I have to cover the earth wire in my shower switch etc and it is 10mm sq cable( old colours) and there is no way that I can get earth sleeving on it ( unless any of you know a way) .Is it O.K. to use tape ( green and yellow) .I presume that's what it is made for .?
Stuart
I believe that would be fine providing it's done well enough to be regarded as permanent, and isn't going to fall off after 10 years. The purpose of the sleeving is to identify the conductor as an earth, not to insulate it. Note that you must use a single green and yellow tape -- mixing separate green and yellow tape to create the same effect is specifically forbidden somewhere in the wiring regs (green might come off, leaving yellow which looks like a phase conductor identifier).
Of course, sleeving is available in just about any size. If you go to an electrical wholesaler, they might well give you a few inches for free. I have some which is large enough for 16mm T&E somewhere.
I am sure I have some yellow and green somewhere but cant lay my hands on it so will need to buy anothe roll. .I've looked around for larger bore sleeving but can't see anywhere selling much above 5mm sq'd
Stuart
No, sorry, tape isn't allowed for this. Reg. 543-03-02 specifically requires the use of sleeving complying with BS 2848.
I think you're confusing area and diameter there. The largest 'earth' that requires sleeving is 6 mm^2 (area). This has a diameter over the seven wire strands of just over 3 mm - so readily available 4mm (i/d) sleeving is fine.
I'm not sure what exactly you mean when you say "the largest earth that requires sleeving is 6mm sq (area) " Do you mean the earth within 6mm sq T+E cable .? If you do mean that then what about larger capacity cable .? You seem to be suggesting it does not need sleeving .
The cable I am using is 10mm sq T+E and so far I haven't been able to get any sleeving that will look anywhere near to going on this ,even warming it doesn't help.
Stuart
probably quicker to get a little tin of humbrol yellow for 50p and paint a few lines on. Household gloss topcoat should stick very well.
NT
Or get two lengths of sleeving and slice them each lengthways then put one length on then glue the other on top over the opening of the first length .
S
Further to my other posts I've found some other sleeving that I managed to get on to the earth conductor so that sorts that problem
thx again
S
No. The earth within T&E cable is (more the larger sizes) of much smaller area than the live conductors. I can't remember the exact size of the earth within 10mm T&E, but wouldn't fall on the floor with shock if it happened to be 6mm.
Christian.
There's a joke in there somewhere.
Good to hear the OP has solved this, but just in case others come googling.......
Would it be permissable to untwist the earch conductor, re twist it into two thinner "wires" sleave each of them and then connect them as one (you could even recombine the twists at this point) into the accessory?
No, I mean that the requirement to fit sleeving only applies to earths that are themselves of a size up to and including 6 mm^2. All sizes of T&E need their CPC (earth) conductor to be sleeved. The largest size of T&E is 16 mm^2 (with 6 mm^2 CPC). In general the CPC in T&E is two steps smaller than the L & N conductors - the only exceptions are 2.5 mm^2 which has a 1.5 mm^2 CPC and both 1.5 and 1.0 mm^2 which have 1.0 mm^2 CPCs.
I really don't understand why you're having this problem. Adequately sized sleeving is readily available - e.g. here:
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