Adding a socket - spur or ring?

As someone mentioned, NASA have such a rule. As do the MOD.

What I was wondering was whether the regs, which rival the Bible for leaving cryptic passages open to interpretation, had some series of rules that, taken together, outlawed the practice. I'm reassured to hear not.

Alex

Yep

Hospitals/schools and anyone with money to burn seems to use it!

That was me:-)

yes, and with good reason. Their kit is subjected to MASSIVE vibration.

Fixed wiring in buildings, is not.

So it was :-P

On Saturday 09 February 2013 15:04 Alexander Lamaison wrote in uk.d-i-y:

Crimps with a ratchet tool are good for solid core cable.

On Saturday 09 February 2013 15:40 Alexander Lamaison wrote in uk.d-i-y:

He's a qualified sparks :)

On Saturday 09 February 2013 17:24 Alexander Lamaison wrote in uk.d-i-y:

That might be relevant if your house is subject to launch level vibrations ;->

I know that :) I'm wanting to know the source of his knowlege so I can share it, not contradict it.

Alex

Haha. I was under the impression the MOD rule was for fixed, non-vibrating, non-space-ship applications too. But I take your point.

I'm happy cos now I can use the crimp tool I'd put away since being told it was forbidden.

Alex

They would be the ones that are trying to scare you so they get some extra work.

Your question was an odd one. I really should have asked you why you think that you cannot use crimps on solid core cable:-)

I cannot find a reg that says you cannot use one therefore I say that you can use one (and there are a lots of them used everyday on solid core cable by hundreds of electricians)

And the regs - I'll not be the first to say that some of it is badly written.

Because every time it comes up anywhere, well anywhere but here, it always kicks off a long argument. Just Google 'crimp solid core cable'. Almost the whole first page of results is debating whether it's allowed. Often its qualified sparks who are saying its forbidden so I'm just trying to find out more.

That's reassuring.

It's not just that though. Even the well written bits often need you to take more than one rule spread out in different chapters together before you realise they combine to mean such-and-such is compulsory, or forbidden, or whatever.

Alex

Indeed. And I know of one fool that claims that an unfused spur from a ring circuit cannot be longer than 3m - work it out youself where he got that rule from:-)

Buggered if I know. I thought it might be a voltage drop thing but that maths doesn't work.

Alex

Have a look at:

IIRC it details the relevant wiring regs clauses.

You need to use crimps designed for mains voltage applications and current levels:

The regs require any inaccessible joint to either use a special junction box or be crimped. And since most domestic wiring is single core, it would be a bit stupid saying that?

Snag with crimping is there are so many variables. The design of the terminal, the quality of the crimp tool - and the need to use a suitable terminal for the actual cable size. If any of these is wrong, the end result may be much worse than a simple screw connection.