Please tell me no rewire required!

fusebox86

I have just bought a house and it looks like it was last rewired maybe 1980s. The fusebox is an old Wylex style one. It looks like it has rcd for the shower circuit. The light switches have the green and yellow wires so I think that means they're earthed? 

I just don't have the money to rewire. I'm scared to get an electrician out in case he says that's the only option although I know I do need an electrician to know for sure. 

I have attached a photo.

Rodders53

As part of your due diligence you should have had an electrical inspection, test and report done before purchase.  Did the Survey not make any comment on the consumer unit at all?

Those are rewirable fuses... and one plug in MCB (fuse).
No RCD protection at all.

Left to right:  two white 5A lighting circuits, one blue 15A (immersion?), two red 30A power circuits (sockets, ? oven? ).  Then the yellow MCB (probably 20A=5kW which is possibly a bit small for an electric shower??)

Ideally needs a new consumer unit.  May need extra circuits / upgrade of cabling for a decent shower?? and electric cooker etc.,.  RCBOs is the way to go nowadays.

Possibly not especially urgent to be done, but likely sooner rather than later;  if only to give RCD protection for the occupants.

tacpot12

It's very unlikely to need rewiring. The photo shows Twin & Earth cable on all circuits. The Twin & Earth cable available in the UK in the 1908s was good quality, but it does have a lifespan. It's probably been installed for 40 years and should be good for at least another 10 and probably 25 years. 

However, you must start saving for when this needs doing. You should have a savings account for maintenance on your house, and you want to saving enough into it to pay for the large jobs that might need doing on your house in your lifetime, e.g. having a new roof. 

The lack of an RCD is a serious concern though. If you have children, or if you have a garden and expect to use electrical tools in the garden or outside the home, I would strongly recommend having a new consumer unit fitted, just to get the RCD protection. The cost should be about £400-£800. If you don't have children yourself, you could just have an outdoor socket fitted that has an RCD in it. You would still be at risk of electrocution inside the house, e.g. while doing DIY to put up shelves, pictures, etc.

Mr.Generous

It looks like it has a 100 amp isolation switch between meter and mains board, so you could add RCD protection before the mains board in a similar enclosure easily. This also reduces the chance of trips from a shared neutral cropping up. Then replace plug in fuses with MCB's - won't meet current reg's but it would be so much safer than current set up.

propertyrental

tacpot12 said:

....The Twin & Earth cable available in the UK in the 1908s was good quality, but it does have a lifespan. ....

It certainly does tacpot12!

kahkisparky

If that is a shower cable then definitely need RCD protection!!! Need to get that sorted asap