lights not earthed

[bernardgreen]

He will be "better off" with RCD on all circuits including those without a CPC ( earth wire ) so while a new CU may not be in line with "approved" practice the overall system will be considerable less hazardous in terms of prolonged electric shock. Also the risk fires due to live earth and neutral earth leakage currents will be reduced.

 

[Paul_C]

There is a lot of hysteria over cable this age. The pvc insulation shouldn't be anywhere near as dangerous as old rubber/vir/lead etc.

I can't help feeling there's a lot of hysteria these days about any part of the system which is more than a few years old. We even see suggestions that, say, a 40-year-old Wylex standard board fitted with perfectly serviceable BS1361 fuses is somehow "past it" and in desperate need of replacement.

Are you certain the earth wires haven't been chopped off or hidden in the ceiling void? It was common in the 50s and early 60s for the lighting not to have earths. Interestingly enough, the old rubber twin cable for lighting very often had earth wire in it.

It's worth pointing out though that contrary to what seems to be common belief these days, the 13th edition did not grant a blanket exemption from providing earths on lighting circuits. Earths were still required if there were metal switches, fluorescent fittings, or incandescent light fittings which didn't meet specific requirements. The latter exemption was for:

Lighting fittings using filament lamps installed in a room having a non-conducting floor, mounted at such a height that they cannot readily be touched and are out of reach of earthed metal.

If the fittings did not meet those criteria, then they still had to be earthed.