Does my tail look big in this!

[Michaelwgroves]

I was reading this months Professional Electrician & Installer magazine, they have a new section "Reader Gallery" where electricians have sent in pictures of their recent CU installs.

They all look very nice, but none of them leave any tails in the CU, so if a cable breaks it looks like it will no longer reach and need to be jointed. I always leave a decent size tail so anyone following to do an EICR or maintenance can easily cut a tail and refit if required. I take pride in my install so always make them look neat, but I could never achieve this level of neatness with my tails.
What do you guys do?

 

[Des 56]

I would leave a pig tail for a Pyro feeding a pump etc, but in a distribution board,I always take the attitude of not getting to the connection by the shortest route ( dress the conductors) slack could always then be found if it was needed

 

[NDG Elecs]

I always try and leave some slack, whether by a pig tail or by some gentle bending. One of my pet hates is not being able to see the outer (grey) sheath on cables within the CU. It can become a right pain when testing if things ain't where they should be and it isn't easily visually apparent.
Similarly I like to leave a good foot of spare cable in ceiling voids so in thirty years time and after three new light fittings there is still plenty of play in the cable.

 

[Squid]

Its always good practice to leave a little slack, but choose a better read in future ;o))))

 

[dmxtothemax]

the emphasis is no longer on doing a good job in the long run.
it's about minimal work and minimal time.
Get in and out asap
time is money !

 

[Midwest]

If your referring to final circuit cables, I'm in the leaving some length on it!

I even do it, 1st fixing at accessory end. My son (plumber) takes the mick out of me for doing so. Was doing ensuite last week. Left about 3 foot slack on the flex outlet point for the dual fuel towel rad (customer kept changing his mind on position). He says, 'does it really need to be left that long, its gonna pee off the tiler'; so he convinced me to chop it off. Five minutes later, customer decides to move towel rad higher up the wall

 

[Rpa07]

I’m like it with stripped cable in back boxes of accessories. Like to leave a length so a nice radius and absence of nicked cable is good for the next person in line for accessory changes.
Bit more difficult with Single gang FCUs where I have to curb my enthusiasm!

 

[SparkyChick]

Ditto on the plenty of slack. In the grand scheme of things cable costs pennies and a little extra can save the next poor so and so (which could be you) a nightmare.

 

[Michaelwgroves]

Thanks for comments, I thought I might be only one leaving tails....

 

[Midwest]

.....till you do some subbing for someone else, who'll go into realms on how much cable costs.

 

[NDG Elecs]

So, in summary, all good sparks are slackers then!

Nice to hear we are all looking out for the next generation of sparks by doing as we do. Until DIY Dave has been to wee and poo on a Sunday that is, and then decided to cut it all back and cram the remaining conductors in to one of the poorer designed fittings with no space...

 

[BrendonP]

Totaly agree with leaving a little spare. In DB’s i tend to loop the spare down and back up behind the mcb. Makes dressing the cable routs in the DB easier.