old wiring

pjproby

i have old house wiring in the kitchen area-one red and two black-one of the black is much thicker than the other black-is this the earth?

A.Necessiter

I'm gonna guess what you have is an old twin and earth cable and that the earth core has been covered by a piece of the black PVC. Provided the PVC hasn't degraded and the circuit is protected by an RCD/MCB there might not be a need to rewire cables. You could replace the black sleeving with some earth (green/yellow) sleeving. To be shure all is safe get an electrician to trow an eye over it.
Hope this helps.

DublinDilbert

A.Necessiter wrote: »

I'm gonna guess what you have is an old twin and earth cable and that the earth core has been covered by a piece of the black PVC. Provided the PVC hasn't degraded and the circuit is protected by an RCD/MCB there might not be a need to rewire cables. You could replace the black sleeving with some earth (green/yellow) sleeving. To be shure all is safe get an electrician to trow an eye over it.
Hope this helps.

Ummmm the OP never said if it was a socket or a lighting circuit.

Can you take a picture and post here, then we should be able to offer some sort of advice....

pjproby

sorry-its a socket-can't take a picture at the moment-its in a very awkward spot
thanks for the replies