Old Fuseboard/wiring

C

chris20051

Registered User
Messages
149
Hi All,

I bought a 3 Bedroom semi-detached house, built in 1979 so thats 29 Years Old.

Question, there is a old fuseboard in the house and the original wiring(no earth wire as far as I can tell)

Can I get a fuseboard installed now with a trip switch and get the re-wiring done at a later stage, I know the re-wiring costs thousands of euros and the fuseboard costs a couple of hundred euros?

All replies Welcome

Thanks
Chris
 
What exactly do you mean when you say no earth cable?

Of course you could change out the fuse board, could be messy tho
 
Hi Futisle,

I was told the old houses don't have earth wires, therefore when I had the money I would need the house re-wired etc...(don't know too much about that) the fuseboard I would get a electrian to do this work but I wanted to know if it made sence to change the fuseboard now and get the re-wiring down later, if a fuse blows then the fuse needs replacing and im not sure if they made them easily anymore, at least if I have a fuseboard I can trip the switch back and no harm done, when I have thousands of euros saved I could get the re-wiring done at a later stage, offcourse im going to get advice from an electrian but I wanted to know people's comments and experiences first?

futisle said:
What exactly do you mean when you say no earth cable?

Of course you could change out the fuse board, could be messy tho
Click to expand...
 
I'd doubt if a competent electrician would install a new "fuse board" if the wiring is as bad as you imply - anyway, even if they did, it would quite probably keep tripping out and drive you nuts.

Its a kind of cart before horse scenario.
 
Unless you find yourself replacing fuses regularly, I wouldn't go changing the fuse board alone. There are plenty of old buildings still using fuses so if it were me I'd hold off and get it all done together. Its a better solution. I would doubt that all old houses have no earth cable, they knew about earths long before 1979!

Best of luck with the new house.
 

I'm my old fuseboard replaced early last year, for about €500. The higher quotes were €800 and €1200+VAT.

I got the house rewired in August. Cost €4,600 + VAT.
 
Hi Gautama,

If you got the fuseboad replaced before the re-wiring did this case you any problems, what is the advantages getting the fuseboard changed now and the re-wiring done later? instead of everything done at the one time?

Gautama said:
I'm my old fuseboard replaced early last year, for about €500. The higher quotes were €800 and €1200+VAT.

I got the house rewired in August. Cost €4,600 + VAT.
Click to expand...
 
Hi Futisle,

Is there anyway I can tell if the house is already earthed? I taught there is suppose to be something in the ground that hold the wires called the earth but i don't seem to have anything outside the house

 
I too got the old fuse board renewed and will be rewiring this spring. Very easy and clean job. Cost €550 and took 3 hours. Know nothing about earths etc... Has stopped our problem of fuses blowing (and indeed fizzing) but not stopped bulbs blowing suspiciously often, hence re-wiring.
 
I bought a bungalow in the last six months that was built in '79 or '80. It too had the old type fuses. I examined the wiring and it appeared to be in good condition (accross the attic area). Contacted an electrician to enquire how much to change to new type fuse board, he came round to examine before giving me a price and informed me that the system was not earthed and this would also have to be done at the sam time as installing the board. This involved sinking an earth rod in the garden and chasing out footpath and external wall of house to accomodate cable (in trunking). Total price of €700 inclusive of all materials, labour, fuse board etc.

No reason why you cannot get this part of the job done prior to re-wiring, provided the existing wiring is not dangerous.
 
chris20051 said:
If you got the fuseboad replaced before the re-wiring did this case you any problems,
Click to expand...
No problems whatsoever.

chris20051 said:
what is the advantages getting the fuseboard changed now and the re-wiring done later? instead of everything done at the one time?
Click to expand...

None really. I hadn't planned on getting the house rewired at all. In my case I needed some electrics done (new gas timer, new socket in hallway, new fuseboard (as recommended by surveyor)).
The electrician then said, as a RECI electrician, that he was obliged to recommend that I re-wire the house, as the wiring was the old kind.
However, he did say that for the old wiring, mine was in very good condition, and that the chance of anything going wrong was similar to winning the Lotto.

A number of things convinced me to get it done:
  • As I planned on getting the house plastered, it's better to do the rewiring before hand.
  • Extra sockets.
  • People that have been in their non-re-wired houses for years, wish that they'd done it when they moved in.
  • This electrician did a good job for me on the fuseboard, etc., charged a fair price, and was a nice guy.
  • It's better overall...
 
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