On Sun, 12 Jun 2005 22:08:53 GMT, "Richard J."
wrote:

While investigating some dampness in my kitchen walls, we found that the
previous owner's builder, when extending the kitchen in 2000, had
embedded a T&E cable for a radial circuit in the concrete floor screed
without a conduit and only about 10 mm below the surface. I believe
they are supposed to be at least 50 mm and in conduit. Would this have
been illegal at the time, or merely foolhardy?

(The dampness, by the way, came from a leaking water pipe joint, also
positioned just under the surface.)


I believe just extremely foolhardy. Part P is supposed to deal with
stupid things like that. It went against all recommendations then, but
no laws as such (The wiring regulations had no legal force then,
indeed, they don't even now, they are just recommendations, such that
if you follow them, it is deemed safe, however not following them
doesn't automatically make it 'non compliant'.

The only rules then I believe were it must be safe in normal usage,
and must not affect the supply to other customers, a badly
[un]protected cable would not violate these rules.

At least he used T&E and not zip cord/vacuum cleaner flex/bell wi-)

Found a 3 core vacuum cleaner cord buried in a plastered wall once,
feeding a 2 way light switch, old red/black/green rubber flex.
And yes, they'd used the green as a live.

--
"I think computer viruses should count as life. I think it
says something about human nature that the only form of life
we have created so far is purely destructive. We've created
life in our own image." - Stephen Hawking