Re: Very Old (Immersion Heater?) Switch
Hi Peter,
I assume that is rubber covered twin cable with no earth wire incorporated in it? I can't remember ever coming across rubber power cable with no earth- lighting cable yes.
Earthing did seem to be somewhat random in those days. As Emeritus said above, there may have been separate earth wires run directly to the body of the immersion heater or to the tank itself. I've certainly found plenty of bare earth wire trailing around under floorboards of old houses.
No plastic then of course, so wooden Rawlplug was the thing to use. The holes were made with a 'Rawlplug tool', a small cold chisel type thing that was repeatedly hit with a hammer & twisted until the hole was the correct depth.
Probably fairly quick in Victorian soft red bricks & lime mortar, but '30's houses had much harder brick and often very strong cement mortar!
The Brown Brother's catalogue has a selection of Rawlplug tools and metal boxes of assorted wooden plugs. Also rolls of bare earth wire.
Glad the switch is back on display!
All the best
Nick
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