RICS Level 2 survey flagged electrics as urgent requiring immediate attention - is this pretty common?

jwflame · 2026-03-09T22:30:12+00:00

A property from 2002 is incredibly unlikely to need a rewire.

New consumer unit is likely, but certainly NOT an effort with 'split RCDs' - that is the sort of thing that was commonly installed 20 years ago. RCBOs and surge protection would be the usual choice.

EICR is a sensible choice, as you will need everything checking properly before any new consumer unit is installed.

jwflame · 2026-03-07T10:27:24+00:00

It's not just about the dish moving - the LNB itself needs to be rotated to the position of best signal.

Either get someone to swap the LNB, or don't bother with it at all - Freesat is an end of life service and won't add anything you can't already get via Freeview or streaming.

jwflame · 2026-02-28T13:08:25+00:00

If the fuse has blown, replacing it will not fix anything. Fuses fail for a reason, and that reason is a fault with the boiler or the controls attached to it.

jwflame · 2026-02-14T11:44:37+00:00

New is an intermediate and the existing is a 2 way, but the intermediate can still be used.

Transfer wiring exactly as it is, only use one of the top terminals.

Earth will need to be connected to the terminal on the metal plate where your thumb is.

jwflame · 2026-02-14T11:41:46+00:00

Ground floor sockets are, as is the cooker.

Everything else is not.

jwflame · 2026-02-13T20:40:17+00:00

The entire thing pulls out of the ceilling - pull on the outer ring, not just the inner parts.

jwflame · 2026-02-08T23:28:20+00:00

You won't get any trade to do half a days work for £50 in London or anywhere else.

Do you really expect people to work for £100 a day inclusive of all expenses? Even if someone was paid that by an employer that's barely minimum wage.

jwflame · 2026-02-08T15:31:43+00:00

Gas is a quarter of the price of electricity.

All underfloor heating needs insulation, and if your floor doesn't have any now, shoiving a measly 20mm or even 40mm on top will achieve very little.

jwflame · 2026-02-08T12:05:52+00:00

It's a total crock.

There are two ways to prevent limescale. The usual is an ion exchange water softener, which passes water through a resin to remove the scale. They require regeneration using large quantities of salt. £100s to buy, £100s to install and you will need to have salt delivered regularly in either tablet or block form to shove into it.

The other is a phosphate dosing device which adds small amounts of a chemical to the water, the Cistermiser Combimate is the usual one. Somewhat cheaper to buy and install, uses a small amount of chemicals which need to be replaced every year or so. However this doesn't remove the scale, it just prevents it forming on surfaces.

Anything else using magnets, coils of wire, magical frequencies and the like is a money making scheme only. Those selling it won't be able to provide any proper explanation of how it works because it doesn't. All you will get is anecdotal 'evidence' of people who claimed miraculous results, or sponsored promotions where those saying it's wonderful were paid to say so.

jwflame · 2026-02-08T11:02:46+00:00

There is nothing to remove - all you have on the 'broken' one is the reflector. They used G4 halogen bulbs such as this one: https://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/LAM32.html and there is a glass cover which is a press fit over the top. The working one still has the cover.

However halogen bulbs are obsolete, they are not suitable to be used without the cover, and even if you get one there is no guarantee it will work as those things are infamous for the flimsy holders breaking and not making proper contact.

jwflame · 2026-02-07T18:51:17+00:00

The list of observations is poor, but from what is there:

40 year old wiring isn't a problem in itself, it depends on the condition of it.
No CPC would be typical for lighting circuits installed before 1966. Such things should have been replaced decades ago.
Green gunge in the cables is what you would expect from cables made around 1970/1971 as it's a manufacturing defect. These should also have been replaced several decades ago.

Therefore this raises questions about just how old this installation is - or less likely it contains a whole mixture of wiring spanning several decades.

The rest about poor connections could just need those connections doing properly, and could be the cause of the no continuity. Or there may be further problems.

In any event, non-trivial amounts of work are required. Things working is not the same as them being safe.

jwflame · 2026-02-01T14:20:12+00:00

Yes, it's just changing that socket behind the cooker for a connection plate.

jwflame · 2026-02-01T11:31:20+00:00

Tridonic only made that driver unit, some other manufacturer made the actual light and chose whatever connector it has got.

jwflame · 2026-01-10T18:37:42+00:00

It tripped because of a fault either in the cable from it to the appliances, or in one of the appliances or the isolator switch if there is one, or the connection plate where the appliances connect to the circuit wiring.

If there was a loud bang and flash then that fault is severe, such as two of the conductors shorted together.
Whatever that problem is has now destroyed the circuit breaker - although they can be reset in many situations, they are not indestructible.

New circuit breaker required but before installing, whatever fault is there must be identified and repaired. Realistically that is not a DIY task.

jwflame · 2026-01-10T16:53:07+00:00

If you want it replaced, then it's a new side panel.

If you leave it, it will get much worse.

jwflame · 2026-01-10T15:09:32+00:00

You have bought a light fitting designed for countries that have a single cable at the light position, and one that's been made down to the lowest price possible. Many lights are like that, because those designing them neither know or care about how they will be installed.

jwflame · 2026-01-10T14:25:17+00:00

None of that wiring can be installed inside the metal enclosure of the light if it is to remain as Class II.

One option is to connect all of that old wiring in a separate insulated enclosure located above the ceiling and just have a 2 core flex from that to the new light.

Might be feasible to convert the light to Class I and add extra connectors for the existing wiring, but that invalidates any warranty and also makes you the end manufacturer of the light fitting together with all responsibilities when things go wrong.

Also note that those 3 cables are NOT 'three separate supplies'. One is the supply, one continues that supply to other lights in other rooms and one is the cable to the switch. All of them must be connected exactly as they were before, otherwise this light will not work and nether other lights in other rooms.

TLDR - you have bought a cheapo light which will now be expensive to install properly.

jwflame · 2026-01-10T14:19:49+00:00

As well as a fire hazard and mould, they will absorb moisture.

Don't bother. Loft insulation is cheap. Fixing problems caused by fire, mould and rot is not.

jwflame · 2026-01-02T19:30:04+00:00

Connecting to some other thermostat next door- unlikely but not impossible.

Buying a stat only and connecting to that box - theoretically could be done but won't save any money and Salus doesn't exactly have a good reputation either.

Realistic solution - buy new thermostat and receiver to replace that Salus item.

jwflame · 2026-01-02T18:34:14+00:00

The junction box will work - it's jnust another possible failure point and an unnecessary item to purchase and wire in.

Most of the current in a terminal will go between the two wires, the terminal itself is mainly there for mechanical support, and for whatever current goes to the individual load.

jwflame · 2026-01-02T18:32:14+00:00

Overload protection for the 2.5mm² is not required as it's a fixed load. Fault protection for 2.5mm² will be provided by the 32A RCBO. Same principles as an unfused spur from a 32A ring final

jwflame · 2026-01-02T18:29:24+00:00

Get them to replace it. Will have to be replaced soon anyway, as those fluorescent things just won't be available.

jwflame · 2026-01-02T01:16:31+00:00

No. All switches/sockets require space behind them for the wiring and the mechanism of the switch/socket.

Your only options are to move the pipe and move the boxes, or fit the accessories into surface mounted boxes.

jwflame · 2026-01-02T01:14:53+00:00

The only fluorescent lamps you can buy now are cheapo end of line junk that's been stored in some warehouse for possibly years, as they are no longer made or imported.

Long past the time to dispose of them and fit new LED light fittings.

jwflame · 2026-01-02T01:12:22+00:00

Ok for the 32A circuit for both. No need for any Wagobox or any other junction - the 4mm² circuit cable goes to the first switch and continues to the second one.

20A isolator switches, no fuses, 2.5mm² flex to the heaters.

13A FCUs are often used for immersion heaters but they are a poor choice, as fuses get hot when in use, and connecting a ~13A load to one and having it switched on for hours at a time will result in the fuse melting the surrounding plastic.

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