Cable colour???

[RobandCo]

I'm try to ascertain when some wiring was carried out in my house.

The cable is grey (not the really old stuff) and I thought from browsing that cable changed from white to grey in April 2004, yet I think the wiring work was done between 2000&2002.

Anyone know if you could buy grey cable that long ago??

Thanks

 

[telectrix]

if you are talikng about the outer sheath of the flat twin/earth cable, it has always been grey.white sheath usually denotes LSF cable, it is only the insulation of the live and neutral conductors has changed. around 200/2002 these would have been red and black

 

[RobandCo]

It was the colour of the flat twin/earth cable I was referring to, the insulation on the wires is blue and brown?

(Great pic btw!)

 

[telectrix]

yes. red/black ( the sensible colours we have used for 100 years) have now been changed ( in about 2006) to brown/blue.

 

[RobandCo]

the wiring was definitely done between 2000/2002 so should be red/black...right? was it possible to get blue/brown back then?

 

[High Tower]

Not impossible but most unlikely

 

[TedM]

Does the cable have any text on it - maybe printed or embossed?

 

[telectrix]

if it's got roman numerals, it's definitely prior to 2000

 

[Deleted member 26818]

I believe harmonisation started in January 2004 and came into force at the end of March 2004. Commonly known as the 16th edition 2nd amendment.
Most likely the installation has had work done to it since January 2004, or continental cables were used.
Is the CPC in the T&E sheathed or bare?

 

[telectrix]

yep, think it was 2004, heads that full of numbers i forget easily

 

[ian.settle1]

If I remember correctly under harmonisation either brown/blue or red/black could be used from 2004 but if you was carrying out a new installation you could only use one or the other in the installation but not both together, after 2006 it was only brown/blue.

Even before LSH cable came about you could get white sheathed T & E with red/black cores

 

[Sintra]

Harmonisation came into force on 01/04/06 but harmonised cable was available in the UK from 2004.

 

[Deleted member 26818]

Sorry yes it appears that either colour was allowed for installations starting between 31st March 2004 and 1st April 2006. With only the new colours allowed after.

 

[kmcgold]

the wiring was definitely done between 2000/2002 so should be red/black...right? was it possible to get blue/brown back then?

i think ireland changed to brown blue late 1990,s/early 2000 (done work in dublin).
lots of sparks from the uk over dublin shop fitting
same has uk cable 2.5 & 1.5cpc