Why I hate domestics

[SUNRAY]

This was found during a call out to a failed lighting circuit in an elderly couples house following a fall and ambulance response.

They say they moved here in 2005 and nothing electrical has been done since.

Sorry it's low quality, that wasn't high on my list of priorities.

 

[eveares]

Holy S***, that could have been far worse and started a fire. What's the contactor in the photo doing?

 

[JohnW2]

Has someone been taking photos in my loft?

Kind Regards, John

 

[bernardgreen]

An electrician called Picasso ?

 

[chivers67]

At least the Earth has sleeving

 

[SUNRAY]

Has someone been taking photos in my loft?

Kind Regards, John

Possibly Do you live in Aylesford?

The RCD tripped when the bathroom light was switched on, after that a fault in the fan prevented the RCD resetting. It was easily disconnected to get the system running.

I disconnected the 'stray flex' both ends of which are on the left of the pic and gave the rest a once over but it seems secure, I think the relay may be something to do with the outside lights as the neighbour (who pointed me to this area) indicates that the switch by one door operates one light but the switch by another door operates the same light plus another and there used to be a PIR flood the other side of the wall from this mess (the 4c flex I suspect) which also operated the other lights.

This morning we have been in contact with the Landlord who has had this property for 25 years, he reckons he has test certs from 2001, with CU replacement, and 2012 but the last work done was correcting the bad outside light wiring just before these tenants moved in. I suspect this is the 2 harmonised 3C&E top left.

We're meeting him there on Monday morning.

 

[SUNRAY]

At least the Earth has sleeving

Most of it, look at the white 3C&E which goes across the front.

One of them has black sleeving which needs investigation but I can't see it in the pic.

 

[footprints]

At least the Earth has sleeving

Probably because they are if we but knew it they are live wires!

 

[John D v2.0]

Why I hate domestics

Look on the bright side, you will sort out this kind of dangerous work and hopefully save more people from the same. If you steer clear of this work then you're making space for someone less conscientious to fix the problem.

 

[OwainDIYer]

I did stuff like that when I was 14.

I knew no better.

My wiring's still cack but at least I now know it's cack.

 

[JohnW2]

My wiring's still cack but at least I now know it's cack.

I doubt that's true but, even if it were, it's certainly the first step on the path to learning!

Kind Regards, John

 

[SUNRAY]

A little update, we've had a productive site meeting with the landlord, tenants and a very helpful neighbour who has been able to point us in some very good directions. We have established the culprit was a previous tenant and the landlord has genuinely been shocked to find out what has happened to his property.
By agreement we have isolated 2 circuits (shed supply being an orange ribbed rubber 1.25 flex directly into ring final which has turned grey and brittle in the sun and a 16A radial in the lounge with 3 DSSO on 1mm twin [earth derived from gas pipe]) and the rest has been left for now with a warning sign on the access hatch, the tenants will be away for a month and we have been contracted to sort it in their absence.

 

[aptsys]

Holy S***, that could have been far worse and started a fire.

Which bit?

 

[SUNRAY]

Which bit?

I'm not defending the mess in the pic but apart from the lose flex and a couple of bare earth wires (or wrong colour sleeve) the rest is sound. If it was made off in a box, or even better done with din rail terminals or Wago's everyone would be happy. So far it has been working without issue for 5 years that we know of.

 

[SimonH2]

... and the landlord has genuinely been shocked to find out what has happened to his property.

At which point, one has to wonder ... so who did property inspections, and how did they miss this (and the other faults noted) ? Do you happen to know if the landlord uses a letting agent - my guess is yes