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Shock Likelihood at Switch.

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Mornin' All,


I have just inspected and tested a renovated  old flat's wiring. The original lighting wiring in places has no circuit protective conductor. The owner has installed metal plate light switches to two positions with wooden back boxes. At these two positions there is no circuit protective conductor. The flat has a new R.C.B.O. consumer unit and all other wiring is good.


I have recommended that the switches have a C.P.C. installed (difficult and disruptive) or be changed to all insulated types.


Just what is the shock risk at these two switch positions? What is the likelihood of the metal plates becoming live due to a fault? Has anyone every seen a metal plate switch break down so that the plates becomes live?


Thanks,


Z.

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  • 0

    Zoomup:

    Just what is the shock risk at these two switch positions? What is the likelihood of the metal plates becoming live due to a fault? Has anyone every seen a metal plate switch break down so that the plates becomes live?

    Z.

     




    What does the regulations state? That should answer the question.


    As an aside, I once attended a house for an unrelated fault, the customer's wife mentioned that they had been receiving shocks from a lighting switch in the kitchen, this was a conduit installation with a plastic lighting switch on a metal box..Testing the lighting switch support screws, they were live. The owner didn't want more expense of repairs, so squished some bread in the screw holes! ....... Darwinian redundancy! The same house where new cheap, unpainted doors had been fitted throughout; these had knotty pine panels and some knots were missing, (as big as 25mm, so making it possible to see through the doors). I couldn't just walk away from that job ........ I ran!


    We don't get much money but we do get a laugh.


    Jaymack  

Reply
  • 0

    Zoomup:

    Just what is the shock risk at these two switch positions? What is the likelihood of the metal plates becoming live due to a fault? Has anyone every seen a metal plate switch break down so that the plates becomes live?

    Z.

     




    What does the regulations state? That should answer the question.


    As an aside, I once attended a house for an unrelated fault, the customer's wife mentioned that they had been receiving shocks from a lighting switch in the kitchen, this was a conduit installation with a plastic lighting switch on a metal box..Testing the lighting switch support screws, they were live. The owner didn't want more expense of repairs, so squished some bread in the screw holes! ....... Darwinian redundancy! The same house where new cheap, unpainted doors had been fitted throughout; these had knotty pine panels and some knots were missing, (as big as 25mm, so making it possible to see through the doors). I couldn't just walk away from that job ........ I ran!


    We don't get much money but we do get a laugh.


    Jaymack  

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