UK Cable-Mate Software

[AEC]

Cable-Mate Software, last updated Jan 2019. Cable-Mate - http://www.jarsoftelectrical.co.uk/index.html is anyone using this? or has used this? oh its now free.

 

[Vortigern]

Yeh I use it quite often. Pretty amazing bit of software. Obviously one has to check just to make sure everything is good. But yes a useful tool for quickly getting a notional calculation for various things.

 

[Alex-SL]

Hi. This is really interesting software. But I use the MeteorSPEC more often. This is a CAD plugin for calculating 0.4 kV networks + various useful built-in calculators for electricians. The MeteorSPEC has always been free.
MeteorSPEC is not a competitor to Cable-Mate but it is a good addition to Cable-Mate + CAD platform. Source URL: MeteorSpec LT - CAD software for analysis and designing low-voltage distribution networks - https://meteorspec.com

 

[123]

Haven't used in a wee while ( a year or that) - but sadly it seems this is no more.

 

[silverfox1]

Old thread I know but for those who would still like cable-mate he still updates it and the download is available at Github. Version 7.2 is on there at the moment will put link below. To download software click on Cable-Mate72.zip, when page opens download arrow is on far right of page, It is compressed so will have to use winzip or winrar to unzip or some versions of windows will unzip it. Github not the easiest to navigate and download from hence the attempted explanation.

There is a brief readme on page as well.

I found out about it via cable-mate facebook page.

GitHub - robosorter/Cable-Mate: Version of my Cable-Mate software

Version of my Cable-Mate software. Contribute to robosorter/Cable-Mate development by creating an account on GitHub.

github.com

 

[oscar21]

Off topic slightly but do people treat these things like the bible or just pay lip service to them, I can understand them in a commercial environment where things are critical but every time I've used an on-line cable calculator its way over specced things.

I remember a couple of years ago we were subbying for another spark converting a building into apartments, it was a long and thin building and reminded me of my school. The main contractor was supplying all the materials and me and the spark were just doing the work. they tried to get the spark to spec the cable etc but he said he was just the installer and not the designer and put it all back onto them, he pointed them in the direction of a cable calculator website.

A couple of days later the spec came back and they said the cable size for the furthest away apartments would have to be 120mm, he handed them the paper back and said "try again". As it was the ones furthest away ended up wired in 50mm which I still thought was ludicrous given they were mainly 1 bed apartments with 3 or 4 electric panel radiators in. Even the cleaners socket down the end of the hallway was wired in 6mm T&E, EM lights 2.5 3core&E.

 

[pc1966]

As with all software, you have two issues:

• Is the software correct?
• Have you asked it the right question?

You should (hopefully) have some sense of scale to decide what sort of result you expect to get, if the software agrees then all is likely right. If not then you need to look carefully at both what you think is reasonable, and what the software is actually telling you. Which might not be what you though you asked it!

Not used this one (but might look later) but have found some on-line calculators are wrong and others are OK, subject to putting in the requirements in the way it expects.