Well let’s start with the safety ones, these are normally green and yellow, or sometimes just green pre-1977.
These should be found at every fixture and fitting throughout your home these are called circuit protective conductors or earths, and basically stop you from getting an electric shock if a fault happens or you touch something you shouldn’t. Much thicker green and yellow cables should be connected to your incoming water, gas and oil if you have them and are known as bonding conductors, an even thicker cable will run from your main fuse to your consumer unit/fuseboard this is called a main earth and as the name suggests it provides your home with the main route back to earth.
Then there are tails, these are blue and brown or just grey they come in two sizes 25mm and 16mm, but they should be the 25mm variant to meet current regulations these connect the main fuse, to your electricity meter then on to your fuse board.
Armoured cables these are black in colour and steel wire armour inside, they are used for external connections to sheds, garages, summer house, outside sockets, lights, electric car chargers and many more.
Let’s not forget the largest group of cables which run from your fuseboard to the majority of your fixtures and fittings, these should be twin and earth cables, the new colouring is brown, blue and green/yellow and should be made from copper, the older colourisation is Red and black but this was replaced with brown and blue in may 2004. So if your cables are red, black and green there’s a high chance your wiring system is pre 1977, there also maybe no earth present at your light fittings and in which case could be in need of modernisation.
Your cabling may also be VIR (Vulcanised Indian Rubber) in which case, this needs removing as soon as possible as it brakes down and goes brittle, this has been known to cause house fires and electric shocks, so if found it needs addressing immediately.
If you’re concerned about your cabling or the electrical safety within your home give your local Electricians a call today on 07742485307
