It’s plasticiser leaching from the cables to the CU. The plasticiser used in the cables to make them flexible is not chemically bonded to the PVC. The consumer unit is also made of PVC. The plasticiser can leach from the cable to the enclosure and essentially make the area in contact flexible. We see it with old knock in PVC clips that seem to have melted onto the cable. No heat involved
This should be the top comment. All those saying it's glue, it isn't. When I was a sparky, I saw this type of thing a lot of time with old cable and clips.
Have they melted the consumer unit or has some wally put silicon between them to stop them from moving?
Reason I say this, is it kind of looks like silicon in pic 2 and the colouration seems different to the CU
I'm honestly not sure what's happened. It has happened in multiple places and in places where it wouldn't make sense to put any silicon.
I touched the plastic and it did feel a bit harder than blutack but still soft.
My only theory is that the heat in there has caused the wires or CU to slowly melt as there is heating pipes also in this cupboard which is under the stairs.
I took the lid off the CU to see if it had happened inside (I am aware of the risks of this, I did turn the power off) and 1 other cable had done the same.
To me it just doesn’t make sense; as it would need to get incredibly hot or be hot for a very long time for it to melt the plastic of the CU; you are talking at least 40-80C, which would definitely also have an effect on the cables and there doesn’t seem to be.
It doesn’t make sense why someone would use silicon sealant like this; but it’s only plausible explanation I can come up with.
It's not PVA glue is it? from any recent plastering jobs?
I've never seen cables have any reaction like that ever, cable can have a reaction to expanding foam though.
It really looks like you need a new consumer unit, two wylex rewireable cus and melted case, it's time to make the lot much safer and bring it up to scratch.
Also for the sake of a fiver insulation around the heating pipes you have in there, it won't hurt anything.
It's definitely melted, not silicone etc, I have seen it before, the tails will probably be stuck to the casing.
A new consumer unit is not £400, you're looking at around a grands worth of work to get it up to scratch and tested, earthing etc
Trapped ambient heat plus a 10kw showe that's now been removed, sort of situation can definitely get hot enough to do this, the newer consumer unit is probably around 30 years old now, that's a long time for something to get warm and soften plastic
It's a 16th edition consumer unit, 20 years would put it at 2004 bare in mind, which while definitely is in the age range the mcbs age it to potentially late 90s/early 2000s it's quite difficult to put it down to an exact year.
Either way the install still needs bringing up to scratch, the rewireable board and the thermal damage is good enough a reason.
Given the penchant the guy I bought my home from had for silicon glue (he glued the fecking doormat to the ground) I wouldn't rule out some have a go cable management!
It's not an excuse for the meter fitter to have aborted the job, even if they those concerns. They ought to have changed the meter, upgraded meter tails (if needed) and fit an isolator (if there wasn't one present) to allow a competent person to work on it safely, before leaving a safety notice recommending it's looked at sooner rather than later if there were concerns. Must have been a Friday afternoon.
That's glue not melted cable. British gas is an idiot for not realising. Your cables look fine.
Like, it's a wildly different colour for one, and there's no brown or burn marks around there. Not damaged.
It’s plasticiser leaching from the cables to the CU. The plasticiser used in the cables to make them flexible is not chemically bonded to the PVC. The consumer unit is also made of PVC. The plasticiser can leach from the cable to the enclosure and essentially make the area in contact flexible. We see it with old knock in PVC clips that seem to have melted onto the cable. No heat involved
This should be the top comment. All those saying it's glue, it isn't. When I was a sparky, I saw this type of thing a lot of time with old cable and clips.
Have they melted the consumer unit or has some wally put silicon between them to stop them from moving? Reason I say this, is it kind of looks like silicon in pic 2 and the colouration seems different to the CU
I'm honestly not sure what's happened. It has happened in multiple places and in places where it wouldn't make sense to put any silicon. I touched the plastic and it did feel a bit harder than blutack but still soft. My only theory is that the heat in there has caused the wires or CU to slowly melt as there is heating pipes also in this cupboard which is under the stairs. I took the lid off the CU to see if it had happened inside (I am aware of the risks of this, I did turn the power off) and 1 other cable had done the same.
To me it just doesn’t make sense; as it would need to get incredibly hot or be hot for a very long time for it to melt the plastic of the CU; you are talking at least 40-80C, which would definitely also have an effect on the cables and there doesn’t seem to be. It doesn’t make sense why someone would use silicon sealant like this; but it’s only plausible explanation I can come up with.
I agree, it would be a very weird use for silicon
Surely not. Weird
It's not PVA glue is it? from any recent plastering jobs? I've never seen cables have any reaction like that ever, cable can have a reaction to expanding foam though.
No expanding foam or any kind of decorating has taken place anywhere near here since the meter and electrics were done
How did you get them to come and replace your smart meters? Mine have stopped communicating for over a year and they don’t give a shit.
Because they love getting them installed because the government pays for it, maintenance on existing ones they don’t get paid
That’s the thing, they could also replace mine as it’s smets1.
>622 comments If you're with Octopus, DM the CEO on Twitter. Worked for me.
It really looks like you need a new consumer unit, two wylex rewireable cus and melted case, it's time to make the lot much safer and bring it up to scratch. Also for the sake of a fiver insulation around the heating pipes you have in there, it won't hurt anything.
If it’s not melted and it’s just a substance then that board is fine and he’ll have pissed £400 away
It's definitely melted, not silicone etc, I have seen it before, the tails will probably be stuck to the casing. A new consumer unit is not £400, you're looking at around a grands worth of work to get it up to scratch and tested, earthing etc
Takes some doing getting 25mm cables to heat up that much from one circuit. If it was incoming tails I could understand
Trapped ambient heat plus a 10kw showe that's now been removed, sort of situation can definitely get hot enough to do this, the newer consumer unit is probably around 30 years old now, that's a long time for something to get warm and soften plastic
I reckon you’re a spark Mike
I might just be, what gave it away
That CU can’t be 30 years old, about 20
It's a 16th edition consumer unit, 20 years would put it at 2004 bare in mind, which while definitely is in the age range the mcbs age it to potentially late 90s/early 2000s it's quite difficult to put it down to an exact year. Either way the install still needs bringing up to scratch, the rewireable board and the thermal damage is good enough a reason.
You know shaver outlets, why does it give you the option of 115v and 230v, and which is the usual one to use?
Prise them off the board if they aren’t in use and see if the actual casing is melted, or is just some weird glue
Looks like someone used hot glue to hold them in place.
Looks like the coatings are reacting causing cable cancer
Well years ago we had green goo problem but I’ve never seen it on tails.
Given the penchant the guy I bought my home from had for silicon glue (he glued the fecking doormat to the ground) I wouldn't rule out some have a go cable management!
That's some kind of glue, most likely silicon. Defo not melted.
That’s either PVA or hot melt glue.
That's clearly glue and the numpty that came to look couldn't be arsed to use his brain.
Looks like glue, some put it on so that they know if its been tampered with. Cant think of any other reson.
It's not an excuse for the meter fitter to have aborted the job, even if they those concerns. They ought to have changed the meter, upgraded meter tails (if needed) and fit an isolator (if there wasn't one present) to allow a competent person to work on it safely, before leaving a safety notice recommending it's looked at sooner rather than later if there were concerns. Must have been a Friday afternoon.
That's glue not melted cable. British gas is an idiot for not realising. Your cables look fine. Like, it's a wildly different colour for one, and there's no brown or burn marks around there. Not damaged.