Kitchen cable 4mm or Imperial?

[benji]

could be 7.036 or 7.044

 

[kingeri]

could be 7.036 or 7.044

But then surely the earth would be stranded?

 

[SLIPSHOD & SLAPDASH]

Both would have 7 strand earth. You should be looking at the last column for Pvc cable

 

[Andy™]

Thanks guys. If it did turn out to be 4mm, would a 32a breaker be ok?

possibly, depends on how the cable in installed and if its been re-rated or not. it ma be 4mm on a 16 for a reason. there is no simple answer

 

[needasparks]

Think kitchens during the sixties were normally wired in 7/036 as a radial and cooker supply on 7/044, the rest of the house was in 7/029 for general sockets. This was standard practice for most council houses and all would have been on a 30amp fuse. TBH the kitchens in them days would normally only have one or two sockets as there were no appliances about. Problems will be found to these installs these days as extra sockets would most likely be added to them and usually in 2.5 making the fusing overated for the cable so when this type of install is found very carefull inspection must be made when discovered. With modern living and the amount of use of power consumed in the kitchen it should always be a recommendation that concideration is made to upgrading the circuit to cope with modern demand.

If your electrician was only 20 then there would be a high chance he/she may not have come in contact with this setup as it is becoming rare nowdays.

 

[PC Electrics]

I was under the impressionimPerial cable had a stranded earth but cannot be certain of this as it predates my experience. The cable described does sound like 4mm, but I am of the opinion that we cannot be certain without accurate measurement.

All the Info required to Perform this task has already been provided

 

[batty]

well I have seen imperial cable with single strand CPC so i think it does exist.

 

[kingeri]

I will measure the cable once I have the right tool for the job. Thanks everyone.

 

[SLIPSHOD & SLAPDASH]

well I have seen imperial cable with single strand CPC so i think it does exist.

If you look at the chart (from the 14th edition) i posted, it shows the smaller sizes with one strand earth.

 

[batty]

If you look at the chart (from the 14th edition) i posted, it shows the smaller sizes with one strand earth.

Sorry

 

[kingeri]

Hi, measured one of the 7 strands and it's 0.034" (0.86mm). So, looking at the chart, looks like it can't be imperial. So.......what is it?? Is there a similar chart for post-imperial cables?

 

[Andy™]

Hi, measured one of the 7 strands and it's 0.034" (0.86mm). So, looking at the chart, looks like it can't be imperial. So.......what is it?? Is there a similar chart for post-imperial cables?

0.86mm dia is 0.5808mm csa.

7 strand makes it 4.066mm csa

or close enough to 4mm

 

[PC Electrics]

calculating to more DP gives 4.09. So, yes, 4mm cable. 7/036 has a metric csa of 4.6mm. So, subject to installation method it should be okay on a 32A MCB (as long as you can be sure all the cable in the circuit is 4mm and any 2.5 only feeds single spurs).

 

[kingeri]

Ok, thanks for that. That is good. The cable is about 8m total from CU to last socket, and runs along/through the joists in the cellar. It doesn't touch any insulation. The last 2m ish is behind plaster and tiles. All the cable is 4mm. There are 3 double sockets plus combi boiler. I was thinking about a 25 or 32a breaker.......safety is more important than a tripping MCB! Any thoughts?

 

[PC Electrics]

No insulation = ok on 32

 

[kingeri]

You guys are great. Many thanks.