First use of SWA cable

[Richard Savage]

I'm fitting an extenal socket and using SWA cable for the first time.

Hints and tips for making up the glands would be appreciated.

A link to a web site with beautiful idiot-proof pictures would be even nicer ;-)

TIA Richard

[Harry Bloomfield]

On 10/01/2004 Richard Savage opined:-

Make sure you get the correct size of gland. To cut the wire armouring to length, you go around with an hacksaw or junior hacksaw for smaller cables, just nicking the armour where you want the armour to finish. Do this with the outer plastic still in place. It is vital to make sure you really have nicked every single wire.

After removing the outer plastic sheath with a Stanley knife upto the nicked wire point, you should be able to waggle the wire armour to get it to fracture where you nicked it earlier. Fit the top nut part of the gland on the cable and the plastic shroud.

You then just cut the outer sheath back a little more, followed by twirling the inner around inside in a circle, in the same direction as the armouring is wound, to get the armouring to spread out enough to fit over the gland.

Finally nick the inner plastic sleave with the Stanley, waggle the inner cable about and the point where it is nicked should break allowing the sleeve to be pulled off.

Note the nicking rather than cutting all the way through. It prevents damaging the cables or making weaknesses in the insulation. Practise a couple of times so you get the idea.

The cable and armouring should then fit snuggly into the gland, with no twisted armour wires and tighten evenly all round. Once tight, check that each individual wire really is tightly held by the gland.

[Richard Savage]

Sounds logical.

I'm off to practice

Rgds Richard

[Andy Hall]

You can also cut the individual steel wires if you have an old pair of large sidecutters. I wouldn't do it on a pristine new pair though......

There are also two basic gland types - internal only and internal/external which has an extra sealing ring. Also the two main sizes are 20mm and 25mm and you need to pick the right one. If you look on

you can find a table of cable sizes and glands.

Also, make sure that you have the appropriate nuts, bolts and serrated washers to connect an earth lead if you need it. In any case, if you are terminating in a metal box, a tag which is additionally bolted through the small eye should be used.

.andy

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[Richard Savage]

Thanks Andy,

I'm using 3 core SWA so as to avoid relying on my gland assembling skills to provide the earth.

The arrangement is as follows:

Dedicated MCB in CU ---> 2.5 T+E ----> Adaptible Box ---> 2.5 mm 3 core SWA ----> Exterior Wall ---> Exterior Socket

I have a pair of external glands.

Rgds Richard

[Andy Hall]

OK. That makes good sense. I would still ground the armour at one end even though it is not forming the protective conductor in the usual sense.

.andy

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