My inherited CU

[uselessFCUK]

Aint she pretty! Can anyone make out the size of the incomer tails? 10 or 16mm?

6mm tails off to shower's 30A RCBO... no isolation.

Pretty JB in attic; spurs off to sockets with spurs upon spurs!

Should keep me busy.

This 2bed semi was built in 1968. Would this stranded T&E date back to then?

 

[holmslaw]

..

 

[uselessFCUK]

Thanks Holmslaw.

Wallpaper pre 60's... it's gotta be!

Behind the CU the brick cavity is opened up for cable routing. Draughty.

JB: cable at 7 o'clock is spur... which is then further spurred off for two radial sockets in conservatory (I'm told was installed 2004).

Original ring may be lower cable at 4 o'clock. There is a spur off to a kitchen 2g socket spurring off to FCU for boiler. Also, a 1mm spur off to conservatory FCU for lighting/ceiling fan.

Cable at 11 o'clock... I hope that isn't slung over to the garage or to the 3g unswitched socket next to the sink!

FYI I'm a 1977 baby and started my time in 1994. Is there a table of cable size equivalents of those you quoted. I've only ever known mm.sq, but thanks for bringing that to my attention.

Thanks Holmslaw

Regards
UF

 

[holmslaw]

..

 

[Taylortwocities]

Any good to you?
You'd have to map on todays metric sizes with the current-carrying capacity.

See volt drop max was 2.5% in them days (1966). And petrol was 5s/6d a gallon.

 

[holmslaw]

,,

 

[thetman]

That CU looks a lot like the one I inherited in my house, approx 23 years old at this point.

Check out the unprotected cable off to the shower !!

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• 26 May 2008
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[uselessFCUK]

wow... must have had the same sparky.

6mm tails off supply side of CU switch to shower RCBO.

 

[Spark123]

That CU looks a lot like the one I inherited in my house, approx 23 years old at this point.

Check out the unprotected cable off to the shower !!

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• thetman
• 26 May 2008
• 1

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• thetman
• 26 May 2008
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[/img]

Were harmonized colours really out 23 years ago?

 

[ban-all-sheds]

But...

You can't overload the 6mm² cable because of the RCBO, and if the main fuse is 60A that would be OK for fault protection, no?

 

[larco]

uselessFCUK how old is your meter?

I have the same one but there is no label telling me how old it is

 

[uselessFCUK]

Got a feeling it's an '86 model of Landis & Gyr (CL27.2 ?)... though there's a handwritten label stating '14/4/87' (initially thought it read 89) which I assume was it's install date.

 

[Spark123]

But...

You can't overload the 6mm² cable because of the RCBO, and if the main fuse is 60A that would be OK for fault protection, no?

I take this as a response to uselessFCUK's post, although overload protection is in place, there is no way to isolate all the live conductors (including the neutral), on a domestic property this is afaik a must.

In thetman's case I cannot make out the size of the main fuse, without knowing all the details it is not possible to determine if the CPC is large enough for the protective device, even though the overcurrent is downstream.
As for the mess of a hole made in the top of the CU, I doubt it will be to IP4X

 

[thetman]

The main cut out fuse is 100A.

My concern was the inability to isolate the installation.

 

[Spark123]

Theres that, and also the piece of 2.5mm? CPC which is protected by a 100A cutout fuse! I wouldn't like to bet which one will pop first.
How did they manage to miss a single strand in the phase?
New CU probably wouldn't go a miss tbh, being open backed and mounted on a wooden surface.