Anyone got any ideas as to what strange green (almost) liquid would be
in my light fittings. I was changing the usual pendant light fittings
in my lounge (2, one each end in my 60's built house) for some fancy
up-to-date fitments. Wen I took off the old rose pieces they had what
looked liked old congealed washing up liquid in them, shich was
difficult to actually was off once It was on my hands. Any ideas apart
from old congealed washing up liquid? And if it was likely to be that,
why?

Cheers

Mike

"Mike" wrote in message
...
Anyone got any ideas as to what strange green (almost) liquid would be
in my light fittings. I was changing the usual pendant light fittings
in my lounge (2, one each end in my 60's built house) for some fancy
up-to-date fitments. Wen I took off the old rose pieces they had what
looked liked old congealed washing up liquid in them, shich was
difficult to actually was off once It was on my hands. Any ideas apart
from old congealed washing up liquid? And if it was likely to be that,
why?

Cheers

Mike

I have seen this oozing from old T&E cabes in my house (now all replaced, as
it think these were old aluminium ones that were "leaking")

Did you notice it on any cables in your fittings?

If not, maybe it was from old cables that have need replaced already?

Toby...

On 4 May, 14:16, "Toby" wrote:
"Mike" wrote in message

...

Anyone got any ideas as to what strange green (almost) liquid would be
in my light fittings. I was changing the usual pendant light fittings
in my lounge (2, one each end in my 60's built house) for some fancy
up-to-date fitments. Wen I took off the old rose pieces they had what
looked liked old congealed washing up liquid in them, shich was
difficult to actually was off once It was on my hands. Any ideas apart
from old congealed washing up liquid? And if it was likely to be that,
why?

Cheers

Mike

I have seen this oozing from old T&E cabes in my house (now all replaced, as
it think these were old aluminium ones that were "leaking")

Did you notice it on any cables in your fittings?

If not, maybe it was from old cables that have need replaced already?

Didn't notice it on any cables just in the fittings. But the cabling
is the old red and black stuff :/
And come to think of it, it was on the switches too.
But not the ring main sockets......

Ta
Mike

Mike wrote:
Anyone got any ideas as to what strange green (almost) liquid would be
in my light fittings. I was changing the usual pendant light fittings
in my lounge (2, one each end in my 60's built house) for some fancy
up-to-date fitments. Wen I took off the old rose pieces they had what
looked liked old congealed washing up liquid in them, shich was
difficult to actually was off once It was on my hands. Any ideas apart
from old congealed washing up liquid? And if it was likely to be that,
why?

Cheers

Mike
I had this in a 70's house wiring. the cable was grey clad, mutistranded
T&E, not solid core, and I came to the conclusion the plastic insulation
was breaking down releasing some goop. The wire core was corroded also,
and that goop I found was acidic and quite irritating to the skin. (Sold
the house! Probably needed rewiring). JC

"Mike" wrote in message
...
Anyone got any ideas as to what strange green (almost) liquid would
be
in my light fittings. I was changing the usual pendant light
fittings
in my lounge (2, one each end in my 60's built house) for some fancy
up-to-date fitments. Wen I took off the old rose pieces they had
what
looked liked old congealed washing up liquid in them, shich was
difficult to actually was off once It was on my hands. Any ideas
apart
from old congealed washing up liquid? And if it was likely to be
that,
why?

Cheers

Mike

Are the cables in conduit? If so it conceivably could be the remains
of a lubricant used to pull them through. Though the green hue
suggests copper salts from the copper cable itself.

AWEM

Andrew Mawson wrote:
"Mike" wrote in message
...
Anyone got any ideas as to what strange green (almost) liquid would
be
in my light fittings. I was changing the usual pendant light
fittings
in my lounge (2, one each end in my 60's built house) for some fancy
up-to-date fitments. Wen I took off the old rose pieces they had
what
looked liked old congealed washing up liquid in them, shich was
difficult to actually was off once It was on my hands. Any ideas
apart
from old congealed washing up liquid? And if it was likely to be
that,
why?

Cheers

Mike

Are the cables in conduit? If so it conceivably could be the remains
of a lubricant used to pull them through. Though the green hue
suggests copper salts from the copper cable itself.

AWEM


I think that is most likely: Copper carbonate and silicone grease probably.

Mike wrote:

Anyone got any ideas as to what strange green (almost) liquid would be
in my light fittings. I was changing the usual pendant light fittings
in my lounge (2, one each end in my 60's built house) for some fancy
up-to-date fitments. Wen I took off the old rose pieces they had what
looked liked old congealed washing up liquid in them, shich was
difficult to actually was off once It was on my hands. Any ideas apart
from old congealed washing up liquid? And if it was likely to be that,
why?

A google search for green slime cable will give you lots of links. The
following is from http://myreader.co.uk/msg/1391111627.aspx where it's
attributed to NICEIC:

"Unsightly green slime can occur in switch and socket-outlet boxes. It
is understood that this phenomenon is most prevalent where pvc cables
manufactured between 1965 and 1971 have been used.
The green slime, or green goo, is degraded di-isoctyl phthalate and
is considered to result from a chemical reaction between the
plasticiser of the insulation and the copper conductor in the pvc
cable."

Apparently it doesn't reduce the electrical integrity of the conductor or
the insulation. It's worth cleaning off when you come across it but avoid
getting it on your skin because it's slightly toxic.

--
Mike Clarke

On 4 May, 14:28, Mike Clarke wrote:
Mike wrote:
Anyone got any ideas as to what strange green (almost) liquid would be
in my light fittings. I was changing the usual pendant light fittings
in my lounge (2, one each end in my 60's built house) for some fancy
up-to-date fitments. Wen I took off the old rose pieces they had what
looked liked old congealed washing up liquid in them, shich was
difficult to actually was off once It was on my hands. Any ideas apart
from old congealed washing up liquid? And if it was likely to be that,
why?

A google search for green slime cable will give you lots of links. The
following is from http://myreader.co.uk/msg/1391111627.aspx where it's
attributed to NICEIC:

* *"Unsightly green slime can occur in switch and socket-outlet boxes.. It
is understood that this phenomenon is most prevalent where pvc cables
manufactured between 1965 and 1971 have been used.
The green slime, or green goo, is degraded di-isoctyl phthalate and
is considered to result from a chemical reaction between the
plasticiser of the insulation and the copper conductor in the pvc
cable."

Apparently it doesn't reduce the electrical integrity of the conductor or
the insulation. It's worth cleaning off when you come across it but avoid
getting it on your skin because it's slightly toxic.

Thanks Mike

Strange for me not to Google something as I /always/ do. Normally.
That sounds exactly what it is. Saw a thread on Screwfix which
explains things sufficiently for my liking, and no worries about
having to replace the cables just yet

Cheers for all the replies

Mike

In article ,
Mike Clarke writes:
A google search for green slime cable will give you lots of links. The
following is from http://myreader.co.uk/msg/1391111627.aspx where it's
attributed to NICEIC:

"Unsightly green slime can occur in switch and socket-outlet boxes. It
is understood that this phenomenon is most prevalent where pvc cables
manufactured between 1965 and 1971 have been used.
The green slime, or green goo, is degraded di-isoctyl phthalate and
is considered to result from a chemical reaction between the
plasticiser of the insulation and the copper conductor in the pvc
cable."

Always reminds me of the green slime in Dr.Who's The Green Death...

--
Andrew Gabriel
[email address is not usable -- followup in the newsgroup]

Mike Clarke wrote:

Apparently it doesn't reduce the electrical integrity of the conductor or
the insulation.

Yet.
A bit of a cautionary tale. Today's whizz-bang technology might be tomorrow's
unsightly green slime.