Metal Consumer Units Query .

[Evans Electric]

I won't be fitting any until the onset of LOB Day TBH  but have a query.

I spotted a gland on the wholesaler's counter ...seemed to be a plastic/brass version of an SWA gland ...I asked what it was .

A know-it -all sparks says " Don't you know ...you HAVE to use those in the new metal boards for the meter tails "

I imagined using a big grommet TBH  & grommets for the sub circuits .......whats with the big silly gland ? 

 

[Essex1]

I am surprised a grommet was ever exceptable for meter tails TBH. They provide zero cable security from being pulled or ripped out by bags and shoes being flung under the stairs.

 

[Evans Electric]

Well with those highly dangerous plastic boards that are constantly self combusting all you did was bash out an oblong knockout & shove the tails through it .............don't think anyone anchored the tails TBH. 

 

[Blue Duck]

Two similar threads...which one to answer??? :C

For years meter tails have been a place to hang stuff off or throw stuff at. lost count of the amount of times Ive had to dig through Chinese menus to get at a DB.

But most of the stuff I work on was installed in the good old days when sparkies made tea bags out of flash pads and chewed on lead sheath when they were hungry, its only in recent times that you can no longer hang your shopping trolley on the meter tails. 

FWIW 90% of the old bods I work for will have a waking stick or broom handle near the distribution equipment.

I ordered a brass whiska one from TLC but along came a plastic one but they did chuck in 2 drums of 6491x for free!

Its a nice product, rather large and I will have to get some new hole cutters but I can see that this product will be useful.

I also rather like the fireproof clips, am finding lots of uses for them!

 

[SLIPSHOD & SLAPDASH]

I remember many years ago when Tony Cable was just a boy, MK used to have a small clamp just over the main switch.

 

[kerching]

I remember many years ago when Tony Cable was just a boy, MK used to have a small clamp just over the main switch.

I remember them as wellOn a F tiny tangent.....

We are supposed to be glanding/clamping cables in a DB....fair shout......evennthough 999% of them bend 180 to get into the switch terminals ( next they will,be telling us we have exceded the minimum bend radius and this will cause the space/time continuum to shear)

So....meter tails going in to the meter...always go in from the bottom ( NO TV celebrity /singer/game show host jokes please! Awright?)

So,, do,we have to clamp these as well?

Just wondering

 

[Essex1]

You are dead right. The whole area need addressing. In a perfect world I suppose trunking should be used but in reality.........

 

[kerching]

Ducky

I also rather like the fireproof clips, am finding lots of uses for them!

Which ones?

 

[Murdoch]

You are dead right. The whole area need addressing. In a perfect world I suppose trunking should be used but in reality.........

And what about the existing units where the cables and tails appear from every direction, often at odd angles and the cables are too short to improve easily.

This reg change is a massive fiasco IMHO

And as for the scams - they've been absolutely no help so far.

Any mug can wire a new build - but changes to old ones ??

 

[Essex1]

Oh I agree that it is not easy but to put in tails with no protection from being yanked out is not right. Although I accept it is done and has been done like that for a lifetime.

It is worth mentioning that nowhere in the regs does it state about cable entries into CUs. The manufacturers have sold these to the electrical trade and they have taken it as gospel. The new reg covers the CU only nothing more. Having said that I think the Wiska glands are good and I will always be using them from now on.

Edit: I mean no where in A3 are cable entries mentioned.

 

[ProDave]

There is no requirement to provide cable CLAMPS where cables enter CU's.

The only requirement will be non flamable CU's that all manufacturers seem to be interpreting as metal.

So the only issue is what knock out provisions are made and how easy they are to use.  I said this right at the start, the choice of what's a good and a poor metal CU will boil down to the number, position and ease of use of the knock outs.

If it comes down to buying a new set of hole saws, spending hours drilling holes, and using bulky expensive ugly cable glands, then I for one will lose even more interest in continuing to work for a living.

If someone makes a decent metal CU with knock outs that knock out easily and that decent grommets fit properly to protect the cables from chaffing, then all will be happy in the world.

Remember there is nothing new about metal CU's.  Nobody ever had a problem with knock outs and grommets before, so who has dreamed up this new imaginary requirement for glands and clamps?

If you are worried about tails pulling out, then you go right back to the original "problem" of poor equipment / workmanship that caused CU's to catch fire, which has spectacularly NOT been addressed by LFB's new rules.

 

[Essex1]

There is no requirement to provide cable CLAMPS where cables enter CU's.

The only requirement will be non flamable CU's that all manufacturers seem to be interpreting as metal.

So the only issue is what knock out provisions are made and how easy they are to use. I said this right at the start, the choice of what's a good and a poor metal CU will boil down to the number, position and ease of use of the knock outs.

If it comes down to buying a new set of hole saws, spending hours drilling holes, and using bulky expensive ugly cable glands, then I for one will lose even more interest in continuing to work for a living.

If someone makes a decent metal CU with knock outs that knock out easily and that decent grommets fit properly to protect the cables from chaffing, then all will be happy in the world.

Remember there is nothing new about metal CU's. Nobody ever had a problem with knock outs and grommets before, so who has dreamed up this new imaginary requirement for glands and clamps?

I don't think T&E is an issue because it can be dressed in flat to the wall and clipped right up to the CU. Tails on the other hand I think should be supported in some way when they enter a CU/DB. I am aware it is not in A3 but there is an existing regulation which states cables should be adequately supported throughout. I personally think a loop of tails from the meter to the CU with no protection from being pulled does not meet that regulation. I have done it like this myself hundreds of times and never really thought about it. I will not be installing tails without a Wiska gland or similar in the future anymore. The T&E cables I don't see a problem with using grommets.

 

[ProDave]

99% of meter tails exit the TOP of the incomming switch, bend through 90 degrees then exit the BOTTOM of the CU.

Pulling on them thus will NOT pull them out of the incommer.

How many DNO supply heads and electricity meters do you see with cable clamps and glands?  NONE.  they obviously don't think there is a risk of the cables pulling out.  But then they tend to implement good engineering practice like two decent screws to clamp each cable.   Now if the new regs had imposed decent engineering standards on CU's like decent twin screw cable clamps, we would have a lot more respect for them.

 

[Murdoch]

And what about the 100's of thousands of homes with nice old meter tails with cloth "exteriors" - try and get these replaced!

 

[Sharpend]

And a lot less hassle Dave!

 

[Blue Duck]

Ducky

I also rather like the fireproof clips, am finding lots of uses for them!

Which ones?

D lines

https://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Main_Index/Cable_Accessories_Index/Dline_SD_CLIPS/index.html

 

[kerching]

D lineshttps://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Main_Index/Cable_Accessories_Index/Dline_SD_CLIPS/index.html

Thanks

Where do you get yours from?

On the other subject of Grometts.......wiska, end of...no pull out

 

[SLIPSHOD & SLAPDASH]

99% of meter tails exit the TOP of the incomming switch, bend through 90 degrees then exit the BOTTOM of the CU.

Pulling on them thus will NOT pull them out of the incommer.

Thats the problem, they dont pull out (which may be safer) but become loose and arc.

If you wiggle 25mm tails fitted like that  they will become loose. The problem is the terminals have such small surface area to grip the cable, due to cutbacks. Most main switches have 8- 10mm depth whilst all DNO equipment still uses 2 screws and about 25-30mm of terminal depth.

 

[Doc Hudson]

If you have a genuine concern about the movement of tails loosening their terminations, then I cannot see it being any more difficult to secure a 25mm tail to a wall than it is to secure a 16mm earth bond, or T&E or SWA. At the most basic level a cable tie base https://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/FXCTB100B.html and a plastic strap or two would provide sufficient securing to prevent pulling and snagging the tails. (I doubt the tails will be hanging over a fire escape route so none flammable fixings should not be an issue).

Doc H.

 

[SLIPSHOD & SLAPDASH]

I  nearly always secure the tails to the wall. The only reason i used the overpriced Wiska gland was it was a TT supply.