Leaving awkward existing loft lighting on a rewire?

He wants to rent the house. Could parts of the installation that are excluded from an EIC cause problems for renting law or insurance validity does anyone know. It will be tested.

No harm in retaining parts of the original installation provided that both electrical testing and visual inspection show that such parts are fit for re-use.

I would avoid re-use of rubber cables even if shown to be serviceable on the grounds that they are probably near the end of service life. PVC lasts almost forever if not abused.

The items you do not wish to rewire are fine as long as you issue an EICR for them. The EIC only covers the new work you carry out. Simple enough.

You have to decide if you are happy with the cable you will in effect re-use. Plastic cables in good order are fine for many decades, but signs of overheating, splits or damage by mice or similar would be reasons not to re-use. 

If it is damaged then sometimes you can pull a new cable in with the old one as a draw line, practice your low profile non-lumpy knots first though.

Remember the ‘two colours’ label if that applies, and don't get blacks and blues tangled.

Mainly cable re-use is a perfectly sensible and  ‘green’ thing to be doing, so long as the current ratings and conditions are appropriate.

Mike.

mapj1: 
If it is damaged then sometimes you can pull a new cable in with the old one as a draw line, practice your low profile non-lumpy knots first though.

I solder the new and old live conductors together with an overlapping joint, then just enough tape to prevent the edge of the sheath getting stuck. With this method I don't have to worry about a knot coming undone.

From the sound of it, the cables will just be lying on the insulation (assuming that there is some) so it may be fairly easy to thread new cables through.

I solder the new and old live conductors together with an overlapping joint, then just enough tape to prevent the edge of the sheath getting stuck. With this method I don't have to worry about a knot coming undone.

That sounds like hard work - not to mention hot works on site.

My usual method with T&E is to split both ends lengthways and cut half the width away (keeping one core and it's half of the sheath) so that both ends can overlap while keeping within the overall cable diameter - wrap with tape (just overlapping but pulled tight) starting at end to be pulled through last. 4-6" of overlap taped like that seems quite strong enough for most pulls - if you needed more force to pull it through you'd likely damaging the cable on something anyway.

  - Andy.

Ditto that one. 

or remove sheaths completely on those ends and double up remaining  conductor into a loop - one core looped and interlocked with opposing piece as per two hooks, wrap with tape brings it nearer to original dia and reduces untapered shoulders to snag.

The tape is the important bit, nice and sticky!

Jimi: 
 

He wants to rent the house. Could parts of the installation that are excluded from an EIC cause problems for renting law or insurance validity does anyone know. It will be tested.

For rental - an RCD has to be fitted to lighting; so if VRI it is also probably 2 core requiring a rewire ….. and an EIC. WD40 or grease at the joint of cables would assist passage.

Jaymack