Riser

Sounds a bit dodgy that. So who do you get in the leccy people or the water people or both?

Brian

Perfectly normal behaviour for water. If it starts going up, I'd say that something was amiss.

HTH YVW

Here's a pic:-

Looks like it may actually be pitch or whatever running out. Didn't fancy touching it to find out. ;-)

Can't see it would have overheated. Load here is pretty low - no heating, etc.

Yes - that's the standard stuff they used to use - known simply as "compound" at least in the LEB area.

It's fine.

What may be less fine is the paper insulated cable feeding it. At this age, the oil in the paper may have drained out leaving it brittle. Fine as long as you don't hit it or bend it.

I've contacted EDF. It wasn't like this last time I noticed it, so something is up. The cable might well be original. 1920s? The actual header looks to have been replaced at some time - before I bought the house.

That type of cable was still being used in the 50s-60s so it might not be THAT bad :)

The house is Victorian and in Central London. So no idea when it would have been installed. Or if it has ever been replaced - there's no sign of an earlier feeder. The wiring when I bought it was all lead sheathed stuff.

On 11-Jul-16 3:15 PM, Tim Watts wrote: ...

Memories of when I worked for an electricity board. My boss took me with him to inspect the lift that served the offices. He said we needed to check the cables feeding the lift cage, which were enclosed in a woven outer sheath. I touched the sheath and it rustled. He decided that we should skip that bit of the inspection.

In my Victorian house in Bristol in the 1970's (oddly enough opposite a Mr Bignall who worked for SWEB) my neighbour (social worker) asked me about an incomer which was dribbling oil from the final junction box. I explained that his electricity must be coming from Pembroke power station, which was oil fired.....

That would look lovely polished up.

Owain

I've seen pitch coming out of an overloaded cutout.

In technical terms "your electrical cut out is knackered".

So what are your earthing arrangements?

It's been UK Power Networks since 2010.

TT or none, by the look of it...

Hopefully contacted the right people now - thanks to Andy.

Earth spike. And RCDs.

But given the (steel) gas and (lead) water pipes are all connected too, it seems to measure just fine, I'm told. ;-) Been like that before I bought the place 40 years ago.

The RCDs, I added later.

They're treating it as an emergency and will get someone round today or tomorrow.

Fair enough:-)

And the outcome, if any, was ... ?

well if he's got no power, he wont be able to reply will he?

Why should have no power? I'd expect either:

- the cut-out was OK, no action required, or

- dangerous situation, emergency replacement required, done same day, or

- non-emergency replacement, scheduled job.