Re-wiring

Just to re-cap on my earlier request for advice: I've decided (almost) to opt for armoured cable to run from isolator switch to fuseboard. (So it's meter - meter tails to isolator switch (which is next to meter) - armoured cable to fuseboard (about 10 metres). Should I use 16mm or 25mm, or I suppose it depends on elec.board fuse -

16mm if it's 60amp or 25 if it's 100amp. - would that be correct?

Obviously bends are a bit more of an issue than twin and earth, but is it otherwise easy to work with, as regards baring the wires and cutting through the armoured sheath?

tia

Hugh ps - all the work will be certificated by a qualified - nneic - electrician afterwards - so no worries about part P!

Reply to
Hugh
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Just use 25mm and rate all your switchgear for 100A - you only want to do the job once, and the supply fuse might get uprated at a later date.

Your local library may have a college-level textbook for electricians with pictures of how to prepare the cable ends. Brian Scaddan comes to mind as an author of such works.

Get a bit extra and practice first.

Owain

Reply to
Owain

In message , Hugh writes

I'd lay in the cable suitable for a 100A supply, if it isn't now it might be upgraded in the future. You also need to make allowance for voltage drop if necessary.

Cutting the sheath is a bit of fiddle, but it's ok to work with. terminating SWA, glands etc. ha been discussed here before

It's not just a case of being certficated afterwards, you are supposed to make a buiding regs application to the local authority

Reply to
chris French

Does your isolator switch have any type of safety breaker device installed?

If the meter tails are sized to make them safe from the mains head end fuse, and the isolator switch used has further safety breaker devices with a lower load rating. Then the cable used between the isolator switch gear and the new load can be sized to suit the safety device in the isolator switch.

Each safety breaker device installed along an installation are there to protect the cable used in that section of the installation only. Thus, the cable can then be sized to suit the rating of the safety device installed at the beginning of that section of cable.

Good luck with it.

Reply to
BigWallop

On Thu, 21 Jul 2005 18:31:18 +0000 (UTC),it is alleged that "Hugh" spake thusly in uk.d-i-y:

16mm for 60 A and 25 for 100 sounds correct to me, (discounting volt drop considerations due to length which shouldn't apply over only 10m)

With that size, bends are a LOT more of an issue, but it's fairly easy to work with other than that. Stripping the outer sheath is fairly easy, (score through the armouring AND outer sheath with a hacksaw where you want the armoring to snap before stripping back the sheath makes life much easier than trying to cut the individual cores of armour after it's stripped)

Also, the price difference being minimal, I would get 3 core SWA, and reidentify one of the cores with green/yellow tape (sleeving not being generally available for that size of conductor)

Reply to
Chip

Not if the sparks produces all the paperwork to make it look like he did it!

Reply to
John Rumm

Who's books are available as a download on many file sharing networks if you are feeling naughty ;-)

Reply to
John Rumm

thank you all for your advice - much appreciated.

Hugh

Reply to
Hugh

I have just come back to England having lived in Holland for about 5 years.

I have previously, in England, re-wired a house - but I am not a professional electrician.

I have bought a terrace. It would benefit from a re-wire. I am keen to do as much work as possible myself.

I believe that I am competent to do it all - however - I know that the regulations have changed and particularly there is a need to get a final inspection signed off by a registered professional (or at least the company who is registered?)

How far do people think I should go?

Could I document what work I was going to do and get that signed off by an appropriate person in order to check and confirm that all relevant standards would be met?

Reply to
art

art coughed up some electrons that declared:

Technically, you need to go to your local council (district or borough), see the LABC (building control) dept and fill in a BNA (building notice) for part P work (which this is).

Then you part with 100-200 quid and in theory they should inspect the work, according to a letter to them from the ex Deputy Prime Minister's Office.

However, they probably won't and will try to get you to pay seperately for a periodic inspection by a certified electrician (perhaps 200 quid +/- 50 in your case).

You could:

a) Do it the correct way, and argue the toss with them about who inspects.

b) Comply without arguing and add 300-400 to your bill (still cheaper than paying for a professional install)

c) Buy a Megger or similar multi finction installation tester on ebay, buy a copy of the IEE On Site Guide (good idea anyway - it's small and straightforward to read, and if you do what it says, barring good workmanship, you'll not go far wrong). Then persuade the building inspector to accept your Installation Certificate (pro formas downloadable from the IET website). This is what I did. Others here have managed it too.

d) Just do it, bearing in mind that it's a non idictable criminal offence not to notify notifiable work, but remmebering that whilst they could fine you and put you in jail, they've got 6 months only to do that and only 1-2 years to enact other enforcement measures against you unless you do something really dangerous. In practise it won;t happen - the only real risk is on your buildings insurance (maybe) and awkward questions when you sell the place. This option seems quite common based on people I know.

Do you have any other notifiable work in the pipeline, in which case lump it together with those so that you get a clean paper trail and it hurst less?

Cheers

Tim

Reply to
Tim S

I'm doing this at the moment. I submitted a bulding notice on which I detailed the work to be done and they send a sparks around when you phone them and say you're ready to have the work inspected.

Reply to
clangers_snout

clangers snipped-for-privacy@yahoo.co.uk coughed up some electrons that declared:

All I can say is: you lucky sod! A LABC that does what they are supposed to!

Which council is it, just out of interest?

Reply to
Tim S

In theory, ours does it the "the right way" as well. I say in theory, since when I spoke to the BCO a few months back and asked if he had ever had an BN application for an electrics only job, he could not recall having seen one!

Reply to
John Rumm

The point about enforcement / penalties can only really in practice apply in cases of serious non compliance with the building regs / bodging. If the job itself is done correctly then it just becomes an issue of compliance with the procedural aspects of the law. It seems highly unlikely that a BC department is going to waste its limited budget for enforcement activities on a case with no public interest, no immediate danger, and where no rectification is required.

Reply to
John Rumm

If you're going to live there for some time - and you really are competent to do the work - just ignore these stupid regs. Plenty time to worry about bits of paper when you think about selling.

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

Many thanks to all responders.

I think I will crack on with it !!

Cheers all.

Reply to
art

Kettering.

Reply to
clangers_snout

Do you remember the prosecution of a market trader for selling food in pounds and ounces?

NT

Reply to
meow2222

Yup, but I don't recall him being prosecuted by building control for doing a proper job, but neglecting to send them a building notice...

Reply to
John Rumm

I've been out of building control for 25 years but there's no way that we would ever have prosecuted someone for a merely technical offence. Magistrates are [fairly] ordinary people and take a very dim view of such things, probably a £50 fine and £50 costs. In eight years I was involved in three cases that got to court:

  1. A DIYer who cut open a drain and then didn't carry on with the work, causing serious annoyance to a neighbour
  2. An elderly woman who was prosecuted for failing to comply with a dangerous structure notice - the roof of her cottage was collapsing. Not as bad as it sounds: I collected her and brought her to court, afterward took her home. We told the magistrate that we didn't want her fined, but once she'd been found guilty we (the LA) were able to get the necessary remedial work done, paid for by a charge put on the property (she had no money)
  3. A builder who removed a chimney breast and left the remaining breast and chimney unsupported: in court he claimed to have put in a steel beam which he'd removed when the householder wouldn't pay!
Reply to
Tony Bryer

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