Burried SWA for a log cabin

G

Gringoking88

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DIY
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
 
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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.
 
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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.
 
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Gringoking88 said:
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
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Gringo in the USA code book it has to buried 24 inches or 0.5 meters to the top of the cable
 
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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
 
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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.
 
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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.
 
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Screenshot 2019-08-30 18.40.30.png

Here you go four five
 
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Midwest said:
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.
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never seen a gravel board rot. they're concrete.
 
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Paignton pete said:
Hi gringoking88,

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

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!
 
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telectrix said:
never seen a gravel board rot. they're concrete.
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Tish tish, you need to get out more. As well as concrete, they make em in wood and also in composites.

The woods ones rot, but stop the fence rotting prematurely:-)
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Gavin John Hyde said:
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!
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When I was with Elecsa, and rung their technical, I was never asked to verify my membership. My ring them now, and ask them about clipping cables to fences :)
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Pretty Mouth said:
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.
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I’ve used black miniflow down pipe, before.

Still needs securing, might fix it to the fence post. :cool:
 
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think he's referring to the other thread about tearing sheath with cpc... another mountain out of a molehill thread.
 
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ruston said:
My age is showing Tel , I read it as canal board, I don't know where I got that from.
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My age is showing Tel , I read it as canal board, I don't know where I got that from.
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should have gone to specsavers. :p:p:p
 
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As some if the others have said 4mm is not sufficient due to voltage drop. 6mm may just be ok if minimal sockets and lighting in cabin, otherwise 10mm.
 
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For volt drop on 4mm SWA over 50 meters you are looking at no more than 14A to get below 3%
 
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The regs really need to bottom this. They put depths for other areas why don't they do it for domestic?
More to the point, why don't people use 600mm as specified in the regs.
 
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Gringoking88

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Burried SWA for a log cabin
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