Old cables

[ianmacd]

Hi all.

Got a customer who wants me to "put into service" an exising laid swa run that they had installed a couple of years back when they had their garden done between the house and a shed. Cable looks ok as the ends were sealed to stop any water ingress but they are the old colours. Customer doesn't want to replace this run as they had it put in to power the shed but it is a couple of years old now so is the pre-harmonised colours.

My question is, is it ok to use this as its red/black and just note it as a departure on the EIC or should they be getting the spades out to dig a new trench (that maybe avoids the small patio too)?

Ian.

 

[Badger]

Hi all.Got a customer who wants me to "put into service" an exising laid swa run that they had installed a couple of years back when they had their garden done between the house and a shed. Cable looks ok as the ends were sealed to stop any water ingress but they are the old colours. Customer doesn't want to replace this run as they had it put in to power the shed but it is a couple of years old now so is the pre-harmonised colours.

My question is, is it ok to use this as its red/black and just note it as a departure on the EIC or should they be getting the spades out to dig a new trench (that maybe avoids the small patio too)?

Ian.

imho nothing wrong, just note on cert that its old colour cable under ground, and also sleeve each core where terminated to new colour ie brown, blue and green/yellow sleeving. all ok afaik

 

[ianmacd]

imho nothing wrong, just note on cert that its old colour cable under ground, and also sleeve each core where terminated to new colour ie brown, blue and green/yellow sleeving. all ok afaik

Surly sleeving isn't needed as they are valid old colours (red/black) just check it has old colours warning on cu??

 

[SPECIAL LOCATION]

Surly sleeving isn't needed as they are valid old colours (red/black) just check it has old colours warning on cu??

Correct.

Just to clarify for others reading....

There is NO deviation with an existing installation having cable colours to two versions of BS7671. providing warning as per reg 514.14.1

Where there may be some confusion say with 3-core SWA additional sleeving may be appropriate.

It would be against the regs to install a NEW cable with old colours..

But an existing cable already installed does not need to changed to new colours.

Any cable already installed as part of a circuit, whether energised or not energised would just need to be verified that it is electrically safe.. before its use is modified in anyway...

i.e. It is of suitable CSA & construction for the environment it is working in and the load it will have to carry, to ensure compliance with overload and volt drop characteristecs... Insulation resistance .. etc..

IMHO it is perfectly normal practice for a circuit to have been taken out of use for a period of time then brought back into service at a later date without need to replace the whole cable

e.g.

Electric cooker taken out...

GAS only put in..

circuit left dead.

later date change owners..

re-instate electric oven..

re-connect old circuit.

Old garden supply disconnected for old rotting shed to be removed & new shed built..

at a later date re-connect old circuit to new shed

etc..

etc...

all perfectly acceptable PROVIDING all of your I&T test results are sound.

So no problem with you reconnecting an existing cable..

assuming it all tests out OK

; )Guiness Drink

 

[ianmacd]

Thanks for the clarification, Specs

Ian.

 

[Andy™]

just use it. you could use pink & purple cable if you wanted (or could get it). just note a deviation

or just use old SWA and put a stick on board

 

[SPECIAL LOCATION]

just use it. you could use pink & purple cable if you wanted (or could get it). just note a deviationor just use old SWA and put a stick on board

If you would share those permanent felt tip marker pens I could make some Pink & Purple for you!!! ] ]

BUT you still wont let me have a go with the ink pens... X(

and chalk just washes off! :_| :_| :_| :_| :_|

 

[Andy™]

If you would share those permanent felt tip marker pens I could make some Pink & Purple for you!!! ] ] BUT you still wont let me have a go with the ink pens... X(

and chalk just washes off! :_| :_| :_| :_| :_|

well if you want to sit and colour in full rolls of cable, you can have the felt tip pens!

 

[Evans Electric]

Ian , just do it , there will be red and black cable in use long after we are dead and gone, in the great scheme of things it doesn't matter a flying f**t as long it meggers out OK, the cable feeding the house is most likely non 17th , who cares ? Not me certainly, do it , take the cheque and worry no more.

Deke

 

[Pyro]

As a matter of interest, what are the colours in the rest of the installation?

 

[ianmacd]

As a matter of interest, what are the colours in the rest of the installation?

Mostly old so its already labelled. It's just this was never put into service when laid.

 

[Blue Fox]

Just a quick question on this, what would you put on the cert for signing for the installation as the swa was installed by someone else?

 

[Andy™]

what you have done, and connect previously installed cable

 

[Blue Fox]

I really can't get my head round this you can certify this and you can't certify that stuff, I turned down a shower install the other day because the owner had had the cable run in 18 months ago when the extension was built but had never had either end connected so I thought under these new rules we couldn't certify a job unless we had installed it all. Think I'm going to just start doing jobs and as long as I'm happy that everything is good and safe then noting what I have and havn't done on the cert and leave it at that! Think I'm trying to work to the letter of the rules too much at the moment!

 

[Apache]

Ian , just do it , there will be red and black cable in use long after we are dead and gone, in the great scheme of things it doesn't matter a flying f**t as long it meggers out OK, the cable feeding the house is most likely non 17th , who cares ? Not me certainly, do it , take the cheque and worry no more.Deke

Sandra - what swear word starts with f has 4 letters and ends in a t?

:|

 

[SPECIAL LOCATION]

Sandra - what swear word starts with f has 4 letters and ends in a t? :|

FART?

 

[Apache]

FART?

mmm

'flying fart'

possible..........

Not really swearing

 

[Badger]

mmm'flying fart'

possible..........

Not really swearing

oh i thought it was tart! :^O :^O:^O:^O:coat

 

[Apache]

oh i thought it was tart! :^O :^O:^O:^O:coat

oh Badger - this is why you don't get any love from Admin 2............

 

[Andy™]

Sandra - what swear word starts with f has 4 letters and ends in a t? :|

F U C T

Failed Under Continuous Testing

(well, its close enough)