Pyro Underground!?

[Piratepete]

Hi Guys.
Doing a CU change.
Found a supply to the swimming pool pump shed done in orange Pyro. The cable is clipped along the outside of the house and then disappears underground reappearing in the shed.

I know nothing about Pyro.

1. Is it allowable to use it this way (instead of armoured)? If not, should I condemn it? Insulation between cores is good > 500Meg.

2. How can I work out the current rating? The end is potted and has tails printed 1.0/1.5 sqmm. Can I tell from the diameter?

Cheers
Pete

 

[tazz]

Will outlast anything these day....conduct standard test, if passes, no problem

 

[shanky887614]

Hi Guys.
Doing a CU change.
Found a supply to the swimming pool pump shed done in orange Pyro. The cable is clipped along the outside of the house and then disappears underground reappearing in the shed.

I know nothing about Pyro.

1. Is it allowable to use it this way (instead of armoured)? If not, should I condemn it? Insulation between cores is good > 500Meg.

2. How can I work out the current rating? The end is potted and has tails printed 1.0/1.5 sqmm. Can I tell from the diameter?

Cheers
Pete

If you dont know 2. You are not competant.

It tells you in the bgb everything you neef for 2.

Its the last two ccc tables if I remember correctly

 

[UNG]

Hi Guys.
Doing a CU change.
Found a supply to the swimming pool pump shed done in orange Pyro. The cable is clipped along the outside of the house and then disappears underground reappearing in the shed.

I know nothing about Pyro.

1. Is it allowable to use it this way (instead of armoured)? If not, should I condemn it? Insulation between cores is good > 500Meg.

2. How can I work out the current rating? The end is potted and has tails printed 1.0/1.5 sqmm. Can I tell from the diameter?

Cheers
Pete

Why do you feel the need to condemn it the IR is good

To find the cable size look at the gland it will be stamped with the number of cores, duty and core csa eg 2L1.5 or 2H1.5 alternatively if you know the cable diameter use this Info table to look up what you need to know

 

[Geordie Spark]

It's good gear so ...... if it aint broke - DON'T fix it!!

 

[Piratepete]

Why do you feel the need to condemn it the IR is good

I didn't realise it could be used underground as a substitute for SWA. Just used to only seeing it in fire applications, I suppose. Thanks again for the guidance on ID and rating.

 

[Geordie Spark]

I didn't realise it could be used underground as a substitute for SWA. Just used to only seeing it in fire applications, I suppose. Thanks again for the guidance on ID and rating.

Not just fire alarms Pete.

Back in the day whole factories and foundries were wired with it and when it's done right it looks very impressive and is virtually indestructible.

 

[shanky887614]

Not just fire alarms Pete.

Back in the day whole factories and foundries were wired with it and when it's done right it looks very impressive and is virtually indestructible.

You forgot to mention the ccc is a lot higher than most other cable types and it lasts forever.

 

[Piratepete]

Not just fire alarms Pete.

Back in the day whole factories and foundries were wired with it and when it's done right it looks very impressive and is virtually indestructible.

I assume it's not used much now for industrial applications? I think that to many of us DIs, Pyro's a forgotten and mysterious world!

 

[Geordie Spark]

I assume it's not used much now for industrial applications? I think that to many of us DIs, Pyro's a forgotten and mysterious world!

It's been a long time since I saw any new stuff and I'm not sure if it's still available but I stand to be corrected.

My dad was chief engineer in a chemical plant and all the wiring was Pyro. It was a dangerous place with lots of inflammable fumes around and it often caught fire, but the Pyro always managed to survive.

The place was so dangerous that the Labour Exchange (now called Job Centre) blackballed it and refused to send anybody to work there.

 

[trev]

It's been a long time since I saw any new stuff and I'm not sure if it's still available but I stand to be corrected.

It is still available Geordie, it's just that the stuff is so bloody expensive everybody specs FP. When you compare them pyro is far and away the better kit. Apparently it's back on the syllabus for apprentices now too which is a good thing in my opinion.

 

[Geordie Spark]

It is still available Geordie, it's just that the stuff is so bloody expensive everybody specs FP. When you compare them pyro is far and away the better kit. Apparently it's back on the syllabus for apprentices now too which is a good thing in my opinion.

Thanks for that.

I've never worked with it - just worked in places where it was installed - but being an engineer (of the mechanical type) I was able to recognise good gear when I saw it.

 

[Knobhead]

It's been a long time since I saw any new stuff and I'm not sure if it's still available but I stand to be corrected.

My dad was chief engineer in a chemical plant and all the wiring was Pyro. It was a dangerous place with lots of inflammable fumes around and it often caught fire, but the Pyro always managed to survive.

The place was so dangerous that the Labour Exchange (now called Job Centre) blackballed it and refused to send anybody to work there.

We all know you are dangerous. It runs in the family then?

Pyro is fantastic stuff, I put a length on an anvil and set to with a hammer. It took a fair few hits with a hammer to get the IR to start breaking down.

Its one fault is underground if the outer PVC sheath gets damaged. Some acidic soils will eventually rot the copper sheath and it will go down. That said, it’ll put up with more abuse than an SWA.

As has been said, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!”

 

[High Tower]

We all know you are dangerous. It runs in the family then?

Pyro is fantastic stuff, I put a length on an anvil and set to with a hammer. It took a fair few hits with a hammer to get the IR to start breaking down.

Its one fault is underground if the outer PVC sheath gets damaged. Some acidic soils will eventually rot the copper sheath and it will go down. That said, it’ll put up with more abuse than an SWA.

As has been said, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!”

The only slight downside I can think of is in the ground a pyro won't stand up to a shovel quite as well as a SWA.

 

[trev]

The only slight downside I can think of is in the ground a pyro won't stand up to a shovel quite as well as a SWA.

That would be my worry too, I'd hope that it's buried deep enough on a sand bed etc and protected with tiles to avoid it getting damaged.