Fire resistant clips and singles in trunking

[ringer]

Current job involves running singles in plastic trunking and conduit. Am fitting fire resistant clips over escape routes but am not too happy using these clips over the singles without any kind of protection against chaffing/cutting into the 'single' insulation. I have been wrapping the metal clips with insulation tape - does anyone else do this, or know of any particular product (plastic coated meal clips?). I am happy using these clips as they are supplied over T&E, SY etc - it is jut the singles which bothers me.

 

[Risteard]

Current job involves running singles in plastic trunking and conduit. Am fitting fire resistant clips over escape routes but am not too happy using these clips over the singles without any kind of protection against chaffing/cutting into the 'single' insulation. I have been wrapping the metal clips with insulation tape - does anyone else do this, or know of any particular product (plastic coated meal clips?). I am happy using these clips as they are supplied over T&E, SY etc - it is jut the singles which bothers me.

Have you asked the manufacturer about their suitability with non-sheathed singles?

 

[ringer]

In a word - No. Assuming I do and they say they are not suitable in this situation, can you suggest an alternative method of complying other than modifying the bare clips as I have done?

 

[Richard Burns]

You could use rubber lined stainless steel P clips?

 

[davesparks]

Steel trunking and conduit is the best method.

 

[ringer]

Steel trunking and conduit is the best method.

That depends on what the job calls for. Agreed - in an ideal world steel is best but it costs an awful lot more in materials and time taken to install. Some jobs just don't warrant it.

 

[Risteard]

As for the conduit you could use galvanised saddles with it.

 

[davesparks]

That depends on what the job calls for. Agreed - in an ideal world steel is best but it costs an awful lot more in materials and time taken to install. Some jobs just don't warrant it.

Yes it does, and if the job calls for fireproof support of singles then steel trunking and conduit is the only sensible solution.
As you have already identified it is not sensible to install singles and then fix them in place with a metal strap.

 

[Deleted member 26818]

Is chafing more likely with these fire resistant clips than with the edges of bends in steel trunking?

 

[snowhead]

I've searched and found many clips.
None say cannot be used with singles although none say they can.

The clips have to have rounded edges to stop cutting into soft insulation as with Data cables, so I see no problem in using them with singles.
For chaffing to occur frequent movement of the cables would be needed.


To turn it around, for anyone who does Inspections would you code this situation if you found it?

.

 

[Richard Burns]

To turn it around, for anyone who does Inspections would you code this situation if you found it?

.

Only if there were signs of damage, other than that having them in place would avoid a code for unsupported cables above an escape route.

 

[Risteard]

I think it's definitely a case for asking the manufacturer about their suitability.

 

[davesparks]

Is chafing more likely with these fire resistant clips than with the edges of bends in steel trunking?

Yes, assuming the steel trunking has been installed with a bit of care and attention to such areas!

 

[Adam W]

So is the point of this to support the singles in the event of a fire?
If it's conduit then as Risteard says you could support the plastic conduit with galv saddles which will hold the cables up if the conduit melts, or if it's trunking you could use steel all round banding or make up some kind of steel clip. That way the singles will be immediately enclosed by plastic which in turn will be supported by something fire resistant in case of an emergency.