installing 1.5 armoured cable, need termination advice please

[reddwarf4ever]

I am replacing a 1.5 internal cable that was run temporarily to give a constant on feed to,my new boiler, as the previous one didn't require this. Unfortunately the only route this could take was from a bedroom ceiling through the floor to the boiler downstairs.

I intend running a 1.5 armoured cable from the loft area, picking up the existing 1.5 cable which comes from the airing cupboard and central heating control /pump. this will then exit the loft, be fixed to the outside wall and enter lower down into the kitchen above the kitchen cupboards and pick up the cable from the boiler....

I will be picking up existing cable so will not be disturbing connections at each end.

I have the 3 core armoured cable and now need to properly connect it to the existing house 1.5 twin and earth...

I believe this is https://www.amazon.co.uk/20mm-Small...007IU33OU/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_pl_foot_top?ie=UTF8
part of what I need. but not sure if to use a metal or plastic internal surface box....I see the armoured cable metal sheath needs earthing, not sure how to connect the existing earth to the either tag, is this with a bolt and nut ? if I use a metal box and it is earthed independently, would this be sufficient , as the armoured cable sheath would earth through its connection to the metal box.

sorry for all the questions, tried to put this in the DIY forum, but it wouldn't let me post there ???

 

[davesparks]

I very much doubt that. You probably need 4 cord to do it properly

Why? He's had a standard boiler replaced by a pump overrun boiler, so the extra cable required will only be two cores.

 

[Leesparkykent]

The existing run on, permanent feed cable for the boiler, is 1.5 twin & earth...

A plastic adaptable box either end with earthing nuts replacing the locknuts will be slightly easier IMO if your hell-bent on using the armoured.

 

[davesparks]

No, the armoured cable is to be joined in the loft to existing 1.5 twin & earth then exits the loft through a drilled hole to the outside wall, then drops down to the kitchen, which houses the boiler...then enters the house via another drilled hole ( with an external drip loop ) then joins the existing 1.5 twin & earth cable which runs to the boiler.....so I am not disturbing the cable connections at either end, just interrupting the original cable which runs down an internal wall and replacing with armoured, which will run down the external wall.....with cable clips to secure it...

Wanted to know best junction box for loft space / kitchen....plastic or metal, special purpose box or just a housing with connectors...will use gland kit each end

thanks

Metal for SWA, I'd probably use a besa box.
But then I would also do the job properly including complying with the wiring regulations and testing the job.
But I guess there's no real need to worry about that, it's not like electricity will kill you within a fraction of a second if you make a simple mistake is it?

 

[Octopus]

Why? He's had a standard boiler replaced by a pump overrun boiler, so the extra cable required will only be two cores.

I was working on the basis of Pl, sl, n, and earth !

 

[Richard Burns]

Just choose an electrical enclosure that has enough room to join the cables and to fit the gland nut securely it will also need to be able to seal the entry of a flat cable.
An earthing nut (piranha nut) will make earthing the armour easier but will still need a ring crimp on the earth tail to affix it to the nut.
If you were to clean the coating off the contact area of a metal enclosure and fix an earth connection from the enclosure to the circuit earth then this would also be acceptable, however it can be difficult to get a good clean contact on the metal box (though piranha nuts also have cutting teeth on one face to assist with this.

 

[Deleted member 9648]

Take it back. Get a length or two of conduit, a coupler, 2x stop end boxes, 4x M4 screws, 2x lids, 2x gaskets, saddles and a pot of cement/glue and do the job properly. SWA has got to be one of the roughest ways to carry out this job and your more than likely end up with two unnecessary joints that you wouldn't have if you used another method like the one I've mentioned.

Cant see any reason why SWA would be 'rough'. If the joints are done properly and are internal then I cant see any reason why conduit would be preferable.

 

[reddwarf4ever]

Just choose an electrical enclosure that has enough room to join the cables and to fit the gland nut securely it will also need to be able to seal the entry of a flat cable.
An earthing nut (piranha nut) will make earthing the armour easier but will still need a ring crimp on the earth tail to affix it to the nut.
If you were to clean the coating off the contact area of a metal enclosure and fix an earth connection from the enclosure to the circuit earth then this would also be acceptable, however it can be difficult to get a good clean contact on the metal box (though piranha nuts also have cutting teeth on one face to assist with this.

thanks, will go,with the earth nut.....is it ok then to use a connecting strip to join the cables in the enclosure, a 30 amp strip maybe.....manynthanks for the advice

 

[Octopus]

thanks, will go,with the earth nut.....is it ok then to use a connecting strip to join the cables in the enclosure, a 30 amp strip maybe.....manynthanks for the advice

So where exactly is the switched live then?

 

[reddwarf4ever]

Cant see any reason why SWA would be 'rough'. If the joints are done properly and are internal then I cant see any reason why conduit would be preferable.

thank you, I have plenty of YouTube and guides for the gland fitting.....I will test everything and I am a perfectionist, so will do everything properly, just can't afford an electrician.....I do my own plumbing also, but as someone ' kindly' pointed out electricity is dangerous and I can certainly understand the concern felt......I repair computers and it's scary what some people do to them ....but again....it will not kill them....thanks once again

 

[Richard Burns]

A 30A terminal block would be a bit large for what you are intending and make it harder to get a good connection.
The boiler will be taking about 1 amp so a 6 amp terminal block would be enough but the terminals may be a bit fiddly to get the cores into.
If you have bought the proper test equipment to check the circuit this will have cost you more than employing an electrician.
I would practice fitting a gland on a piece of scrap cable first as it is easy to mess up the armour.

 

[davesparks]

thank you, I have plenty of YouTube and guides for the gland fitting.....I will test everything and I am a perfectionist, so will do everything properly, just can't afford an electrician.....I do my own plumbing also, but as someone ' kindly' pointed out electricity is dangerous and I can certainly understand the concern felt......I repair computers and it's scary what some people do to them ....but again....it will not kill them....thanks once again

The test equipment required will be more expensive than the electrician to do the job!

 

[Octopus]

You can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink....

 

[Midwest]

I am replacing a 1.5 internal cable that was run temporarily to give a constant on feed to,my new boiler, as the previous one didn't require this. Unfortunately the only route this could take was from a bedroom ceiling through the floor to the boiler downstairs.

I intend running a 1.5 armoured cable from the loft area, picking up the existing 1.5 cable which comes from the airing cupboard and central heating control /pump.

Just as all the others have advised, get yourself an electrician before you electrocute yourself or someone else. You are asking too many basic questions about installation methods, without even the worry of when energise your work.

Out of interest, who installed your new boiler?

 

[Adam W]

are you terminating the armoured in to an adaptable box outside?

I probably would have used CW glands anyway, but he's already bought them now.
I think I would have tried to keep the cable continuous as well, instead of having extra joints, but there you go.

 

[ipf]

The test equipment required will be more expensive than the electrician to do the job!

...and a course incorporating instruction of how to operate said equipment would cost even more.

....mind you, there is always You Tube :censored: