Burried SWA for a log cabin

[Gringoking88]

Hi all,

Hope someone can give me clarity around the need to bury an SWA cable please.

I've been asked to install an 4mm SWA from the main DB to a "to be built log cabin" at the end of the garden about 50m away, it will need to run along a fence for most the route (or underground).

I called NICEIC to clarify and they advised I cant clip it to the fence incase it falls down, cant leave it on the surface due to rodents and have to bury it for the entire length. My question is reg 522.8.10 says "burried cables shall be buried to a sufficient depth to avoid being damaged...." what do you guys call a sufficient depth and whats your thoughts about rodents chewing through SWA armour???

Basically what do you guys do in these cases??...

Many thanks,

M

 

[richy3333]

500mm or 600mm+ if it is subject to digging. 2ft in old money

 

[Andy78]

I've never seen a rodent chew through SWA, but then I ain't seen everything. I've also never seen a fence blown down and damage a SWA.
You'd also best not clip cables in sheds in case they fall down or put light fittings in rooms under bathrooms in case the bath floods if going by the logic of the advice given.

 

[Deleted member 105166]

The "sufficient depth" reg is worded such to make you risk assess the route - for example, if buried beneath a vehicular route, the depth is likely to need to be greater than if buried beneath a flower border, etc.

 

[Megawatt]

Hi all,

Hope someone can give me clarity around the need to bury an SWA cable please.

I've been asked to install an 4mm SWA from the main DB to a "to be built log cabin" at the end of the garden about 50m away, it will need to run along a fence for most the route (or underground).

I called NICEIC to clarify and they advised I cant clip it to the fence incase it falls down, cant leave it on the surface due to rodents and have to bury it for the entire length. My question is reg 522.8.10 says "burried cables shall be buried to a sufficient depth to avoid being damaged...." what do you guys call a sufficient depth and whats your thoughts about rodents chewing through SWA armour???

Basically what do you guys do in these cases??...

Many thanks,

M

Gringo in the USA code book it has to buried 24 inches or 0.5 meters to the top of the cable

 

[MJPD29]

There is absolutely nothing wrong with clipping it to the fence unless it looks like it's about to collapse at any moment

 

[Des 56]

I usually ignore the Niceic warnings about the imminent collapse of a fence and clip it along the fence (also it must be the case that Welsh rodents don't eat cable sheathing as much as the English rodents,that is if this particular fear is indeed as frequent a occurrence as some would have me believe)
My reluctance to embrace the "don't clip it to a fence" outrage is probably because in the mines they were in full view,especially to the rodents who resided underground,they somehow seemed not to have the taste for cable sheathing that their their above ground kin must have acquired in later years,thats if you believe all these alarm bells that are always being rung about the subject

Where it has to be buried it would be 2 spades depth with a sand base,lay marking tape above the cable,if vehicles are to be driven near or over the run, in this case a duct of sorts would help protect that cable

 

[Deleted account]

Hi gringoking88,

Got a bit confused for a moment because you have DIY on badge but you where able to call niceic help line. Your profile shows your quals so not sure if you are DIY.

Anyway I totally agree with des 56 I quite often clip to fences. Don’t see a problem as long as it’s not rotten or about to be replaced. I always ask the customer I am dealing with what there preferences are.
Buried or clipped.

As a side issue 50 meters 4mm. Hope the load isn’t too high.

Without doing any calcs I think you would struggle to get under adequate voltdrop for anything over 20amps.

Reason I mention it is I have just done calcs for a 10 mm SWA over 50 meters.

May be worth checking.

 

[Midwest]

Guess some of you guys have never had a whole fence come down in the wind The gravel board will rot and need replacing, then the cable will need reclipping. If you try and fix it to ordinary fence panels, you'll end up splitting them. I'd clip it to a fence as a last resort. Dig it in IMO. I've even run it surface in some cases in black ducting.

 

[Pretty Mouth]

I've even run it surface in some cases in black ducting.

Hey Midwest, did you use something to keep the conduit secured in place on the ground surface? I have previously considered doing the same, but wasn't sure how to keep it from being moved.

 

[Taylortwocities]

Here you go four five

 

[bonjovi]

As a side issue 50 meters 4mm. Hope the load isn’t too high.

Without doing any calcs I think you would struggle to get under adequate voltdrop for anything over 20amps.

Reason I mention it is I have just done calcs for a 10 mm SWA over 50 meters.

May be worth checking.

well said sir

 

[telectrix]

Guess some of you guys have never had a whole fence come down in the wind The gravel board will rot and need replacing, then the cable will need reclipping. If you try and fix it to ordinary fence panels, you'll end up splitting them. I'd clip it to a fence as a last resort. Dig it in IMO. I've even run it surface in some cases in black ducting.

never seen a gravel board rot. they're concrete.

 

[Gavin John Hyde]

Hi gringoking88,

Got a bit confused for a moment because you have DIY on badge but you where able to call niceic help line.

I know somebody who isnt registered with the NICEIC but often rings the tech helpline saying he is from company x and gives there registration number and company address. if questioned just says he works for them. they havent refused any tech help yet!

 

[GeorgeCooke]

Gringo in the USA code book it has to buried 24 inches or 0.5 meters to the top of the cable

Irreverent to the UK.