# Burnt looking wiring help



## angelrose (Feb 28, 2012)

Hi Guys, I am seeing some dark spots on my wiring up near the light fittings and i'm a bit scared there is going to be a fire. Please look at the pics and give me some advice if you know what you are talking about... Thanks
Angel


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## Echiopsis (Feb 28, 2012)

angelrose said:


> Hi Guys, I am seeing some dark spots on my wiring up near the light fittings and i'm a bit scared there is going to be a fire. Please look at the pics and give me some advice if you know what you are talking about... Thanks
> Angel
> 
> View attachment 240666
> ...



Cant see much through the cage. The melamine looks discoloured so theres obviously a lot of heat radiating back in that direction. If the wire looks burnt, get it replaced and look at getting one of the larger ceramic fittings.


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## CrystalMoon (Feb 28, 2012)

perhaps it would be wise to turn it off and get an electrician.... I tried rewiring my vaccume(sp)cleaner and it shot sparks and smoke out everywhere :shock: lesson being as an electrician I am a fantastic swimming instructor rofl


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## Jungletrans (Feb 28, 2012)

Don't panic . Heat rises and will discolor the white plastic . As long as it doesn't distort or become brittle it will be ok . To check [ with power off ] use a pot scrubber to take off the stain . If still worried fit a wider heat shield :]


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## moosenoose (Feb 28, 2012)

They do tend to go after awhile. I had an enclosure I've had running for about 8yrs straight, same ceramic heating element in it for that same period of time (I was impressed)...and then whack...out went the breaker at the switchboard. It had, upon inspection, finally heated itself through and the shorted out. This is one reason I chose to build my enclosures out of MDF as it's pretty much fire resistant. I've also got RCD protection at the board as well, and no doubt it picked it up.

Your wiring looks like it's close to going as well. I'd most certainly get it looked at, and perhaps rewired anyway. Then you're good for another few years. Good to see you're inspecting your wiring also. Easy to become ignorant to it


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## JAS101 (Feb 28, 2012)

yup that wire is near on burnt out , i have had a couple go like this .
i would get it looked at asap , as its a accident waiting to happen .


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## angelrose (Feb 28, 2012)

It is a ceramic fitting  
Does everyone just use normal electrical wire for this job, or is there a special heat resistant wire? 
Please don't tell me to get an electrician, I want to DIY... thanks.

Ok thanks guys, I will rewire and get a wider spacer.


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## browny (Feb 28, 2012)

rewiring legally means the use of a sparky so sorry no diy here unless you get a new fitting pre-wired, for future reference if the wiring ran straight out the enclosure from the fitting it wouldn't be inside getting as much heat effecting it.

little side note for moosenoose...MDF is merely short for Medium Density Fibreboard, it's still made of wood just fine wood particles within a heated glue type substance then under pressure ran through the desired thickness 'die' and hey presto MDF boards are born...anyway back on track, it is infact still flammable but it's not suitable for firewood/burning as it has the glue amongst it and is mildly toxic, trust me it still burns like wood.


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## Monitor Madness (Feb 28, 2012)

Don't know if this is relevant to your ceramic fitting but some that I have say to only put a max size globe wattage of 150watt in them.

The wiring looks shot defiantly get it looked at cause if the insulation melts to much the cables could touch and trip your breaker.

Also as things heat up and cool down they expand and contract and over time the cables can actually become lose in the terminals of the ceramic holder which will generate more heat and can damage cables.


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## moosenoose (Feb 28, 2012)

Interesting Browny. I've tried lighting it using an oxy torch without much luck :lol: Are you sure you're not mistaking it with partical board? Cheers


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## saximus (Feb 28, 2012)

A little note for if/when you get it placed. When I installed this kind of thing I made a mini "insulator" out of multiple layers of alfoil and newspaper and had it sort of between the roof and the cage if that makes sense. It will protect the wood and the wiring from the intense heat that rises off those ceramic emitters


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## browny (Mar 1, 2012)

moosenoose said:


> Interesting Browny. I've tried lighting it using an oxy torch without much luck :lol: Are you sure you're not mistaking it with partical board? Cheers


 
definitely not mistaking it and it isn't 'pretty much fire resistant', of course it won't be like a nice old piece of jarrah but it does burn, having said that I am glad your not having much luck with it considering how much is made from mdf now days, including millions of kitchens.

How you going with this angelrose? hope you've had some luck, I like saximus' idea on the make shift heat shield too would be so much cheaper than a bought one.


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## Snowman (Mar 1, 2012)

No one listens to a sparky... but here's my 2 cents anyway.
That cable simply isnt rated for the way it has been installed. This is why so many DIY projects end badly. Sure it works or worked. But it doesnt make it correct. Flex lead like that isnt made to be fixed in an area with high heat output. That ceramic holder would probably get over 100 degrees. Flex like that is for running in the open fixed to an appliance that does not get hot near the lead.  Further more the design of that lamp holder is not suited to be fixed in a confined space like that with a pvc cable attached to it. The cable MAY have been okay if it was a hanging pendant type arrangement. But still I would have been using fire rated cable or at least v100. Actually I wouldnt use a lamp like that at all..... 
Get a sparky to rewire it with a flanged base ceramic fitting. With the cable coming in via a top entry or some other way that is suitable.
Just had another look and it is illegal to have it wired like that anyway. Exposed terminals and exposed single insulated wire in against Australian regs... Who ever wired that has absolutely no idea what they were doing!  having bare terminals and single insulated wire exposed would mean that legally you would have to earth that metal cage sitting that close that a loose wire could touch it too....



angelrose said:


> It is a ceramic fitting
> Does everyone just use normal electrical wire for this job, or is there a special heat resistant wire?
> Please don't tell me to get an electrician, I want to DIY... thanks.
> 
> Ok thanks guys, I will rewire and get a wider spacer.



I don't get this... you expect people to have a license to keep pythons. But doing non licensed electrical work which could kill someone is fine. This DIY job is a accident waiting to happen. I've just shown a few work mates who shook their heads... :shock::shock::shock:

Squishing the cable under the cage is also not right....


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## Robo1 (Mar 1, 2012)

saximus said:


> A little note for if/when you get it placed. When I installed this kind of thing I made a mini "insulator" out of multiple layers of alfoil and newspaper and had it sort of between the roof and the cage if that makes sense. It will protect the wood and the wiring from the intense heat that rises off those ceramic emitters



It's a good idea but you need to be careful with it. If you do this make sure that there is no way for the aluminium foil to touch the electrical contacts. Because these fittings aren't earthed, the foil can become live.

Not having a go at you Saximus (if I remember correctly you're in the electrical trade somewhere?), just want to make it clear for others who might try this.


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## Snowman (Mar 1, 2012)

Best insulator for heat onto wood is cement sheet. Like the stuff used in garages and under eaves. I put a layer under my ceramic holders. It's only like a mm thick.


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## saximus (Mar 1, 2012)

Haha yeah man it's all good it's a good thing to watch out for.


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## Snowman (Mar 2, 2012)

Let's hope the OP has taken it to a sparky this time.......


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