The most dangerous cable

[nsheehy]

I wouldn't test it
Just get rid of it

[tazmaniandevil]

I worked on a renovation job in the 1980s where New Town development corporation houses were wired in that stuff. We were only allowed to do a partial rewire, where the kitchen was placed on its own ring using PVC, and the VIR was kept in the rest of the properties unless it was deemed unviable.
Even back in the jurassic spark days we knew it had to come out, but each piece of cable replaced required a day-work order.

[O.i]

Really informative for a newbie sparky like me, more of this please

[stevoc]

I wouldn't even bother testing this stuff. I just advise that it be ripped out, it's a fire waiting to happen.

[andysims]

Double insulated VIR was not commonly in use in 1910 . The only exception was cotton covered conduit singles . In fact lead sheath cable was used well into the late 40s . In fact even after that time Churches etc insisted lead cables were still used, as lead cable could be neatly dressed.

[MS-Patriot]

My Dad bought an old guest house in Teignmouth in the 1980s and this stuff was laying across boards in the eaves where suitcases were slid in and out for storage. The conductors were all showing, but no problems reported. He re-wired, it is still a TT system but now at least has an RCD upstream of the DB. What some places get away with is incredible!

[jonathannuttall]

My house was full of the stuff, we only found it when we tried to have rcbo's installed. None of the RCOBs would stay on so we had it all pulled out and replaced. Some of the back boxes were measured as having 110V on and the resistance between the cp and n was down at .7 ohms

[jamiebourne]

I was advised by my NICEIC inspector that you cant just condemn it if its in good order and tests out fine. It definitely needs a mention on the certificate though.

[deanmiles]

Hey that was in my house, pulled a ceiling down and found a bare end live cable, turned power off, pulled the cable round and it fell apart to the core in my hand. 😮

[mrbadger]

That cable isn't VIR. It's tough rubber sheath. VIR is singles, usually in steel conduit.
I used to rewire load of old VIR circuits when I first started sparking, My hands would be filthy and sore by the end of the day pulling the old stuff out, and it had a very distinctive smell.
The old sparks I mostly worked with used to wire with it when he started. That would have probably been early 50's I guess

[ColinRichardson]

From the title, I thought it was gonna be that double ended generator cable that people like to use to energise the house for when the power goes out.. Thankfully, that seems to be mostly an American thing..
But, still, SCARY cable.

[MrKeefy]

My great gran house had this stuff in it 20nyears ago. The sockets were round pins. If she put the washing machine on when the TV was on the fuse blew... So I'm told.

[TheManLab]

I've been in people's houses and told them that the whole place needs to be rewired as it's a fire waiting to happen. But people who haven't got a clue always say "it's been fine all this time" and I have to tell them "your right, it is fine untile it catches fire and burns your house down." So then they get all pissy with me, as if it's my fault.
If they were ever to contact me I'd say "No. Because if I were to touch anything and the house burns down, it's my name on the certificate and I don't want to loose my livelihood just because your cheap."

[justme]

We used to have similar, but it was wrapped in a thin metal sheath. Still some houses has it, and its a pain if I only get to redo one room and need to connect the next room back on thst has a cable like that. The inner conductor is also rubber insulated and it is just as brittle as the outer. We dod in the 70's have a similar cable woth metal sheath and rubber inside but then the conductors where PVC insulated and they still worked fine

[Sparks]

I once did a refurbishment in Holland Park, it had a combination of Braided and Leaded cable, that was an eye opener

[ale-de]

Такое происходит когда кабель долго находится под солнечными лучами или от его перегрева под электро перенагружением.
Пока его не трогаешь - норма. Тронул, пошевелил - сразу менять.

[QALibrary]

I have not seen this in years and years - if you have not already show the old type of sockets as well

[GraemeWight-wxxz]

Result finding that and getting it out.

[mikeyduke]

"After a while" it's over 70 years old ffs if it was used -1950s😅😅 I'm not surprised it's perishing it's rubber

[Rustyorange]

Just replace not worth losing your house over and giving an insurer a chance to not pay out