Relevance of BS7671

[Sparkless]

• A business customer has objected to the use of tri-rated cables within cabinets in a technical equipment room as "it doesn't comply with the wiring regs because the cables have only a single layer of insulation"
  I say that BS7671 applies to the "fixed wiring" of a building and not to equipment cabling within cabinets.
  Informed comments welcome.

 

[bglproserve]

Can you not use Double Insulated Tri rated cable ? https://clyndercables.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Double-Insulated-Tri-rated-Spec.pdf

 

[Sparkless]

Can you not use Double Insulated Tri rated cable ? https://clyndercables.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Double-Insulated-Tri-rated-Spec.pdf

This could be done but is it required by a regulation? The cable has already been installed.

 

[binky]

The regs don't apply to 'machinery'.

@Sidewinder one for you

 

[SPECIAL LOCATION]

• A business customer has objected to the use of tri-rated cables within cabinets in a technical equipment room as "it doesn't comply with the wiring regs because the cables have only a single layer of insulation"
  I say that BS7671 applies to the "fixed wiring" of a building and not to equipment cabling within cabinets.
  Informed comments welcome.

erm?
Double insulation isn't even required for the areas that do come under BS7671..
So it cannot possibly not comply with BS7671... The bloke sounds like a plonker to me?

As BS7671 permits the use of unsheathed and bare conductors, proving they still provide suitable protection from any applicable external influences.
e.g. out of reach, or inside enclosure that require a tool to remove any covers....

Such as a many consumer units have an uninsulated live bus-bar & bare neutral bars.

Unsheathed cables are perfectly acceptable within BS7671 used inside conduits, trunking, boxes, enclosures, accessories etc

I am assuming this cabinet has some sort of front to it so that idjuts can't go poking their fingers in?

Even if your cabinet is within the scope of BS7671....
I can't see much difference to the basic requirements of section 416, and regs.. 526.7 & 526.8


The question in my mind is not if it complies with BS7671...
More a question of what was actually specified on the agreed contract before you started the work?

 

[UNG]

Can you not use Double Insulated Tri rated cable ? https://clyndercables.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Double-Insulated-Tri-rated-Spec.pdf

If the cable is within an enclosure why would it need the extra protection of double insulation

 

[Fleeting]

Just ask where this is stated in BS7671.

 

[Andy™]

do they want double insulated cables inside a DB too right upto the MCB etc?

nothing wrong with it inside an enclosure and it may be 60204-1 and not 7671 anyway

 

[Sidewinder]

• A business customer has objected to the use of tri-rated cables within cabinets in a technical equipment room as "it doesn't comply with the wiring regs because the cables have only a single layer of insulation"
  I say that BS7671 applies to the "fixed wiring" of a building and not to equipment cabling within cabinets.
  Informed comments welcome.

Clause 120.2,xi refers.
BS7671 is irrelevant.
BS EN 60204-1 is the relevant standard.
The use of single tri-rated wiring in a cabinet is fine, as long as the access to the cabinet meets the requirements of BS EN 60204-1, & it is correctly selected and installed.