DIY'ers and Earth wires.

[Tiny Spark]

In flexible cables it needs the insulation to hold the strands together.

It's not insulated in SWA, you only have the sheath around the armour it has no insulation layer around it.

Depends if you are using a conductor or the sheath

 

[rapparee]

Because it's only an earth and it's not that important.........

 

[davesparks]

Depends if you are using a conductor or the sheath

No it doesn't, the cores are designed to be current carrying conductors however you choose to use them. If one of the conductors was intended to be used as a cpc then the insulation would be suitably coloured for that purpose.

 

[Lucien Nunes]

Makes cable smaller.
Cheaper.
More likely to hit it at same time as a live.
Historically CPC was run separately and was bare.
But most of all, to annoy me when people thread lengths of GARDEN HOSE onto 1mm CPC (anyone else hate oversize sleeving?)
Odd factoid: Although Aussie wiring is much more like ours than USA, their T+E has insulated CPC but USA equiv. Romex has bare.

 

[cotty]

No it doesn't, the cores are designed to be current carrying conductors however you choose to use them. If one of the conductors was intended to be used as a cpc then the insulation would be suitably coloured for that purpose.

On a single phase installation would you not use 3 core swa and use 1 of the cores as cpc and sleeve? Rather than run a single cpc? Tin hat on

 

[tomspark93]

Or use the armourings as the cpc?

 

[Engineer54]

I really don't know what the OP's that worried about, the usual situation where a clueless DIY'er has been at work installing his own light fittings is to cut the CPC's back to the sheath!!

Still at least the DIY'ers are still a major source of bringing lots of work for electricians!! lol!!

 

[davesparks]

On a single phase installation would you not use 3 core swa and use 1 of the cores as cpc and sleeve? Rather than run a single cpc? Tin hat on 

I use the armour as the cpc, as it was intended top be used.

 

[ferg]

Ime sure most of you see this on a day to day basis but as I dont do house bashing this still annoys and baffles me....

What is it with DIY'ers and the general lack of care when it comes to earth wires?

Went to change one of my lights this evening, Changed a few sockets and switches but not needed to do a light until now. Thus far everything I have worked on has been fine.

So I take the old light down which I thought would of been changed by the previous owner due to its odd fit in the room and sure enough I pull out 3 T&E's all twisted together and wired into choc blocks except of course the earths which for some unknown reason the individual thought ok to twist together and wrap in tape.
No choc block, No crimp, No Wago not even a dab of solder - NOTHING!

WHY!!???

What is it with people that think the wire thats there for safety doesnt matter?

I have seen it a few times in various houses I have worked in but it still suprises me and generally gets on my wick.

Needless to say its now been done properly and I think I may have to check a few other things.....

I've been to a job this week where all the lighting cpc's throughout the house had been used to strip the sheath and then cut flush to the sheath.

The Richard Head that did the job in the first place sleeved and terminated the cpc's for them in the CU but nowhere else.

If it makes the lights come on then it must be OK...

 

[Jonspark]

I use the armour as the cpc, as it was intended top be used.

wouldn't it be called the cpc rather than the armour if that was the case?

 

[Tidy Max]

wouldn't it be called the cpc rather than the armour if that was the case?

In the same way metal conduit is called containment and not cpc. Armour is called armour and not cpc, you are just utilising it as the cpc. I think

 

[Jonspark]

personally I never use the armouring as sole cpc and even on containment systems I pull in a separate cpc.:39:

 

[Engineer54]

personally I never use the armouring as sole cpc and even on containment systems I pull in a separate cpc.:39:

Then you are stark raving mad!! lol!!

 

[Jonspark]

Then you are stark raving mad!! lol!!

HAHA only joking.
it's just the armouring I don't use as cpc

 

[Bobster]

personally I never use the armouring as sole cpc and even on containment systems I pull in a separate cpc.:39:

Why? Both if calculated and compliant are perfectly good at doing the job.