outside cable

[grumpy17]

Hi all, I would be grateful of anyones experience on a job I have to do.I have to install 3 outside lights to a house which are all pretty high up.I do have to run a switch wire down to the kitchen via an outside wall.Putting it in conduit will look horrid but would it be better to run t&e on its own.What I cant seem to find out in the regs book is if there is any requirement to run it in conduit below a certain height.Has any one got any ideas of other alternatives.
Thanks

 

[Mr Mark Sparks]

you can clip t&e direct at any height but i dont think it looks any neater than surface conduit its really for you and the client do decide obviously the ideal would be to do as much as poss inside through floors/loft but if not poss i would run in pipe

 

[Spudnik]

Sounds like conduit is your only option.

T&E is not really designed to be outside, although, i have seen it done many times.

Some of these have been in bad condition tho, but not all.

 

[johnnyb]

We have had to do similar recently, luck has it the downspout gutters were black, so we managed to run very tight up to it as to look in keeping, looked ok, we normally run through roof and look for inside cupboards but on this occasion it would have been a massive job as they had wooden polished interloking flooring through out, impossible really. we used black conduit, did,nt mention that earlier.

 

[grumpy17]

I think black round conduit would look better than leaving it bare and I believe uv rays break down the pvc over time.Like you I can run a lot of wires inside but I cant help but come outside for some of it.Someone should produce attractive robust cable for this kind of installation there must be a market for it.Or am I being naive.

 

[boatnik1]

Because most of my work was industrial I normally used SWA for such installations, and am inclined towards the same for domestic. Slightly more expensive for materials but a pretty bullet proof job.

 

[DanBrown]

Because most of my work was industrial I normally used SWA for such installations, and am inclined towards the same for domestic. Slightly more expensive for materials but a pretty bullet proof job.

In my opinion, i think SWA goes that bit over the top, bullet-proof or not...
In this circumstance, i would be opting for black metal conduit, as the plastic stuff can warp and bend due to the environmental changes, athough the customer may like the final decision.

 

[old dog]

does nobody use m.i.c.c looks neat when done correctly
and more than suited for conditions winter or summer

 

[Mr Mark Sparks]

i think its something for the old school boys our young lads have never had to use it

 

[boatnik1]

(In my opinion, i think SWA goes that bit over the top, bullet-proof or not

...
In this circumstance, i would be opting for black metal conduit, as the plastic stuff can warp and bend due to the environmental changes, athough the customer may like the final decision.

)

Dan, I think with the extra work with threading and bending etc.of pipework it might just be quicker and longer lasting and certainly no more expensive to use the SWA. The SWA would be smaller in size than 20mm pipe so would probably be less obtrusive too. Just my opinion you understand, mostly because I prefer working with SWA rather than pipe. I only use pipe as a last resort. (I might need to come out of retirement to use all the pipe fittings and metal clad gear in the store.)

does nobody use m.i.c.c looks neat when done correctly
and more than suited for conditions winter or summer

Old Dog , Great stuff for dry weather work but 'orrible when it's raining and the damp gets in, before you get the glands on, just the gear to drive the megger nuts. I think I might still have some old pot wrenches and strippers about somewhere.

 

[Guest123]

I think I might still have some old pot wrenches and strippers about somewhere.

Yep, still got and use mine.

 

[grumpy17]

Thanks for all your advise I think that the customer is gonna go for black plastic conduit.Hes got to look at after all, very thin swa would be the best but until they make it that will have to do.

 

[boatnik1]

very thin swa would be the best but until they make it that will have to do.

2 or 3 core 1.5mm SWA is only about half the size (sq. area) of 20mm pipe. M.I.C.C about half that again.

 

[old dog]

give me a nice neat run M.I.C.C any day of the week

 

[boatnik1]

Old Dog, I know where you're coming from but I was part of a team running in 30,000 meters of the stuff in a silo and didn't want to see another inch of the stuff for quite a while after that. It felt like a million meters.

 

[lionelmcc]

Hi tuff cable is another optiuon but this a bit pricey. I would use 1.5 3 core SWA using he third core as an earth instead of earthing through the armour

in my humble opinion conduit can look incongruous on a house.