Best way to fix this mess

[Nickfromwales]

27 minutes ago, SteamyTea said:

@SimonD @Nickfromwales

 

I have seen similar poor installed wiring.

What is the best way around this?

Can a flexible sheath be used?

How would the ends be terminated around the existing wires?

Needs to be in containment.

[SteamyTea]

1 hour ago, Nickfromwales said:

Needs to be in containment.

Yes.

But by what, can you suggest a product?

[SimonD]

1 hour ago, SteamyTea said:

@SimonD @Nickfromwales

 

I have seen similar poor installed wiring.

What is the best way around this?

Can a flexible sheath be used?

How would the ends be terminated around the existing wires?

 

In all honestly I'm reluctant to make a definitive statement on that as it's really not my area. I call the electrician I work with! All I know is that you really need cables that are insulated and sheathed then made off correctly into stuffing glands either into a CU or junction box etc. or appliance and that's it's really good practice to run visible and exposed cable, even if it's insulated and sheathed, in trunking (unless it's something like HO7 or armoured and then it can take care of itself, but these also need to be properly made off into wherever they're coming from or going to). And also that you always use grommets into back boxes etc.

[SimonD]

8 minutes ago, SteamyTea said:

Yes.

But by what, can you suggest a product?

 

Here is a bit of any answer for you which mentions single insulated with a separate flexible sheath:

https://engx.theiet.org/f/wiring-and-regulations/29131/types-of-cables-acceptable-in-flexible-conduit


 

[Nickfromwales]

6 hours ago, SteamyTea said:

Yes.

But by what, can you suggest a product?

It should enter into a junction box, fixed to the back of the cabinet. 
 

From there it can be either trunking or conduit, trunking prob easiest here. 
 

Basically you shouldn’t be able to see the brown or blue cables at all as they’re not PVC/PVC.

 

[sgt_woulds]

I assume this is a newish house built in the last couple of years.  Do you know who the house builders are?  Should be available from your local planning office.

 

Find their contact details and tell them that this is a non-compliant installation and demand that they provide electrician details for reporting to NICEIC / NAPIT. 

Get as many neighbours invoilved as possible so they sit up and they might take notice.  See what reaction you get.   

 

The only way that we'll stop all this cowboy bulldust is to hold them to account.

 

 

[JohnMo]

On 28/03/2026 at 14:02, Nickfromwales said:

Needs to be in containment.

Isn't it already in containment, it's in a big box. So what's the difference from a consumer unit, you open that box and you see single insulation wires.

 

No idea of the answer, just a confused - simple terms learning lesson would be good

[-rick-]

21 minutes ago, JohnMo said:

Isn't it already in containment, it's in a big box. So what's the difference from a consumer unit, you open that box and you see single insulation wires.

 

No idea of the answer, just a confused - simple terms learning lesson would be good

 

Saw something on efixx the other day along this lines. It's an argument that has been used by some installers but IIRC there is push back possibly with a recent clarification to say no.

[ProDave]

31 minutes ago, JohnMo said:

Isn't it already in containment, it's in a big box. So what's the difference from a consumer unit, you open that box and you see single insulation wires.

 

No idea of the answer, just a confused - simple terms learning lesson would be good

I was going to ask that.  A meter box is a cabinet that needs a key to open it.  That does indeed seem to meet the description of an electrical enclosure.

 

After all you can have single insulated cables and even bare terminals in a junction box with a clip on lid.

 

I agree it is poor work and it's not as thought it would have been difficult to do it properly in the first place.  But a waste of time trying to complain to the competent person schemes, history seems to show they will be quick to fine someone who uses their logo if not a member, but taking action against a member who does poor work seems incredibly rare. 

[SimonD]

2 hours ago, -rick- said:

Saw something on efixx the other day along this lines. It's an argument that has been used by some installers but IIRC there is push back possibly with a recent clarification to say no.

 Yep,
https://professional-electrician.com/technical/guidance-on-installing-equipment-within-meter-enclosures-niceic/ 

 

Whether, as @ProDave says, anyone pays any attention or the CPS takes any action whatsoever is another matter. As a mate of mine once said. If you're not a member of a scheme and you do something stupid, they come down on you like a ton of bricks. If you're a member of a scheme and do something stupid, they wag their finger and kindly ask you not to do it again.

[JohnMo]

3 minutes ago, SimonD said:

Yep,
https://professional-electrician.com/technical/guidance-on-installing-equipment-within-meter-enclosures-niceic/ 

 

 

So, looking at the images there appears to wiring exactly the same as the OP, so whats the issue? What is non compliant?

[-rick-]

1 minute ago, JohnMo said:

 

So, looking at the images there appears to wiring exactly the same as the OP, so whats the issue? What is non compliant?

Not to me. The images show double insulated tails not single insulated cables.

[ProDave]

8 minutes ago, SimonD said:

 Yep,
https://professional-electrician.com/technical/guidance-on-installing-equipment-within-meter-enclosures-niceic/ 

 

From that link the best bit is

 

Implications for the customer

If the DNO or MOP need to attend a domestic or similar premises and encounter equipment other than that used for supply or metering purposes within an approved meter enclosure, this may prevent work activities such as:

 

● the replacement of lifetime-expired equipment;

 

Great way therefore if you don't want a smart meter, to make sure there is no free space to fit one.

[JohnMo]

The wires look the same to me, first image from the liked website, the other the OP.  OP's not tidy and thrown in, but tails look the same - what is different, as I said simple terms would be good.  So anyone following this can actually tell correct from wrong.

[-rick-]

2 minutes ago, JohnMo said:

The wires look the same to me, first image from the liked website, the other the OP.  OP's not tidy and thrown in, but tails look the same - what is different, as I said simple terms would be good.  So anyone following this can actually tell correct from wrong.

 

In the circled area you can see that this is a T+E cable with the outer shealth stripped. This means the remainder of the cable is single insulated.

 

The other tell is the thickness of the cables.

[JohnMo]

14 minutes ago, -rick- said:

In the circled area you can see that this is a T+E cable with the outer shealth stripped. This means the remainder of the cable is single insulated.

So back to my original question, why is this any different from a CU where you generally only have Twin and Earth cables enter, the other sheath is removed and the tails connector to the stuff within the CU.  Both this and CU are basically a locked box?

[-rick-]

1 minute ago, JohnMo said:

So back to my original question, why is this any different from a CU where you generally only have Twin and Earth cables enter, the other sheath is removed and the tails connector to the stuff within the CU.  Both this and CU are basically a locked box?

 

As I said earlier I think there is some argument about this within the electrical profession. I'm not an electrician, just vaguely aware. I think the argument is that people are expected to go into a meter box to read a meter, switch switches (for isolation, resetting trips). They are not expected to go inside a consumer unit, but are expected to lift the protective flap to switch breakers (and that element of a consumer unit is double insulated).

[SimonD]

I think the powers that be were listening to this thread. Just posted on efixx youtube channel: