I have 100m of SWA to lay through a mixture of lawn, garden, under hedges and across field.
A lot will have to be laid underground, but I am looking for guidance as to when if ever SWA can be laid over the ground, and if so what sort of protection should be used?
Richard
Personally, if I had to run a length that distance I'd lay pipework first. Placing a rope in the pipe as I went along so I can pull the cable through when it's all done. Or even pull the cable itself as I went along might be in the offing on this length.
You need to bury the cable to at least 800 mm depth, and you'll also need warning tape placed above all the underground cabling at a depth of 600 mm so no one in the future hits the cable with a pick or spade. Even though you are using SWA.
Above ground sections should be placed in pipework that prevents a hand working tool from easily penetrating the skins of the cable. Remembering that picks and shovels are also classed as hand tools. So you might need metal pipe in areas where lots of this type of work is or could be done now and in the future.
How about laying SWA just below the surface, in an open-topped duct covered by flagstones forming a paved area or path? (No weight on the cable, of course.)
On Mon, 11 Jul 2005 15:23:57 +0100,it is alleged that richard spake thusly in uk.d-i-y:
Just to add to what BigWallop said, if the 'field' is cultivated, through that section the 800mm depth should be increased such that the warning tape is 'below the level of cultivation' while remaining above the cable by ~200mm. Ditto for flowerbeds/deep dug parts of the garden.
450mm is a normal depth in footpath for an LV cable, but if the field is likely to be churned at any point, it may well be a smart move to bury it deeper...
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