Unknown electrics

[Andy Wade]

BS 1363 requires them to be tested at 20 A and, in the absence of any specific manufacturer's information to the contrary, that should be considered to be the effective rating.

The wiring rules in BS 7671 & the OSG also assume 20 A max. load on a double skt - e.g. an unfused ring spur in 2.5 mm^2 cable (cable rating >= 20 A) may feed one double skt.

That's per socket. If you ask MK, for example, they will tell you that their double skts are rated at 26 A "provided that the supply wiring is suitable for that current."

[zymurgy]

Yes, i've got some of that in my 1950's house, and some earthless grey twin core on the upstairs lights.

Thankfully someone knowledgeable has already had a stab at most of the ring mains before I got to them, as they're all modern wiring.

Cheers

Paul.

[s p o n i x]

afaik Rhodesia stopped the export of copper. As 99% of the UKs copper came from Rhodesia at the time aluminium was used for wiring instead.

sponix

[John]

There was a brief period when unofficial aluminium conductor cable in domestic sizes was on sale. This had serious corrosion heating problems with terminations and for a while copperclad aluminium was being sold. The copper coating overcame the corrosion problem but suffered from creep due to the softer underlying metal and it fell from favour. Aluminium is approved for use even now but only in larger sizes where the conductors are big enough to have some mechanical strength and suitable terminating techniques can be applied

[Matt]

Better tell the power companies then! Most new HV overhead line conductors are all aluminium, the earlier ones being aluminium over a steel core - they are greased though!

[Tom B]

On this housing estate built in the '70s each house was provided with a gas point and an electric cooker point in the kitchen. If the buyer opted for a gas cooker the electric cooker cable was terminated on a

13A socket (with suitable fuse in the CU of course). Sounds likely that this is what you have and converting to a double would be ideal.