Existing Cooker wiring : 6mm2 twin and separate earth

[anamorphosa]

Dear Forum,

I'm about to start changing some kitchen wiring (and yes, the BCO has been notified ).

I noticed that the existing supply to the electric oven comes into the kitchen from the CU as 6mm2 twin with a separate unsheathed earth wire i.e. _not_ T&E . This is then taken into a JB, then a 13A socket, and then a 13A fused plug to the oven.

I am replacing this lot with a normal 30A cooker isolator DP switch, and a cooker connection unit.

My question is, is running the existing twin and separate (unshielded, bare) earth into a 30A JB at the entrance to the kitchen, followed by more normal 6mm2 T&E from the JB onwards (to the cooker FCU) allowed, or do I have to replace all the twin + separate earth with 6mm2 T&E all the way back to the CU?

There are a number of other oddities about the wiring, but I'd never seen twin and bare earth before, so wasn't sure what the right thing to do with it is.

Thanks for any help in advance.

David

 

[Adam_151]

So are you saying you have a sheathed cable containing phase and neutral but no earth and a separate bare earth run alongside?

If so, I presume the sheathed cable is black?

 

[anamorphosa]

Exactly - I have 2 "cables".

One is a grey sheathed twin core, with phase and neutral in red and black respectively (with no earth). Each of phase and neutral is multistranded.

The second "cable" is a separate bare, multistranded, earth run alongside.

David

 

[Steve]

Go to

and purchase some twin and earth with a view to replacing what you have.

 

[anamorphosa]

I figured I'd have to do that; I was hoping that somebody would say "that's not unusual for old houses, and is OK so long as you do...".

I didn't particularly want to have to pull up all the floorboards (etc. etc.) to do it all the way back to the CU.

Thanks for the advice.

David

 

[mdbalson]

Or go to

and purchase some twin and earth with a view to replacing what you have.

 

[Steve]

You could even try

and purchase some twin and earth with a view to replacing what you have.

 

[Lectrician]

I wouldnt use

They rip people off.

Try

-

or

or even

 

[Sailbadthesinner]

Twin core and separate earth is old, probably 50 years+. If humanly possible replace it, if you really cannot bring yourself to lift floorboards etc. Have it tested, it will probably fail and you will have to replace it anyway . If you can't bring yourself to having it tested you can extend it with T&E from a JB then finish your kitchen and wait for the BCO to reject it, If he doesn't mind then check your house insurance and wait for it to fail anyway!

Find time to do it right or twice, your choice

Sailbadthesinner

 

[JohnD]

Posted: Wed May 02, 2007

I think he's done it by now, Sailbad

 

[SUNRAY]

Is it done yet?