Automatic Gates cable question

[GeddyMortgage]

Hi all,

Recently had a guy some and install (atleast partially so far) some automation for my gates on my front drive.

He had to come in the day while I was at work, on my return to the property I seen that some of the cabling from the control unit to the under ground was cable tied to the external of the brick pillar. I'd hoped that was a temporary measure and that he'd be sinking the cables beneath the flags. Though when queried about how he proposed to make this look a little less unsightly, the response was that the "low level cables will be covered in concrete" .....I wasn't exactly sure what to make of that so thought i'd post here and ask some electricians opinions.






Could a valid solution be to drill through the brick pillar and run the cable through that rather than cable tying it to the exterior? Also open to other suggestions that I can go back to this guy with. To be honest, i'd have expected he would've lifted all the flags and ran it under those. Not entirely sure why he hasn't...am I within my rights to ask for that to be done?

thanks

P

 

[Andy™]

id be more concerned with the lack of safety equipment on that gate, cant see any wiring for them

bet it doesnt comply with British Standards, and i doubt he's measured the forces on it to make sure its within limits

doubt its CE marked either...

any more pics of the entire gate / hinge area etc?

 

[GeddyMortgage]

None of that has gone on yet.  So far he's just ran the cables from my property to the control unit. and control unit to beneath the gates, as shown in the picture.

 

[Andy™]

come back with some more pics once its 'finished'

 

[GeddyMortgage]

I'd like to know if i'm being out of order in requesting that he hides the cables with a better method than "putting concrete over them" I'd rather know that now than wait till he's finished the entire job....

If that's fair game, i'd want it sorted now before continuing any other works.

 

[Andy™]

there are not enough cables there yet, so its possible he will be putting some cement over them to hide them a bit once done. its a rough way of doing it though

 

[GeddyMortgage]

Cheers, I just can't imagine that looking nice. Is it not possible to sink them beneath the flags and block paving? then there'd be no need for cementing anything, right?

 

[Blue Duck]

Looks like to me & needs concrete pouring all over it.

A bit of conduit or some copex done neatly would look less of an eyesore.

But he's not finished yet and it's a bit early to pass judgment.

  

 

[GeddyMortgage]

Can any of you show me an example of how it may look with concrete poured over it? I'm trying not to be short-sighted here but I just can't see that looking anything other than horrendous and out of place.

 

[Andy™]

Can any of you show me an example of how it may look with concrete poured over it? I'm trying not to be short-sighted here but I just can't see that looking anything other than horrendous and out of place.

virgin do it all the time, just look at some of their installs

 

[GeddyMortgage]

What would you recommend instead? I'm trying to have it as sightly as possible, and  as hard to tamper with as possible.

 

[Andy™]

youre going to have some cables on show. no way around that.

id have taken the cable down the wall from the panel then either lifted the kerb stone or drilled through it to get it below the surface rather than taking it over the top of it. for the wiring to the other side id probably have installed some conduit / duct for the cables to the safety devices

 

[binky]

it's a bit of a mimimum effort install, but the job isn't finished yet. Electrican should be working closer with gate installers to avoid this.

 

[GeddyMortgage]

Appreciate it's early doors. Again, just wanted to know what the rules are here in regards to me asking for something else from the installer.....I know nothing of automatic gates, but I do know that I want to minimise the visibility of cables.

 

[Andy™]

it's a bit of a mimimum effort install, but the job isn't finished yet. Electrican should be working closer with gate installers to avoid this.

that gates not new. looks more like someone is adding automation to an existing gate.

 

[binky]

in which case it's just  abit rough. It's not exactly hard to lift paving slabs in one piece!

 

[GeddyMortgage]

Exactly, I thought the cable layout was interim.....until I seen he'd cable tied it to the pillar's exterior. I want them sunk!

 

[Andy™]

Exactly, I thought the cable layout was interim.....until I seen he'd cable tied it to the pillar's exterior. I want them sunk!

you cant easily sink a cable into a brick pillar. you can drill though and keep the wiring on the inside but thats about it

 

[GeddyMortgage]

I meant, either going into the flags beneath it and then staying under ground. (blue)

or yes, drilling through the pillar (red)

 

[Evans Electric]

Your last picture would be the way to go  , at the moment it looks a mess .