Rewire - cables snapping?

[Moobug]

Hi all, we recently had our place rewired and our electrician (family friend, qualified, travelled to the area to do the job as an early housewarming gift) used a couple of batches of cable for the work. The second lot he used snapped off a couple of times while he was putting it in (neutral wire only). All circuits tested fine before he left.

Two weeks later, since we've done the plastering and put the sockets back on, we've had problems and discovered the neutral cables snapping. We've turned everything off and getting a local electrician to have a look, but do you have any advice on what could be happening? Our bloke said he'd never seen it happen before. It's worrying for him and us because we don't know what we're doing and he's 200 miles away and can't get back easily.

 

[RF Lighting]

Sounds very strange indeed. Even if the cable was very brittle, it shouldn't snap once it's in place as there will be no movement on it.

It's impossible to say what's really happening without actually seeing the job as it sounds very unusual indeed.

Was this cable a well known brand, with a BASEC approved stamp on it?

 

[Moobug]

It was from Screwfix. That's all I can tell you as I have no experience. Our FF has wondered if it was a faulty batch, and where we'd stand if this was the case.

 

[Taylortwocities]

Atom Kablo?

 

[Moobug]

Is that a brand of wire? I'll check tomorrow.

 

[RF Lighting]

Yes it's a brand of cable, but not sure if screwfix sold it. Hopefully there will be a manufactureres name printed / stamped on to the cable.

If it is a result of faulty cable, then the manufacturer should pay for the replacement cable, the labour to replace it and any making good required.

 

[ScottishGasMan]

this is got me worrying a bit, I've been first fitting the wiring in my home (only one light/smoke alarm circuit so far) and used screwfix cable, and niticed a popping/snapping noise as I was straightening it out off the reel, I assumed it was the cpc moving in the sheath of the cable slightly as it was straightened out. don't have any fittings on yet so will do some continuity checks next time Im round.

 

[RF Lighting]

I generally install pyrsmian cable which is a brand that screwfix sell, and have always found it to be one of the better quality cables on the market.

They also sell a cheaper cable which I have no experience with.

 

[Taylortwocities]

Is that a brand of wire? I'll check tomorrow.

Sorry, my bad. Should nhave said

Atlas Kablo

see http://www.voltimum.co.uk/news/1417...urer-Atlas-Kablo-s-certification-licence.html

But doubt that SFX would be selling it.......

 

[Moobug]

Thanks for the advice, guys. If it looks like the wire is faulty, should I get a statement of this from the electrician who has a look, and contact the company before asking for it to be fixed?

 

[RF Lighting]

Yes, if it is the cable which is faulty, then you'll need to contact the manufacturers and possibly even BASEC as an independant investigator.

Do not remove / replace the cable and then try and persue it as you'll never get anywhere.

 

[Moobug]

Thanks for the feedback - much appreciated In a way, I'm quite glad that this sounds unusual to those of you with experience. Faulty materials must be every spark's nightmare.

 

[RF Lighting]

I have seen it once in 15 years, and that was with some CCTV cable. We pulled in 30 or so runs from maybe 15 drums, and the same core was open circuit on about 10 of the runs.

Of course the fault wasn't discovered until the comisioning stage at the end of the job when most of the building finishing works were complete.

 

[sparkiemike]

How cold was it when it was installed?

http://www.basec.org.uk/News/Basec-News/Cables-in-the-Cold

 

[Chri5]

Where the cable breaking? If its at the strip back pre termination could it be over zealous sheath stripper or the result of scoring the sheathed cable with a Stanley blade?