Armoured cable advice

[Michael Kilpatrick]

I am laying some armoured cable (specification for direct burial) to replace the horrendous bodge that some previous owner installed to power the pond pump, and also to provide an extra outside socket.

This will be attached to a handy external junction box installed for this purpose, on an independent circuit, by my electrician when the extension was built recently.

What isn't clear are the rules about depth of cable, e.g. "at a depth sufficient to avoid damage by foreseeable disturbance of the ground" can be interpreted in so many ways. I also understand that cables can be surface mounted to walls and other structures of sufficient rigidity.

So, how about attaching a cable to a wall, but just below ground?

For half of my cable run, this is how it could be done, and the less I have to dig, the better, to be honest.

So, can I clip a cable to the wall (which borders a lawn) foundation, six inches below ground level, and cover with warning tape etc?

Michael

[dennis]

If its less than a spades depth the damage will be done well before the warning tape is found. Why not just fix it to the wall just above the ground where it can be seen?

[John Rumm]

You can, although that does seem to be selecting the worst of both worlds... you still need to dig, and now you need to clip as well.

You could clip it six inches up the wall (i.e. clear of where it will get banged by mower etc). Or bury close to the wall but not clipped. Just choose a sensible depth allowing for likely disturbances.

[sm_jamieson]

Is is acceptable to bury it at no great depth and put something over to protect from spades (half paving slabs, 4" drainage pipe, etc.) ?

Simon.

[John Rumm]

protect from spades (half paving slabs, 4" drainage pipe, etc.) ?

Yup, you can even get special concrete ducting channels designed for the purpose if you want...

If using slabs etc, then a cable warning tape over them would probably be worthwhile.

[Michael Kilpatrick]

How about house bricks? I've got lots of those. Anything to avoid the need to dig deeper through the particularly solid soil.

Michael

[Gazz]

anything that will stop a spade or similar puncturing the cable... slabs, house bricks, roof tiles, harry's solar panels :)

be nice and put a warning tape on top of the bricks, or some markers along the route of the cable to warn future owners of the house whats there,

[Michael Kilpatrick]

They're demolising a house opposite right now - I might see what they've got that I could use!

Looking online I can see various types of proper cable protection, in the form of mats, meshes, etc, of very tough plastic (e.g. 30cm wide) that can be laid in a trench over a cable. However, I can't actually see any online retailers! Anyone know about those for domestic garden use?

Given the toughness of the soil I'd rather spend money on protection than my time on digging, but I want the results to be sufficiently safe!

Michael

[ARWadsworth]

The cable warning tape is a requirement.

reg 522.8.10.

The supply to my Dad's shed is 1.5mm SWA buried in the cracks of the crazy paving without the tape(:-

BTW. I do have lots of the warning tape if anyone needs some. All they have to do is email me. I am offering cuts off the stuff not full rolls.

[John Rumm]

Indeed - bur I was making the point that over rather than under the slabs would be better since the reason for their placement becomes obvious sooner.

Better than the ones with 2.5mm^2 T&E run along the top of a fence, with bent over nails clipping it every couple of metres that seems quite common!

I was quite surprised to note that TLC will do cut lengths as well. (they ain't particularly careful at measuring it though - last time I ordered 35m of cable and the same of tape - and I still have 20m of tape left over!)

[fred]

For minimum depth burial I was going to suggest armour, tape, then block pavior flush to the surface, satisfying mechanical protection and easy identification if the block is removed. Having the pavior on the surface by a wall could be viewed as decorative and saves burying the tape/protection further.

[Gazz]

Or you could do what my GF's dad's done for the power to his shed, run a length of orange lawn mower cable from the house wall to the shed, at about eye height, stretch it fairly taut, and tell his missus he's put up a new washing line fore her.... and she uses it as such too!!!

he's got the pond pumps plugged into the shed as well as a few security lights, and he thinks it's perfectly safe.... of course no earth as it's the

2 core wire, the 3 core wire was too thick to put pegs over he says,