Outside lighting cable choice

[Gforce]

What would you choose for outside lighting. I keep seeing professional installations with what looks to be standard flex clipped round the building.

Shouldnt it at least be something like hi tuf with regard to weathering and uv damage-let alone to avoid risk of shock when working above ground level without being grounded-of course yes there should be rcd anyway, but the other considerations still stand.

 

[Apache]

AFAIK there's nowt wrong with T&E outside (other than gradual breakdown of inslation by UV light and weathering)

 

[Andy™]

i normally use H05 RNF or similar for outside

or white flex

 

[batty]

I would use flex rather than tw/e outside as I think it would weather better. You should not be working on a live circuit as far as i am concearned.

Batty

 

[Gforce]

I wasnt suggesting working on a live circuit-but meant if someone drilled through by accident or something whilst being off the ground.

I thought it was 17th edition to consider the uv and weathering of installations-but if you guys say flex is ok-what about an installation of say wall lights at low level would you still use flex then or something tougher.

 

[lilman]

I generally use TRS (black) cable for outside lighting; UV and weathering properties better than T & E. Use conduit for low level (metal if some impacts expected).

 

[Andy™]

I wasnt suggesting working on a live circuit-but meant if someone drilled through by accident or something whilst being off the ground.

if your stupid enough to drill through a cable clipped to the wall infront of you, then your an ideal Darwin candidate.

 

[Gforce]

I didnt mean me personally-but a layman after fitting-as I thought half of the things we do to protect the public is to protect them from their own stupidity.

 

[Andy™]

as I thought half of the things we do to protect the public is to protect them from their own stupidity.

let natural selection take its own course.... as long as your work is safe and to the regs, you got no comeback

 

[fastham]

We use fire tough (fp) cable on external lights.

 

[green-hornet]

I have used various cable over the years depending on location and suitability of use.

All cables that are open to the elements have to be able to withstand those elements.

In this country we have to take the effects of uv and of low temps.

Normal pvc flat twin and earth will over time become brittle and is not designed or intended for outside use. This is because of a leakeage of a substance called a plastisizor that is used to make plastic flexible.There is no need to wire in armoured because the cable is visible, unless the cable runs are, or are expected to be, open to some abuse. I think that is what andyc was refering to.

Artic cable which stays flexible at minus temps are an option but are colour coded blue orange etc.

If you are going to wire in conduit you have to remember moisture and drain holes(which over time get blocked).

Ho5 is another "rubber" cable in sizes from 1.5mm to 4.0mm and is suitable to outside use and is flexable down to -22 I think from memory.

TRS cable for outside lighting? I always thought that was for music signals ie sound systems.Could be mistaken.( I often am)

 

[Andy™]

Ho5 is another "rubber" cable in sizes from 1.5mm to 4.0mm and is suitable to outside use and is flexable down to -22 I think from memory.

TRS cable for outside lighting? I always thought that was for music signals ie sound systems.Could be mistaken.( I often am)

TRS is H07/H05 (just the full code describes all its properties, TRS just a general term)

you can also get TRS in just about any size, from 2c 0.5mm

 

[a1]

Arctic Cable.

 

[Andy™]

Arctic Cable.

wouldnt look very good - unless you have a blue/yellow house

 

[Evans Electric]

I think most guys use FP200. They should do it in black or brick colour, white stands out like a sore thumb . Have you noticed the older jobs where they have used orange PVC/MICC , the sun has bleached the orange out , now looks carp ! Now black twin/earth would be a good idea !

 

[a1]

wouldnt look very good - unless you have a blue/yellow house

But Blue or Yellow looks good on any House.

 

[green-hornet]

TRS is H07/H05 (just the full code describes all its properties, TRS just a general term)you can also get TRS in just about any size, from 2c 0.5mm

 

[Sonor]

I do quite a lot of exterior lighting on commercial sites, and have used hi-tuff in the past, and have used a mixture of plastic/metal conduit. When using plastic you have to make sure the saddle spacing is "compact" as after a few years of sun it starts to droop.

I use FP-200 wherever I can these days.

 

[Evans Electric]

Just received some bumf on a cable called Flexishield much like FP 200 but metalic sheath will not melt if nailed , so can be run inside too . Priced at

 

[alexward]

i would never advise any one to use black flex on outside installs with out high grade core insulation (as carbon is the main item used to make flex black) as we know (or at least as the trained pro's here should know) carbon can conduct power and guess what u.v. can cause carbon to leach (also rubber does not age well in u.v. light) why you think the use of rubber cables was done away with for fixed installs (rubber dozes with age) you would be much better with neoprene cable (much more forgiving and does not get as bothered by u.v. and rain) fire type cables are also o.k. due to the fact that they use a silicate based coating and then are foil shielded thus reducing u.v. damage) however fire cable is quite costly i always use either hi-tuff cable or h05vv-f cable as its the only ones suited to outdoor use however always use mildly over rated cable for outside lights and sockets (that way if the fitting has a cermic holder (lighting) and is says may 60watt i know it can take up to 200 watts (for safety tests all cermic lamp holders must be able to withstand up to 500 watts incandesent heat) and i  know if i fit a 60 watt bulb (or for most installs i do now using halogen bulbs (with a bc or es base) i can safely use a 70 watt bulb) as i have seen jobs where a light has been fitted and the customer put a 100 watt bulb in and the cable overheated and failed (thankfully no fire had happened) so i always over rate the cable then install a 6 amp m.c.b. and a 30 mA r.c.d. trip to run the lights) as for outdoor sockets (i always use i.p. 66 or better outlets) i set them up with 15 amp cable and depending on the install either a 13 amp f.s.u. backed up by a 30 mA r.c.d. or a 13 amp plug backed up by a 30 mA r.c.d. (i work in tandum with a fully trained and quilfied spark (he checks and comissions all my work except where only a plug was used to supply the install) i do all the hard donkey work cutting fitting measuring and wiring up all to the new f.s.u. or consumer unit then he comes and checks it and completes the supply to the mains i check with a plug tail my side of the install for operation before hand