Armoured cable question

[Chippy_boy]

Hi

I'm adding a new metal clad socket in the garage, taking a spur of the metal clad fused switch box in the garage.

However, when opening the switched box, I notice that the incoming cable is 4-core armoured cable with red, blue, yellow and black connectors. The blue is unused and just cut off, and the yellow is being used as an earth.

Is this vaguely within regs? I only ask because I have seen some pretty weird and very non-standard wiring elsewhere in the house.

Thanks

 

[Murdoch]

Old colours in cables - nothing to be worried about IMHO

How old is the house? 1960's?

 

[Geoff1946]

Previous owner probably had an industrial source. My old garage was wired in heavy pyro for similar a reason.

 

[kerching]

Just make sure the SWA is earthed

 

[Chippy_boy]

Thanks everyone. My next concern is whether it's heavy enough gauge or not. Hard to tell but seems like they've cheaped out on 1.5mm cable. It might be 2.5mm but it doesn't seem like it. I have a heavy duty pressure washer and it draws a lot of current at startup and requires minimum 2.5mm cabling over distances greater than 10m which this absolutely is.

Really pisses me off how builders always spend the absolute bare minimum they can get away with and sod the consequence.

 

[Chippy_boy]

Previous owner probably had an industrial source. My old garage was wired in heavy pyro for similar a reason.

IMO more likely the builder just had some of this stuff available and thought sod it this will do!

Why spend an extra £10 when building a £650,000 house eh?

 

[Andy™]

Thanks everyone. My next concern is whether it's heavy enough gauge or not. Hard to tell but seems like they've cheaped out on 1.5mm cable. It might be 2.5mm but it doesn't seem like it. I have a heavy duty pressure washer and it draws a lot of current at startup and requires minimum 2.5mm cabling over distances greater than 10m which this absolutely is.

Really pisses me off how builders always spend the absolute bare minimum they can get away with and sod the consequence.

insulation is often thinner on SWA so CSA may appear smaller

 

[Murdoch]

The size is often on the outside of the sheath . Take a close look

 

[BorisJ]

I have a heavy duty pressure washer and it draws a lot of current at startup

But not for long. If it is via a13 amp socket 1.5mm cable will be OK.

 

[Chippy_boy]

Thanks again folks