In article ,
Matthew Durkin wrote:
My Sister has just bought an old house pre-20th century house. We've
found a couple of mains cables running from the fusebox that have a
lead sheath (they looked just like the modern plastic ones until I
scratched the paint off and they revealed shiny lead. Not sure yet
where they run, but my hunch is the lighting circuits. Getting them out
will be very difficult (especially for my sister!) What current would
these be normally rated at? Could they be dangerous - how can I tell? Is
there any way of safety testing them? Any other comments?

Most of the lighting wiring in my house was lead when I bought it, and it
was old then - about 30 years ago.

However, I was surprised to find that only the rubber insulation exposed
to the air had failed - cut it back a couple of inches and it was perfect.
Of course, that rubber might have perished quickly when exposed to air - I
didn't find out.

It needs replacing, no matter how difficult. It's almost certainly a fire
risk.

--
*Stable Relationships Are For Horses.

Dave Plowman London SW
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