Using red+black in new circuits?

[Steve Walker]

But that only states what colours are required, it doesn't say that you cannot acheive those colours by using brown and blue sleeving over any other colour.

It's always been acceptable to using sleeving to change the colour of cores, such as when using red and black (now brown and blue) to wire the drop to a switch, where the neutral colour should be sleeved as the phase colour.

The phrase in 514-03-02 "preferably throughout its length" implies that the cores can indeed be a different colour, as long as they are sleeved at the ends, otherwise there would be no need for the word "preferably."

SteveW

[ARWadsworth]

The word preferably is used to allow things such as the blue to be used as a live in a switch wire. Indeed it is preferable in two way switching NOT to use a brown/brown/brown cable but instead sleeve the black and grey ends in brown.

The IET link also says "Only the new colours may be used after 31 March

2006". That can only mean one thing as the first fix will need to be inspected and the installation will fail that inspection.

Adam

[ARWadsworth]

Quote "The new (harmonised) colour cables may be used on site from 31 March

2004. New installations or alterations to existing installations may use either new or old colours, but not both, from 31 March 2004 until 31 March 2006. Only the new colours may be used after 31 March 2006" So if you start a job today and lay red and black cable between two points then which cable have you "used".

Cheers

Adam

[Steve Walker]

No, a sleeved core *becomes* the colour of the sleeve - that's the whole point of sleeving. There would be no reason to fail the inspection, as the correct colours *have* been used. The fact that the cable was manufactured as red and black is immaterial, by sleeving the cores, it has become brown and blue and is entirely within the regulations.

It is certainly possible that some overzelous inspector could cause problems, but there is no good reason for them to do so.

SteveW

[BruceB]

I know your quote, but it is NOT from the regulations. I prefer my interpretation of the actual regulations. So we will probably have to agree to disagree. Regards Bruce

[ARWadsworth]

The inspector will not see any brown and blue when he looks at the first fix.

"Work commencing on site after 31 March 2006 will be required to comply with the harmonised cable colours and must not use the old colours." taken from

that if the cable was manufactured as red and black then is not immaterial.

In the DIY spirit of this group and how most people who post here want to do things correctly then I suggest that the OP buys the new coloured cable to cover his arse against a loop hole that may or may not exist (I don't see one) and that he makes sure that the BCO is happy with his work from the very start.

We can have a good discussion about it, but I will say that the OP should not use the old colours. I'll also wager £50 that the electrons never noticed the difference betwen the old and new colours.

Cheers

Adam

[ARWadsworth]

:-) See my post about 20minutes ago to Steve Walker

Cheers

Adam