NYY Buried Cable - Legit job?

OsramMyers · Apr 29, 2021

Hi, Ive had a NAPIT qualified electrician out to install a new feed to the garage along with a new consumer unit in there. Its a short distance of around 6m and the cable he used was a 16mm NYY cable, it has been directly buried around 300mm depth with yellow warning tape, It goes under a few paving slabs but mostly its a graveled area.

Is this installation totally 100% in accordance with current building regulations/standards?

When he came to quote I asked for armored cable, he even specced SWA in the written quote but on the day I noticed it was this NYY cable. He said its all OK and he has passed the Part P certificate onto my local authority. When I questioned him after the job he said its easier to use and bend and things have changed over the years and this cable is fine to use in the installation. He said there is no price difference too.

What are people's thughts?

stevethesparks · May 7, 2021

Even if it were ok at a 300mm depth (and I don't agree it is) how does the cable enter and exit the ground, is this part mechanically protected? Also, did the electrician cover the cable with yellow hep tape?

OsramMyers · May 30, 2021

Hi, he has been and done the work replacing with SWA. I told him about the BS7671 and what NAPIT said but he just murmerred something about no traffic over the ground.

Just another question. He has not earthed the actual armouring part of the cable. It is a 3 core cable which one is earth. Should the armouring be earthed too?

westward10 · May 30, 2021

Most definitely it should be earthed. How is it connected either end.

brianmoooore · May 30, 2021

The whole point of SWA is that the conductors are totally surrounded by earthed steel wires. Without an earth connection, the wires would just become live if the cable was spiked, and the power wouldn't automatically be disconnected.

DPG · May 30, 2021

OsramMyers said:
Hi, he has been and done the work replacing with SWA. I told him about the BS7671 and what NAPIT said but he just murmerred something about no traffic over the ground.

Just another question. He has not earthed the actual armouring part of the cable. It is a 3 core cable which one is earth. Should the armouring be earthed too?

Is this an electrician doing the work?

suffolkspark · May 30, 2021

@OsramMyers could you attach a photo of the glands used to terminate the cable? Should be a brass gland with a slide over black shroud on each end

HappyHippyDad · May 30, 2021

Looks like he's coming back again.

ipf · May 30, 2021

DPG said:
Is this an electrician doing the work?

Napit approved.....with some weird ideas, it seems!

Unless he just likes bringing it on himself.

HappyHippyDad · May 31, 2021

There's always a chance he has earthed it. The OP would need to check both ends of the cable and know exactly what they were looking for. In addition, I sometimes bend the banjo inside the plastic junction box, so the little nut and bolt may not even be on view.
Firm evidence needed before the chap is condemned again. Plus, I'm not advising the OP starts undoing electrical items to take a look unless he 100% knows what he's doing and switches all power off first.

suffolkspark · May 31, 2021

If the new unit he fitted in the garage is metal, and he's used proper glands it'll be fine, but I'm expecting a photo of a couple of compression glands... lets hope not... OP > no dismantling required

OsramMyers · May 31, 2021

[ElectriciansForums.net] NYY Buried Cable - Legit job?

The Hager was installed a few years ago when we had AC installed. The consumer box to the garage is the larger SWA. He could not terminate into the Hager hence the plastic box. It does look like there is an earth wire from the gland.

OsramMyers · May 31, 2021

At the other in the garage there is an earth wire coming off the gland. I cant see if the steel wire is connected to the gland but you would assume it is. I isolated the electrics before taking this photos.

OsramMyers · May 31, 2021

Pretty Mouth · May 31, 2021

The armour of that SWA appears to be earthed.

brianmoooore · May 31, 2021

Blue crimp on 4mm2? PVC insulating tape on joints? Equipment in DNO box?

OsramMyers · May 31, 2021

brianmoooore said:
Blue crimp on 4mm2? PVC insulating tape on joints? Equipment in DNO box?

It's not great is it? I paid £875 for this installation too. There was a bit of fiddling around in the garage too connecting the sockets and lighting circuit . He was here for 5 hours on the first visit then 2 hours replacing cable to SWA, I was expecting a thorough 2 days for that price. He is a definite NAPIT registered electrician. He had such a well-organised van as well! I had high hopes. He gives NAPIT a bad name, goes without saying he will not be used again by me nor recommended.

westward10 · May 31, 2021

It is rough but the armour would appear to be earthed. That adaptable box in the meter cupboard could have been mounted externally butted up to the cupboard with the swa into the bottom. Who connected up the garage consumer unit as those cpcs look pretty rough and as above that blue crimp is not suitable for 4.0.

OsramMyers · May 31, 2021

westward10 said:
It is rough but the armour would appear to be earthed. That adaptable box in the meter cupboard could have been mounted externally butted up to the cupboard with the swa into the bottom. Who connected up the garage consumer unit as those cpcs look pretty rough.

I did not want that plastic box on the wall, this meter is right next door my front door I told him to put that in the meter box. He said it was too difficult to terminate straight into that Hager. Either that or he couldn't be bothered.

westward10 · May 31, 2021

OsramMyers said:
I did not want that plastic box on the wall, this meter is right next door my front door I told him to put that in the meter box. He said it was too difficult to terminate straight into that Hager. Either that or he couldn't be bothered.

It would not have been easy to get the swa into the Hager board and without physically being there it is difficult to judge. If it were me doing the job the box would have been external to the cabinet whether the client liked it or not.

timhoward · May 31, 2021

It's earthed both ends. The garage end is metal box and has earthing nut. The source end is a bit rough.
But if he was told he can't put the box on the wall I have more sympathy.
I agree with him that I wouldn't want to be getting the SWA into the existing Hager - the bottom face is the only option and it looks too busy.

hasel5 · May 31, 2021

Bit rough and agree on the blue lug also
But seen a lot worse TBH £875 seem a bit steep but not overly

hasel5 · May 31, 2021

Lack of labels as well

Dustydazzler · May 31, 2021

Standard builders wiring

it’s ok as it’s a tough cable so all gravy

MJPD29 · May 31, 2021

It's rough but I've seen a lot worse. More untidy than anything.

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