The man cave project goes ahead. The old sectional garage has been demolished, and I found to my surprise that the SWA feeding it is blue, red, and yellow. Is a new sparky going to balk at this and insist it is replaced? (it would be a PITA - the cable goes into the house...)
Andy
Those were the standard colours for 3 core SWA - the old three phase ones.
It should have had sleeves on both ends using the 'normal' colours of the time for LN&E.
No. There is no requirement to "upgrade" the colours. All that matters is that the cable is suitable for the load and in working condition.
Well, as long as you know what they are ans sleeve them appropriately at the end. I'm sure inside my armoured cable the colours are non standard for today as well. Brian
+1.
And an extra +1 for saying that it should be sleeved in the colours that were in use at the time the cable was installed (that would normally be black sleeving over the blue and green/yellow over the yellow although very few people did)
There is no requirement to swap the cable just because of the old colours.
Just a note that even if reused then it should be sleeved in the OLD colours.
If it's a PROPER man cave you need three phase anyway :)
When UK Power Networks ran the three phase into my workshop they ran out of the correct colour cables to run into the current transformer meter cabinet so we have (I think ) a blue cable entirely wrapped along its length in brown tape making it L1 rather than Neutral ! In fairness they are whacking great cables as it's a 160 amp per phase supply.
Andrew
The breaker is rated at 63A. I assume the cable will take it too... the only thing I can think of that will need more than maybe 5kW would be an electric car point, and I don't have one of those.
It's not currently sleeved. I was happy to turn it off, seal the breaker, and cut the ends (which are outside, still in the old metal waterproof JB), but TPTB get stroppy over connections.
Andy
Get the impression it's only Adam and me that bother with such things. ;-)
Do you mean 15KW?
No, I mean 5kW.
3kW to keep me warm, and a 2kW saw, lathe or such. Lighting is trivial. If I'm on the computer that's only a couple of hundred watts even if gaming.WTF would you do with 15kW?
Andy
Have some proper machines in your man cave perhaps?
Andrew
Well you could charge a car, fit a hot tub, install an ensuite in the shed with an electric shower:-)
I took that you had missed a 1 from your 5Kw as a 63A MCB is about right for a 15Kw max load.
No plumbing. Too hard - downhill from the sewer, and I don't really need it.
Oh, I see. 63A is what I have. It's more than adequate.
Andy
Got it. Sun bed lounge.
On 63A? He'll be "done" after about 3 seconds :)
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