from?

 

[chapeau]

Interesting table. Where is it from?

Probably some Arrhenius type of model. If it's accurate, which would need to be demonstrated, it pretty much backs up what Plugwash said earlier.

Afaict PVC cable lasts practically forever unless it was either poorly manufacturered or abused while in service.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

p36: http://www.electrics-home.co.uk/pdf/connections/connection156.pdf

 

[plugwash]

Seen this??

It is kinda scary just how dramatically an overload can shorten the life of a cable.

However the top right figure in that table is pretty encouraging. 69 years for a cable that is at full load for 8 hours every day (how many cables are run at exactly full load? and of those how many are run for anywhere near 8 hours a day?)