posted
Any idea how much it might cost to get a 3-bed flat rewired (Cairo obviously!) and how much mess might be involved and how long it might take? (Just ball-park figures - I mean a few thousands or ten thousand plus?)
I have concluded following a number of minor but concerning incidents that I have to prioritize this!
Also would you do it before or after plumbing?
Posts: 5593 | From: Egypt | Registered: Dec 2005
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There really is no simple answer. You will need to get a very good electrician to take a look. Some builders did not use conduit of any type and all they did was chip a channel like space in the brick, run a two strand wire in then plaster over it. In that case, it will get messy. If conduit was used and I use the term conduit loosely as what they use is something closer to a rubber hose than conduit, then it becomes much much easier to pull that damaged wire out and run new wire in if that is the problem. Why do you need rewiring?
Get a good electrician in any case.
Posts: 1044 | Registered: Nov 2009
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Thanks This. Yes, I am pretty sure I have identified a good electrician with a "project manager" overseer - if I'm going to start ripping up I may as well get a few other things done at the same time.
The problem is: tiny electric shocks from the microwave casing + certain sockets in the kitchen (and elsewhere) where things blow after a bit of usage so I have to stop using them + flames shooting out of one socket + one particular light fitting - when I replace the light bulb - if I twist it one way all the lights in half of the flat come on, twist it the other way and the lights in the other half of the flat come on! Just a selection.
If it was just one or even two of these, then I might think it's the gadgets that are being plugged into them, but there are too many of these things going on now!
So much for buying 'new build' LOL!! An Egyptian friend came round last year with the contractor above to sort out the electric shocks coming from my water system, and she said to me "you know, we all thought that properties in these developments were made to top quality specifications. Now I see it isn't true!" she was so right!
Posts: 5593 | From: Egypt | Registered: Dec 2005
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quote:Originally posted by Shanta Gdeeda: Any idea how much it might cost to get a 3-bed flat rewired (Cairo obviously!) and how much mess might be involved and how long it might take? (Just ball-park figures - I mean a few thousands or ten thousand plus?)
I have concluded following a number of minor but concerning incidents that I have to prioritize this!
Also would you do it before or after plumbing?
I'm niot sure a rewire is the issue here. There is no point having a rewire if there is no earthing to the property.
I have not been here a long time but from what i have witnessed electrical safety is shocking and earthing is mostly absent.
You can have brand new wires but if you have no earthing no point in having them!!
You need to find out if your current property is earthed and take it from there. If you live in a house with a garden you can use a spike in the soil for earthing.
The earlier post that mentions two core wire being channeled implies that there is no earth. With earth you have live + neutral + eath hence three wires instead of two.
If you don't have earthing anf cannot get it i would suggest using plastic fittings all over and buy a circuit breaker for each of your appliances.
ps. i have done elctrical woro before.
Posts: 9 | From: Cairo | Registered: Apr 2011
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posted
Thanks Roberto, I'm fairly sure I'm earthed as I did have a proper electrician over last year to sort out electric shocks coming from the boiler and he did test a number of other things while he was here.
However, I will certainly make a point of finding out for sure! Any idea where the earthing wire usually goes in an Egyptian flat if there is one? In my flat in London it attached to one of the water pipes leading to the water boiler (I'm guessing the mains feed in but I may be wrong).
Am also having someone come over to see if I have got an RCD installed and if not to get one put in (on the grounds Egyptian ones might look different to British ones so I might not recognize it!)
Posts: 5593 | From: Egypt | Registered: Dec 2005
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quote:Originally posted by Shanta Gdeeda: Thanks Roberto, I'm fairly sure I'm earthed as I did have a proper electrician over last year to sort out electric shocks coming from the boiler and he did test a number of other things while he was here.
However, I will certainly make a point of finding out for sure! Any idea where the earthing wire usually goes in an Egyptian flat if there is one? In my flat in London it attached to one of the water pipes leading to the water boiler (I'm guessing the mains feed in but I may be wrong).
Am also having someone come over to see if I have got an RCD installed and if not to get one put in (on the grounds Egyptian ones might look different to British ones so I might not recognize it!)
I was going to say the same thing that Roberto did. It does look like a problem with earthing. However, unlike what Roberto says, the household wiring in Egypt is two wires, earth is not used as such. Usually the earthing of an appliance, e.g. microwave or frigde which is normally connected to the chasis (the body) and to the earth, is in Egypt connected to the Neutral. So if you have a live neutral due to whatever problem, you'll get the shock you're describing. The bit about twisting the bulb one way or another I have no explanation for! But it might be an issue with distribution of the bulbs on the different circuits. Normally each room has it's own feed from the main distribution panel, with its own circuit braker. So, what happens in one room should not affect the others! Get a spiritual healer to drive away the poltergeist!!
Another outrageous suggestion I'll make, is to keep the plumbing exposed, i.e. not burried in the wall. The reason is, unfortunately Egyptian tradesmen are not good. I know people who had to break the walls to fix a leak, in a new built flat. This never happened in our flat that was built in the 1930s, because owners then spared no cost on quality. If you insist on burrying the plumbing, then make sure they use pipes with thick pipe walls (technically known as pipe schedule). Good luck, you'll need it, together with a healthy serving of patience!!
Posts: 444 | Registered: Apr 2004
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quote:Originally posted by Shanta Gdeeda: Thanks Roberto, I'm fairly sure I'm earthed as I did have a proper electrician over last year to sort out electric shocks coming from the boiler and he did test a number of other things while he was here.
However, I will certainly make a point of finding out for sure! Any idea where the earthing wire usually goes in an Egyptian flat if there is one? In my flat in London it attached to one of the water pipes leading to the water boiler (I'm guessing the mains feed in but I may be wrong).
Am also having someone come over to see if I have got an RCD installed and if not to get one put in (on the grounds Egyptian ones might look different to British ones so I might not recognize it!)
Hi again,
The wires attached to the water plumbing are not earthing as such, they are part of it. That is called bonding. It is used in case there is contact between pipes and electricity, The yellow and green wire attached to the pipe then carries the power to the consumer unit / electricity board outlet or to the earth spike if you have earthing via a rod stuck in your garden.
It would be good if you have an rcd currently asd that should mean that you do have earthing. I am not sure how earthing is provided here in egypt, in UK and most of Europe this is generally provided by the board via their outlet which connects to your consumer unit. The alternative is the earthspike which is used mostly in rural areas and caravan parks.
I am not too sure this neutrasl acting as earth is safe but i don't know this method. I would gladly rewire my own place but i rent so i don't want to spend money for someone else. I am using plastic fittings anc circuit breakers on applicances.
On conduit, there is no requirement to have conduit. New wires should last 40 years so there should not be any need to pull the wires again in the future to replace them, providing you don't stick a nail in them....
For a two bed flat i would say a decent european electrician and a helper should take three days + plus someone to do the plastering. Not sure on the cost but uk cost non london based something like £1200 so here you should pay a lot less than that.
Posts: 9 | From: Cairo | Registered: Apr 2011
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