Using red+black in new circuits?

[David Robinson]

Can I use up my old reels of 2.5mm red+black on a new install by sheathing it brown+blue?

"Reduce, Reuse, Recycle" etc! ;-)

Will it pass a part-P inspection + test? (required by BCO).

Cheers, David.

[tony sayer]

In article , David Robinson scribeth thus

Umm ... people usually use it to pretend that it was pre part P ....

[ARWadsworth]

No

No

Sorry

Adam

[Andrew Mawson]

Sell it on eBay - it commands a premium !

AWEM

[BruceB]

Yes you can use it. The requirement is that a cable shall be identifiable at its terminations.......... So red and black cable correctly sleeved is within the regulations.

514.3.2

Regards Bruce

[ARWadsworth]

No way

Adam

[ARWadsworth]

No way

Adam

[Invisible Man]

I use the new colour cable for things I am allowed to do and the old colour cable in the garage is getting used up slowly for other odds and ends.

[John Rumm]

Nope

Use it as is...

but not in this circumstance!

[Clot]

Now there's a good boy! I have a similar stash of material available for appropriate use. :)

[Steve Walker]

There's way to much to wade through there, but where does it say that you can't use red and black as long as it's sleeved?

514-03-02 Seems to say that you can - "Every core of a cable shall be identifiable at its terminations and preferably throughout its length. Binding and sleeves for identification purposes shall comply with BS 3858 where appropriate"

SteveW

[ARWadsworth]

First and second paragraph of

then the links given below those paragraphs.

Cheers

Adam

[The Natural Philosopher]

that's easy, simply crimp a bit of new color on each end of it.

The BCO wont be excavating your walls and ceiling voids.

[Lobster]

... AKA things you're *not* allowed to do! ;-)

David

[js.b1]

Sell the pre-harmonised colour cable on Ebay. It used to sell very well and at a premium, tick "Completed" to see what sells, what price, what demand.

Then use harmonised cable, indeed slowly migrate the house if you wish over the next 20yrs as you redecorate etc.

Personally I think the enforced "must use harmonised" is slightly irritating when you have lots of old colour pre-existing multi-core. For example a three way SWA junction box with 5 core Brown Blue Black White Ge/Ye and then 4 core Red Black Blue Yellow. It would be simpler to use old colours in this situation.

Beware some nutters thinking pre-harmonised has to be removed, it does not, a notification label is all that is required.

[jgharston]

That says that the new cable colours must be used. It doesn't say that the cables must be that colour for their entire length, it repeated says colour identification of conductors - which could be read as saying that coloured sleeves at the termination points complies. Compare with black singles used as a switched live with red sleeving.

You could note the departure from BS7671 on the installation completion report.

Print out

on sticky labels.

JGH

[BruceB]

With respect Adam I believe you are wrong. The web links you provided date from and refer to amendments to the previous version of 7671. When the latest version was issued it is as I said that the 'terminations' are the important bit. This has been discussed before on the IET site, but having just got in I have not looked up a link. Regards Bruce

[ARWadsworth]

The only departure from BS7671 that you could put on an installation certificate where you have used the old colour cables is "I ignored the BS7671 advice/guidance"

Paragraph 2 of

"Only the new colours may be used after 31 March 2006" is pretty clear on what you you can and cannot use. It does not say "use any colours you want (including the old ones) and then just sleeve the ends"

Black singles were never allowed with red sleeving as a switched live. They have been used for that but it was never within the regs.

Cheers

Adam

[ARWadsworth]

Actually I believe the were allowed in the 13th edition.

Adam

[jgharston]

Electrical Installation Certificate: "blah blah blah ... in accordance with BS 7671, amended to... except for the departures, if any, detailed as follows:"

Periodic Inspection Report: "does not comply with BS 7671 (as amended). This does not imply that the electrical installation inspected is unsafe"

JGH