Green Goo from plug sockets - 3 bed room - how long does re-wiring take?

zax47

wallbash wrote: »

If it was brittle or showing signs I would totally agree, but the wiring (apart from the goo) looks as good as the day it was installed.

Looks being the operative word! Without a proper IR test you can't be sure of the integrity of the insulation whether it be brittle, soft or "look" ok. The most apparent symptom is "tracking" between cores as the internal layers of insulation break down. Without X-ray vision you can't see this, but you can test for it before it causes a major problem/heating/faults/fire.

To us professional electricians, the "green goo" IS a real problem, regardless of your apparent dismissal of it's seriousness.

wallbash

You know what , wiring has survived for forty years , will take my chances .

Another case of the professional wanting to cover their backs , with another expensive test .

Give me facts . Don't say , May be , perhaps, could . might etc etc.

zax47

For yourself you can ignore it, deal with it, whatever, but to tell the OP it's NOT an issue is both ignorant and irresponsible.

It's not a case of if there will be a problem, but when. The only preventative measure is to replace the cable. If you don't flex, move or touch the cable then it may well be fine for many years, but the second you flex it or move it then problems occur. You simply cannot tell just by looking, which is where you show your obvious ignorance of the nature of the problem.

Oh, and it's not "an expensive test", but a quick check with a piece of kit that all sparks will have - an Insulation Resistance tester - again you show your ignorance of a subject outwith your knowledge...

Ms_Magnetite

ormus wrote: »

about five days on average.

If it's a council property, more like 3 and a half weeks. And no chasing, just conduit over all the walls, or any making good whatsoever.

jackhulk

Hello all and thank you for your replies. Council contractor (New Point) started last Wednesday with two Polish guys and will be finished today which is great. There was far more green goo than I knew about as the fuse box was literately full and dripping of it. Only one of the council inspectors has seen it before but the polish guys had not and advised me it was substance used to move cables through conduit, so showed them the literature I have on the subject and they were very surprised.

Council agreed that if I removed laminate floor they will lift floor boards to minimise trunking. There is still a bit of trunking but far less than I feared. Worst of it is in smallest bedroom where they could not get old wire out so had to use trunking from light switch to light which looks pretty awful; but at least makes me appreciate the fact that no other room has this.

One problem is the five spotlights (roughly 20 years old) in the kitchen which I'm told are not earthed and therefore will have to be disconnected, pendant or strip light put up for testing as per council regs and then if I choose I could have them re-connect new spotlights as private job. Anyone know how much this should cost please (new cable already in place)? I'm thinking I could fit the new spotlights myself, that is if they leave the cables in place? Is it likely they would leave cables in place should I advise I do not want them re-connect right away or would they remove them?

Also I've just been to shop that stock same lights that I thought would have the third earth wire but it does not, only has two wires the same as my current ones. Via google learnt that if lights are doubled insulated then no earth is required so now I'm thinking perhaps my current ones are double insulated, but is there any way to find out for sure?

On the new ones in the shop had backwards D symbol like this D--E 0.5m. What does that mean please?

Anything else in general I should be checking/asking while they are still here?

Thanks again.

Owain_Moneysaver

jackhulk wrote: »

Also I've just been to shop that stock same lights that I thought would have the third earth wire but it does not, only has two wires the same as my current ones. Via google learnt that if lights are doubled insulated then no earth is required so now I'm thinking perhaps my current ones are double insulated, but is there any way to find out for sure?

The lights may be double insulated but the cables to them must have an earth. This is in case the lights are changed for ones that require an earth at a later date.

Double insulated lights will have the double-square symbol or be labelled Class II
(wikipedia)

jackhulk wrote: »

On the new ones in the shop had backwards D symbol like this D--E 0.5m. What does that mean please?

It's how far away from a surface you must keep the lightbulb to prevent overheating and fire.