Ideas for external trunking and hole through wall.

[wytco0]

I will start by saying that all the CU connections and testing etc related to this project will be done by a professional electrician. I am doing some preparation.

Attached is an annotated photo showing the current situation, there are 3 separate SWA cables and a twinwall duct.

Originally I was going to use an individual 85mm Adaptable boxes for each SWA cable with a separate hole through the wall for each one. I am now thinking that it might be neater run all the SWA and the twinwall from underground up a bit of external trunk into a larger external box and then make a larger hole through the wall. This will mean just one larger hole and will allow for additional cable to be run in at a later date. If possible I will pull the SWA through the wall without any external termination so that it can be fully terminated internally.

The twinwall is about 60mm diameter and the box will be approx. 70cm above the ground level. In my photo the blue is approximately where the Trunk would go and the yellow is for the external box.

I would be grateful for any ideas and recommendations for a neat(ish) solution, what sort of external trunk would work, it would need to be about 75mm square to get everything inside, I am happy to cut the twinwall duct of just above ground level once its secure. Also ideas for a decent external box.

Thanks

 

[ProDave]

Inside picture of where it is going?

I would much prefer to drill from the inside at floor level down at an angle hoping to come out underground, and trunking inside to where it terminates. Or if suspended floor, just drill through from outside underground so cables come into under floor space and then up where needed.

 

[wytco0]

Inside picture of where it is going?

I would much prefer to drill from the inside at floor level down at an angle hoping to come out underground, and trunking inside to where it terminates. Or if suspended floor, just drill through from outside underground so cables come into under floor space and then up where needed.

Thanks ProDave, I will take an inside photo in the morning, I did consider that early on but I was worried about drilling several holes close to the floor. The floor is concrete and I think its a few inches above the outside floor level.

 

[Fleeting]

Ask your electrician not an internet forum. What do we know that they don't.

 

[johnb2713]

Ask your electrician not an internet forum. What do we know that they don't.

Shed loads usually.

Cream always floats to the top and it's definitely double cream here with you lot .

 

[Mike P]

Shed loads usually.

Cream always floats to the top and it's definitely double cream here with you lot .

 

[Murdoch]

I would leave the cables neatly coiled up outside until they are needed

And if they are unsightly, buy a large plant pot

 

[wytco0]

Shed loads usually.

Cream always floats to the top and it's definitely double cream here with you lot .

Well I have spoken to him and he would pin the SWA to the wall using clips and wasn't sure how to handle the duct as its currently empty.

I am trying to find a neater solution that's more flexible.

 

[wytco0]

As a follow up is it OK to use plastic Trunking externally for this sort of thing, the DNO supply comes in via a plastic pipe so I guess its OK?

 

[Pops]

I would go for SWA clipped direct to the wall and terminated into a triple entry Wiska box using waterproof glands which will give a neat and tidy look.

 

[SPECIAL LOCATION]

As a follow up is it OK to use plastic Trunking externally for this sort of thing, the DNO supply comes in via a plastic pipe so I guess its OK?

My thoughts would be...

1) Pipe does not have a lid that can fall off later due to poor clipping method.. and/or.. going brittle due to weathering from UV rays...

2) Plastic trunking can look naff indoors.... (as for externally?)

3) I am not convinced trunking would look neater than correctly clipped SWA?

However these are just my opinions...
If you want to fix some trunking outside there is nothing stopping you...
But the SWA requires no further protection over it anyway.. so why create more work?

 

[wytco0]

I would leave the cables neatly coiled up outside until they are needed

And if they are unsightly, buy a large plant pot

Have you been speaking to my wife ;-) She gently asks me several times a week how long they are going to be there.

 

[wytco0]

I would go for SWA clipped direct to the wall and terminated into a triple entry Wiska box using waterproof glands which will give a neat and tidy loo

Yes I think I may go back to this for the SWA circuits, its doesn't look bad especially with the hidden type clips that wrap round.

I was trying to solve 2 problems as I will still have to deal with the twinwall duct, its currently unused but will probably be used for some CAT6 and possibly another PV string. I still can't think of a neat way of doing that though.

 

[wytco0]

My thoughts would be...

1) Pipe does not have a lid that can fall off later due to poor clipping method.. and/or.. going brittle due to weathering from UV rays...

Yes good point, I don't like surface trunk and agree with you it looks a bit naff. I looked at galvanised external trunk but for the short run I need i think it would look strange.

2) Plastic trunking can look naff indoors.... (as for externally?)

3) I am not convinced trunking would look neater than correctly clipped SWA?

However these are just my opinions...
If you want to fix some trunking outside there is nothing stopping you...
But the SWA requires no further protection over it anyway.. so why create more work?

I am leaning towards neatly clipping the SWA and using Wiska boxes as suggested here and putting a pipe in place to cover the future use of anything that come in via the twin wall duct.

 

[Murdoch]

I would leave the cables neatly coiled up outside until they are needed

And if they are unsightly, buy a large plant pot

this is what I would recommend

 

[wytco0]

this is what I would recommend

They have been for about 4 months, but now I need them connected !

 

[johnb2713]

Have you been speaking to my wife ;-) She gently asks me several times a week how long they are going to be there.

I've explained to my wife that if a man says he will do something he will............ There's no need to keep reminding him every six months

 

[Murdoch]

They have been for about 4 months, but now I need them connected !

They ask the sparky involved