Cable by the metre

I don't think you can cut your own length any more, though they do have some pre-cut shorter lengths of some types of cable (correspondingly more expensive).

If not its usually available on ebay.

Some wholesalers still cut cable - especially in the larger sizes.

With the likes of B&Q the premium they charge for small lenghts (usually pre-cut lengths) means I'd rather buy a full reel of the common types. It's doesn't have a use by date. ;-)

Wilko do, though the prices aren't great. What do you want?

NT

TLC and CPC will cut to length usually.

Thanks, all. I'm just looking for 2 metres of 1.5 mm2 twin and earth.

I'll treat it like the old saying about asking 1000 women for sex. I'll just ask each time I hear about any electrical work taking place.

no date - but I've various part drums of Red/black/earth

Wilko, Dyas and Maplin all sell cable by the metre. Plus many local independents.

B&Q sell packs of precut lengths down to 5 metres.

You can always use a bit of 2.5 mm2 t&e if available.

Getting sought-after, that is.

Owain

indeed you can pre-date various now Part P items.

Maplins still do it by the metre 99p for 2 core 3 amp £1.39 for 3 co re.

But what if the regulations change, as you can't legally use your old black and red cable for new mains instalations can you ?

I know there's no use by date or best until but I wonder how long the the p lastic they are using will last.

I have a reel or two of it here and I only allow it to be used for DC where we need to carry a bit more current than our maxium 3 amp cable we keep. i.e I won't let students use it for 'simulating' a real world ring main as we do have projects that sometimes might benifit from such a display.

Depends very much on the cable I think, and probably the store and how much they have! Brian

Is that cos they don't trust the public with a pair of cutters?

Yes Yr Honour he attacked me with a pair of cable shears, very scared I was yr honour.

Brian

Strip it down take it to a ham rally and sellit for aerial wire. Brian

Could be people taking the cutters or cutting off more and not admiting it, or checkout havinging to measure it B&Q used to sell chains by the metre t oo. I have to chain a pair of cutters up in the lab, they're just a few quid bu t when the keep walking off with tehm and another students walking around a imlessly trying to find them it's a pain especailly when I then have to tra ck them down I've done the same with a pair of scissors.

I now have a rack with masking and cellotape and insulation tape on rods.

How many buy cable by the metre for a new installation?

I think I did with cooker cable. I really didn't need 100m or forsee a use for the extra 90 metres.

Quite. But surely not the common sizes?

And if anyone is worried about using old colours to alter or repair a new installation (or vice versa) I hope they are fanatical remainers. ;-)