|
light switches - safety issue?
Apologies for not knowing the correct names for the bits'n'bobs
mentioned below! I noticed that all the light switches, in my rented flat, are screwed in with slightly oversized screws. This means that they don't flush neatly with the light switch casing. Further investigation revealed that the screws that should have been used, are still attached to the inside of the casing, i.e. unused. Also, that the light switch casings are not screwed into those metal 'boxes' usually seen behind light switches, but instead into bits of wood haphazardly jammed into the hole in the wall. This explains why the 'wrong' screws were used, i.e. they are pointy at the end (so that they can screw into the bits of wood) instead of flat. At least one of the switches is definitely lose, and I'm sure the landlord (i.e. the Council) would agree to fix that, but it would be great if I could get them to 'tidy up' all the other switches too. However, I'm sure they will only do it if the present set-up contravenes safety regulations or 'good-practice'. Does anyone know if any safety guidelines have been contravened? thanks DH |
light switches - safety issue?
Does anyone know if any safety guidelines have been contravened?
If an "electrician" had done such an install to my house, I would have called the police. Christian. |
light switches - safety issue?
DarkHorse wrote :
Apologies for not knowing the correct names for the bits'n'bobs mentioned below! I noticed that all the light switches, in my rented flat, are screwed in with slightly oversized screws. This means that they don't flush neatly with the light switch casing. Further investigation revealed that the screws that should have been used, are still attached to the inside of the casing, i.e. unused. Also, that the light switch casings are not screwed into those metal 'boxes' usually seen behind light switches, but instead into bits of wood haphazardly jammed into the hole in the wall. Every light switch should have an earthed metal box behind it, with lugs into which the proper screws will fit. Long ago they used to use a wooden box set into the wall, could this be the wood you can see? Is the cable brightly coloured plastic, or perhaps something much older such as dull coloured rubber or cable with a waxy cotton woven outer cover? Either of the latter would leave me in no doubt that an electrician is needed urgently. Are the main fuses original and untouched? If they are fuses, with fuse wire then it is long overdue for rewiring. MCB's (trips) have been used instead of fuses for a great many years and my own home has twice been rewired since MCB's appeared. Either way, it sounds as if some botcher has come along and replaced the old light switches with new ones, as a quick fix. Concerns over items which can be easily seen, raise concerns about what might be more deeply hidden under the plaster and the floorboards. If you have any doubts or concerns, find a qualified professional willing to do a survey and written report on the condition of your installation and its safety. The council would not be able to argue with that. -- -- Regards, Harry (M1BYT) (L) http://www.ukradioamateur.org |
light switches - safety issue?
Does anyone know if any safety guidelines have been contravened?
If an "electrician" had done such an install to my house, I would have called the police. P.S. The standard of work that it indicates means that your property should probably be entirely rewired to the wiring standards. Anyone who can use wooden battens instead of proper metal boxes (which cost pence and require less work to install), is capable of all sorts of horrendously dangerous things. If you get no joy from the council, see if you can get NICEIC interested. At least get a IEE periodical inspection certificate from an NICEIC electrician. The report is likely to be so horrendous that a claim in the country court (small claims track) is likely to succeed. Until then, don't use any high powered appliances in the house. He probably used bell wire to connect the sockets and replaced the fuses with kitchen foil. Christian. |
light switches - safety issue?
|
light switches - safety issue?
There is nothing intrinsically unsafe about wooden back boxes for light
switches But "but instead into bits of wood haphazardly jammed into the hole in the wall" doesn't sound like wooden back boxes to me. Christian. |
light switches - safety issue?
In article ,
Peter Watson wrote: There is nothing intrinsically unsafe about wooden back boxes for light switches - My house built in 1959 still has those that I haven't replaced yet but I'm only doing that as I redecorate, not as part of the rewiring project... (I'm only using plastic switches though) I don't view this as 'unsafe' - It may not be 'best practice' or be completely comply with the current wiring regs. Lots of things over the years have changed through experience of problems or dangers, etc. In 1959, plenty of things that we know now should be earthed, weren't. Wood switch boxes weren't designed to fix a modern switch to - as the OP's post shows. -- *Change is inevitable, except from a vending machine. Dave Plowman London SW 12 RIP Acorn |
light switches - safety issue?
In article , Harry
Bloomfield writes Are the main fuses original and untouched? If they are fuses, with fuse wire then it is long overdue for rewiring. MCB's (trips) have been used instead of fuses for a great many years and my own home has twice been rewired since MCB's appeared. My house has fuses rather than MCB's and is a relatively modern house built in the 1980's, so a desperate need for rewiring does not necessarily follow. -- Tim Mitchell |
light switches - safety issue?
"Tim Mitchell" wrote in message ... In article , Harry Bloomfield writes Are the main fuses original and untouched? If they are fuses, with fuse wire then it is long overdue for rewiring. MCB's (trips) have been used instead of fuses for a great many years and my own home has twice been rewired since MCB's appeared. My house has fuses rather than MCB's and is a relatively modern house built in the 1980's, so a desperate need for rewiring does not necessarily follow. But not, probably, "fuses with fuse wire" which is what HB said. I suspect yours, like mine, are cartridge fuses. -- Bob Mannix (anti-spam is as easy as 1-2-3 - not) |
light switches - safety issue?
But not, probably, "fuses with fuse wire" which is what HB said. I suspect
yours, like mine, are cartridge fuses. I had some (but not all) of my fuses as free air wire types in my 1986 (or was it 1983?) house. I sold it before I had the chance to replace the CU. Christian. |
light switches - safety issue?
In message , Christian
McArdle writes Does anyone know if any safety guidelines have been contravened? If an "electrician" had done such an install to my house, I would have called the police. P.S. The standard of work that it indicates means that your property should probably be entirely rewired to the wiring standards. Anyone who can use wooden battens instead of proper metal boxes (which cost pence and require less work to install), is capable of all sorts of horrendously dangerous things. Quite likley yes. I wonder if these boxes are old ones that don't take the modern faceplate screws? -- Chris French, Leeds |
light switches - safety issue?
In article , Bob Mannix
writes "Tim Mitchell" wrote in message ... In article , Harry Bloomfield writes Are the main fuses original and untouched? If they are fuses, with fuse wire then it is long overdue for rewiring. MCB's (trips) have been used instead of fuses for a great many years and my own home has twice been rewired since MCB's appeared. My house has fuses rather than MCB's and is a relatively modern house built in the 1980's, so a desperate need for rewiring does not necessarily follow. But not, probably, "fuses with fuse wire" which is what HB said. I suspect yours, like mine, are cartridge fuses. No, they have real wire in them. Wylex's best. -- Tim Mitchell |
light switches - safety issue?
Tim Mitchell presented the following explanation :
But not, probably, "fuses with fuse wire" which is what HB said. I suspect yours, like mine, are cartridge fuses. No, they have real wire in them. Wylex's best. I have not seen fuse wire on sale for years, what do you use when one blows? -- -- Regards, Harry (M1BYT) (L) http://www.ukradioamateur.org |
light switches - safety issue?
It happens that Peter Watson formulated :
What about dry lining boxes? :) Surely that should read "If the light switch is fitted into a metal box, the box should be earthed" I assumed the OP ment wood in a solid plastered wall. I don't think I have come across wooden boxes used in non-solid walls. There is nothing intrinsically unsafe about wooden back boxes for light switches - My house built in 1959 still has those that I haven't replaced yet but I'm only doing that as I redecorate, not as part of the rewiring project... (I'm only using plastic switches though) I don't view this as 'unsafe' - It may not be 'best practice' or be completely comply with the current wiring regs. There is no actual requirement to meet current standards except for new works, although there is a requirement to ensure that during the installation major extensions of the installation that the rest of the work does meet a reasonable standard. The requirements and standards of 1959 are now well out of date. The cable insulation will also likely be dried out and no longer safe, especially so if it has been disturbed. I would suggest that since 1959 that the wiring will have been disturbed several times over. Is there a requirement for rented property to comply with all current building and wiring regs? If so then the OP has probably got a reasonable argument with his landlord. There is a requirement for the installation to be safe, properly maintained and free from hazards. -- -- Regards, Harry (M1BYT) (L) http://www.ukradioamateur.org |
light switches - safety issue?
Harry Bloomfield wrote:
I have not seen fuse wire on sale for years, what do you use when one blows? Fusewire... http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Main_Ind...ire/index.html -- Cheers, John. /================================================== ===============\ | Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk | |-----------------------------------------------------------------| | John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk | \================================================= ================/ |
light switches - safety issue?
Harry Bloomfield wrote in
.uk: But not, probably, "fuses with fuse wire" which is what HB said. I suspect yours, like mine, are cartridge fuses. No, they have real wire in them. Wylex's best. I have not seen fuse wire on sale for years, what do you use when one blows? I haven't seen a card of fuse wire that seems to be less than 30 - 50 years old; I've still got a couple as I used an old box for my garage. OTOH, I also haven't seen a card that hasn't *still* got a good supply of wire on it - perhaps they're like the widow's cruse! I also use the 5A fuse wire to provide quick fusible links for little projects I knock up, easier to fit than a holder, just solder across a couple of terminals, and expect it to last 50 years once I've stopped fooling around with me mouldering iron mike r |
light switches - safety issue?
"Dave Plowman" wrote in message
... In article , Peter Watson wrote: There is nothing intrinsically unsafe about wooden back boxes for light switches - My house built in 1959 still has those that I haven't replaced yet but I'm only doing that as I redecorate, not as part of the rewiring project... (I'm only using plastic switches though) I don't view this as 'unsafe' - It may not be 'best practice' or be completely comply with the current wiring regs. Lots of things over the years have changed through experience of problems or dangers, etc. In 1959, plenty of things that we know now should be earthed, weren't. Wood switch boxes weren't designed to fix a modern switch to - as the OP's post shows. My house was built in the 50s, some of the light switches are what might be termed modern fittings on wooden boxes. I would be surprised if they are not original equipment. The screws that hold the switches to the wall are not wonderful. I rather think that there is no earth wire, so I don't think that I could legitimately change to metal boxes. If this is the case for the OP, then possibly he could get the landord to fit better rawlplugs for the screws to go into. Michael Chare |
light switches - safety issue?
In article 0,
mike ring wrote: I have not seen fuse wire on sale for years, what do you use when one blows? I haven't seen a card of fuse wire that seems to be less than 30 - 50 years old; I've still got a couple as I used an old box for my garage. OTOH, I also haven't seen a card that hasn't *still* got a good supply of wire on it - perhaps they're like the widow's cruse! I also use the 5A fuse wire to provide quick fusible links for little projects I knock up, easier to fit than a holder, just solder across a couple of terminals, and expect it to last 50 years once I've stopped fooling around with me mouldering iron TLC sell all the standard sizes on reels - as well as mixed cards. I also use it for wire links on PCBs - much cheaper than Maplin etc. Now someone's going to tell me it's not just ordinary copper wire. ;-) -- *If you ate pasta and anti-pasta, would you still be hungry? Dave Plowman London SW 12 RIP Acorn |
light switches - safety issue?
In message 0,
mike ring wrote: Harry Bloomfield wrote in .uk: But not, probably, "fuses with fuse wire" which is what HB said. I suspect yours, like mine, are cartridge fuses. No, they have real wire in them. Wylex's best. I have not seen fuse wire on sale for years, what do you use when one blows? I haven't seen a card of fuse wire that seems to be less than 30 - 50 years old; I've still got a couple as I used an old box for my garage. I'm sure the last card of wire I bought came from the local B&Q... or perhaps it was Focus. Whatever, it was only a few weeks ago. The local ironmonger (not that he calls himself that) stocks it too. I know of whole estates of houses built in the 1980s with rewireables. I lived in one. It seems almost laughable how little allowance for growth there was - I've just done some work in a 1984 2-bed house on a large development in Cardiff where the CU was a 60A Wylex 4-way with 30A (originally cooker, swapped to shower), 30A (all sockets), 15A (immersion), 5A (all lights). The previous owner had swapped the rewireables for plug-in MCBs though. By the time I'd finished (1 new ring, 1 new radial, cooker re-instated, split the lights), the original 4 circuits had become 8 in a 6+6 split-load RCD box. On the subject of under-provision of electrical stuff, my parents' 1967 four-bed semi with a (mostly) open-plan downstairs originally had just *two* single sockets in the living area and two (or three?) in the kitchen. It did have one FCU too for some unknown reason. Hwyl! M. -- Martin Angove: http://www.tridwr.demon.co.uk/ Two free issues: http://www.livtech.co.uk/ Living With Technology .... --T-A+G-L-I+N-E--+M-E-A+S-U-R+I-N-G+--G-A+U-G-E-- |
light switches - safety issue?
Harry Bloomfield wrote in message news:
Are the main fuses original and untouched? If they are fuses, with fuse wire then it is long overdue for rewiring. MCB's (trips) have been used instead of fuses for a great many years and my own home has twice been rewired since MCB's appeared. Sorry but this is [popular] nonsense. Rewirable fuses meet the latest regs and are still sometimes installed. Certainly most 80s installs will have them. They are not a reason to rewire at all. BTW to the uninitiated, the typical Wylex fuseboxes often look a lot older than they are. There are even still sound installs with a wood and bakelite Wylex CU. Either way, it sounds as if some botcher has come along and replaced the old light switches with new ones, as a quick fix. Concerns over items which can be easily seen, raise concerns about what might be more deeply hidden under the plaster and the floorboards. If you have any doubts or concerns, find a qualified professional willing to do a survey and written report on the condition of your installation and its safety. The council would not be able to argue with that. The rest of this I do agree with. Regards, NT |
light switches - safety issue?
Sorry but this is [popular] nonsense. Rewirable fuses meet the latest
regs and are still sometimes installed. There is no reason to have fuse wire, though. They are inherently more dangerous than other protection methods. At the very least, they should be swapped with cartridge fuses, which don't set fire to the house when they blow. Christian. |
light switches - safety issue?
In article , Harry
Bloomfield writes Tim Mitchell presented the following explanation : But not, probably, "fuses with fuse wire" which is what HB said. I suspect yours, like mine, are cartridge fuses. No, they have real wire in them. Wylex's best. I have not seen fuse wire on sale for years, what do you use when one blows? It's sold everywhere. I just go to B&Q and buy some. (Not that fuses blow very often, I hasten to add). I'd replace the fuses with plug in MCBs except that the consumer unit is in a very conspicuous place, high up on the wall in the corner of the kitchen. Bizarre place to put a CU but then it is a Barratt house. -- Tim Mitchell |
light switches - safety issue?
Harry Bloomfield wrote:
Tim Mitchell presented the following explanation : But not, probably, "fuses with fuse wire" which is what HB said. I suspect yours, like mine, are cartridge fuses. No, they have real wire in them. Wylex's best. I have not seen fuse wire on sale for years, what do you use when one blows? My daughter bought some at her local B&Q in the last year or so. She had to ask where it was but they had it OK. -- Chris Green |
light switches - safety issue?
I have not seen fuse wire on sale for years, what do you use when one
blows? Even the small DIY stores stock it. I had no problem getting it from the little Focus in Winnersh. Christian. |
light switches - safety issue?
Harry Bloomfield wrote in message o.uk...
DarkHorse wrote : Apologies for not knowing the correct names for the bits'n'bobs mentioned below! I noticed that all the light switches, in my rented flat, are screwed in with slightly oversized screws. This means that they don't flush neatly with the light switch casing. Further investigation revealed that the screws that should have been used, are still attached to the inside of the casing, i.e. unused. Also, that the light switch casings are not screwed into those metal 'boxes' usually seen behind light switches, but instead into bits of wood haphazardly jammed into the hole in the wall. Every light switch should have an earthed metal box behind it, with Why? Speaking practically, rather than what might be in the regs, if the box weren't metal you wouldn't need the earth. The earth is needed because a fault leading to the metal box becoming live would result in the screws being live. Do surface mount boxes have earth connections to the threaded lugs for the faceplate screws? MBQ |
light switches - safety issue?
MBQ brought next idea :
Why? Speaking practically, rather than what might be in the regs, if the box weren't metal you wouldn't need the earth. The earth is needed because a fault leading to the metal box becoming live would result in the screws being live. Do surface mount boxes have earth connections to the threaded lugs for the faceplate screws? MBQ Good point.... I think you will find that the need for the provision of an earth is there to accomodate those who change the plastic switches for metal ones (brass). Even the surface plastic boxes incorporate an earth terminal. -- -- Regards, Harry (M1BYT) (L) http://www.ukradioamateur.org |
light switches - safety issue?
Every light switch should have an earthed metal box behind it,
Why? They don't. Plastic boxes are perfectly permissable, either of the surface mount or plasterboard type. On the other hand, old offcuts of wood jammed into the hole are not acceptable. Do surface mount boxes have earth connections to the threaded lugs for the faceplate screws? No. Nor do plastic light switches usually have any earthing at all. No metal where the faceplate screws touch, no screw terminal for an earth termination. Obviously, metal faced switches will have both. Christian. |
light switches - safety issue?
"Christian McArdle" wrote:
Does anyone know if any safety guidelines have been contravened? If an "electrician" had done such an install to my house, I would have called the police. P.S. The standard of work that it indicates means that your property should probably be entirely rewired to the wiring standards. Anyone who can use wooden battens instead of proper metal boxes (which cost pence and require less work to install), is capable of all sorts of horrendously dangerous things. If you get no joy from the council, see if you can get NICEIC interested. At least get a IEE periodical inspection certificate from an NICEIC electrician. I didn't know about the NICEIC so thanks for pointing me to them. I checked their website and they have a technical support telephone number listed too, which I phoned. Other than the one obviously lose switch, they saw it more of a 'code 2' issue rather than a 'code 1', ie. that it was not seriously urgent but at the same time it would be better practice and advisable to have the metal boxes etc. The report is likely to be so horrendous that a claim in the country court (small claims track) is likely to succeed. Until then, don't use any high powered appliances in the house. He probably used bell wire to connect the sockets and replaced the fuses with kitchen foil. I suppose I do wonder what else, perhaps more serious, might need attention. I forgot to ask the NICEIC if its possible to get a free independent 'check-up' like you do with gas. I'll call them again (bit of a long wait to get through though). DH |
light switches - safety issue?
Thanks for everyones repsonses, and sorry for the delay in getting
back. Harry Bloomfield wrote: DarkHorse wrote : I noticed that all the light switches, in my rented flat, are screwed in with slightly oversized screws. This means that they don't flush neatly with the light switch casing. Further investigation revealed that the screws that should have been used, are still attached to the inside of the casing, i.e. unused. Also, that the light switch casings are not screwed into those metal 'boxes' usually seen behind light switches, but instead into bits of wood haphazardly jammed into the hole in the wall. Every light switch should have an earthed metal box behind it, with lugs into which the proper screws will fit. Long ago they used to use a wooden box set into the wall, could this be the wood you can see? I had another look, and I suppose they are 'box-like'. The lose one I mentioned is badly split though, which makes it look more haphazard. Is the cable brightly coloured plastic, or perhaps something much older such as dull coloured rubber or cable with a waxy cotton woven outer cover? There are 2 red plastic covered wires connected to the switches and a yellow/green wire not connected to anything. These 3 wires come out of a black plastic tube. This is the same for all the light switches. Either of the latter would leave me in no doubt that an electrician is needed urgently. Are the main fuses original and untouched? If they are fuses, with fuse wire then it is long overdue for rewiring. MCB's (trips) have been used instead of fuses for a great many years and my own home has twice been rewired since MCB's appeared. I assume you mean the 'fuse-box'? I'm not sure what sort of fuses they are, but it says on it 'Residual Current Operated Circuit Breaker'. There's an NICEIC sticker on it, with last inspection date May 2003 written on it. Incidentally, I pressed the test switch, and it cuts out all the power except to the lights. Either way, it sounds as if some botcher has come along and replaced the old light switches with new ones, as a quick fix. Concerns over items which can be easily seen, raise concerns about what might be more deeply hidden under the plaster and the floorboards. If you have any doubts or concerns, find a qualified professional willing to do a survey and written report on the condition of your installation and its safety. The council would not be able to argue with that. I'd love to do that but I can't afford it. DH |
light switches - safety issue?
On Thu, 18 Mar 2004 20:15:46 +0000 (UTC), mike ring wrote:
Harry Bloomfield wrote in .uk: But not, probably, "fuses with fuse wire" which is what HB said. I suspect yours, like mine, are cartridge fuses. No, they have real wire in them. Wylex's best. I have not seen fuse wire on sale for years, what do you use when one blows? I haven't seen a card of fuse wire that seems to be less than 30 - 50 years old; I've still got a couple as I used an old box for my garage. OTOH, I also haven't seen a card that hasn't *still* got a good supply of wire on it - perhaps they're like the widow's cruse! I also use the 5A fuse wire to provide quick fusible links for little projects I knock up, easier to fit than a holder, just solder across a couple of terminals, and expect it to last 50 years once I've stopped fooling around with me mouldering iron mike r My local Spar has cards of fusewire. It's with all the buttons, cotton, needles, combs and other "about a pound" items. Steve W |
light switches - safety issue?
DarkHorse laid this down on his screen :
I had another look, and I suppose they are 'box-like'. The lose one I mentioned is badly split though, which makes it look more haphazard. Is the cable brightly coloured plastic, or perhaps something much older such as dull coloured rubber or cable with a waxy cotton woven outer cover? There are 2 red plastic covered wires connected to the switches and a yellow/green wire not connected to anything. These 3 wires come out of a black plastic tube. This is the same for all the light switches. OK.... The wooden boxes suggest that the original installation was completed I would guess sometime pre WWII. Down the walls to the switches there will be metal conduits which has enabled them to rewire the lighting circuits. The fact that there are earths provided which are sleaved with green/yellow suggests it was rewired post about 1975 (anyone able to confirm this?). So the only thing which needs to be done to correct the obvious problem, is for the wooden boxes to be replaced with proper metal boxes. It might be worth chasing your landlord to get this done. Are the main fuses original and untouched? If they are fuses, with fuse wire then it is long overdue for rewiring. MCB's (trips) have been used instead of fuses for a great many years and my own home has twice been rewired since MCB's appeared. I assume you mean the 'fuse-box'? I'm not sure what sort of fuses they are, but it says on it 'Residual Current Operated Circuit Breaker'. There's an NICEIC sticker on it, with last inspection date May 2003 written on it. Incidentally, I pressed the test switch, and it cuts out all the power except to the lights. The fact that it is fitted with what sounds like a fairly modern split RCD Dis-board (fuse board) and that it has been recently inspected/tested, further confirms that it is probably all up to date and safe. It would however still be worth pestering for the switches to be sorted out properly, as they should have been when it was rewired. It is now normal for the lighting circuits and fridge/freezer circuits to be not be interrupted by the RCD. Either way, it sounds as if some botcher has come along and replaced the old light switches with new ones, as a quick fix. The only botch might be that of leaving the wooden boxes in place. Ships and tar comes to mind. If you have any doubts or concerns, find a qualified professional willing to do a survey and written report on the condition of your installation and its safety. The council would not be able to argue with that. I'd love to do that but I can't afford it. Based upon your additional description and the recent test certificate, I feel you would be wasting money in obtaining a professional report. -- -- Regards, Harry (M1BYT) (L) http://www.ukradioamateur.org |
light switches - safety issue?
|
light switches - safety issue?
"DarkHorse" wrote
| There are 2 red plastic covered wires connected to the switches and | a yellow/green wire not connected to anything. These 3 wires come out | of a black plastic tube. This is the same for all the light switches. It sounds as though you have had a rewire reusing 'singles' in some existing conduit; I wonder if the switches were originally round ones fitted on top of circular conduit boxes, replaced with square ones perhaps in the 50s (I have seen black bakelite square pattress switches) using wood plugs into the wall to hold the switch, then subsequently replaced again with new switches but the installer re-used the 1950s rewirer's wooden plugs or blocks. Shoddy work but not necessarily criminal. Incidentally, are you sure that conduit(tube)'s plastic? It might be fibre which has started disintegrating. | I assume you mean the 'fuse-box'? I'm not sure what sort of fuses they | are, but it says on it 'Residual Current Operated Circuit Breaker'. | Incidentally, I pressed the test switch, and it cuts out all the power | except to the lights. Sounds like a split load consumer unit, again that's fairly modern. | There's an NICEIC sticker on it, with last inspection date May 2003 | written on it. Any indication who wrote it - if it's one of the council's own electricians who also did the wiring, well, they'd pass their own work wouldn't they. | If you have any doubts or concerns, find a qualified professional | willing to do a survey and written report on the condition of your | installation and its safety. The council would not be able to argue | with that. | I'd love to do that but I can't afford it. If you can upload photos of the inside of your lightswitch, and your meter/fusebox, to a webserver somewhere (your free NTL webspace?) and post the URL we might be able to recognise the particular bodge that has been applied. Owain PS Rented property - you should have permanently wired in mains powered smoke detectors. |
light switches - safety issue?
On Fri, 19 Mar 2004 11:37:18 +0000, in uk.d-i-y "DarkHorse"
strung together this: I forgot to ask the NICEIC if its possible to get a free independent 'check-up' like you do with gas. I'll call them again (bit of a long wait to get through though). I very much doubt you'll get a free check-up from the NICEIC. They are more of a governing body than a group of contractors. The electrical equivalent of CORGI really. The local electricity suppliers quite often have 'free visual safety checks', might be worth giving them a call. -- SJW A.C.S. Ltd. |
light switches - safety issue?
On Fri, 19 Mar 2004 11:28:11 GMT, in uk.d-i-y Harry Bloomfield
strung together this: MBQ brought next idea : Why? Speaking practically, rather than what might be in the regs, if the box weren't metal you wouldn't need the earth. The earth is needed because a fault leading to the metal box becoming live would result in the screws being live. Do surface mount boxes have earth connections to the threaded lugs for the faceplate screws? MBQ Good point.... I think you will find that the need for the provision of an earth is there to accomodate those who change the plastic switches for metal ones (brass). Even the surface plastic boxes incorporate an earth terminal. The earth terminal is there because the likelihood is that there will be an earth wire there with somewhere needed to put it. Technically the earth doesn't need to be there at all, the switch and pattress are both double insulated pieces of equipment. -- SJW A.C.S. Ltd. |
light switches - safety issue?
Peter Watson wrote in
: Does anyone know why wooden boxes fell out of favour? My guess, having been brough up with them, is as several posters have mentioned, that they get very second hand over time and splinter, bu=igger screws are needed which do more damage.... On a more general point why was it comon to uses wooden boxes for light switches but metal boxes for sockets (at least in my 1959 house)? I think you answered it yourself - lights wiring used not to have earths, so you didn't even have a place to land an earth wire, but power sockets did have earths mike r |
light switches - safety issue?
In article ,
Christian McArdle wrote: Sorry but this is [popular] nonsense. Rewirable fuses meet the latest regs and are still sometimes installed. There is no reason to have fuse wire, though. They are inherently more dangerous than other protection methods. At the very least, they should be swapped with cartridge fuses, which don't set fire to the house when they blow. Why would that be, unless the fuse is of far too high a rating for the circuit? I've still got re-wirable fuses - from when I wired the house up about 25 years ago, and from memory, only two have ever blown. The first was due to only being 5 amp on a lighting circuit drawing more - so I upgraded it to 10, and the immersion heater one when it failed. When I hear all those stories about MCBs tripping when a bulb blows, I do wonder about the need for them. FWIW, I've got individual RCDs protecting sockets that really need them. -- *Can vegetarians eat animal crackers? Dave Plowman London SW 12 RIP Acorn |
light switches - safety issue?
In article ,
MBQ wrote: Every light switch should have an earthed metal box behind it, with Why? Because people have a habit of fitting metal plate dimmers, etc. Speaking practically, rather than what might be in the regs, if the box weren't metal you wouldn't need the earth. The earth is needed because a fault leading to the metal box becoming live would result in the screws being live. Do surface mount boxes have earth connections to the threaded lugs for the faceplate screws? Yes. The last metal surface light switch I fitted had earth terminals in the box and on the switch. -- *Corduroy pillows are making headlines. Dave Plowman London SW 12 RIP Acorn |
light switches - safety issue?
On Fri, 19 Mar 2004 19:49:17 +0000 (GMT), in uk.d-i-y Dave Plowman
strung together this: Do surface mount boxes have earth connections to the threaded lugs for the faceplate screws? Yes. ITYM no. You appear to have misread the question. ;-) -- SJW A.C.S. Ltd. |
light switches - safety issue?
In article ,
Lurch wrote: Do surface mount boxes have earth connections to the threaded lugs for the faceplate screws? Yes. ITYM no. You appear to have misread the question. ;-) Yes and no. Surface mount boxes don't generally have adjustable lugs, so they are directly attached to the metal of the box, so are always earthed. A surface mount plastic box has little possibility - unless damaged - of any conductor coming into contact with the screw insert or screw. -- *Dance like nobody's watching. Dave Plowman London SW 12 RIP Acorn |
| All times are GMT +1. The time now is 06:57 AM. |
Powered by vBulletin® Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ©2004 - 2014 DIYbanter