Running a submain through distribution board, right or wrong

[jonney88]

It looks like the OP has only ran the cable in from the top to be terminated in the board, no issue there? If it was running through a board to elsewhere that would be different.

yeh the submain is the main feed for the db

 

[Pete999]

yeh the submain is the main feed for the db

Nothing wrong with that then, sorry for my previous, I thought you were running straight through the DB as a cable routing.

 

[jonney88]

Here's wat the guys saying, can you guys help putting together a decent response with the help of technical info cheers

 

[davesparks]

Politely ask them to reference the specific regulation in bs7671 which details safe isolation procedure

 

[ian.settle1]

Your picture is as clear as mud

 

[Hellmooth]

What a **** lol!

 

[Hellmooth]

Coming in from the bottom is still going to leave 'live parts' in the db! Do as Dave said and ask him to show you the reg.

 

[Simlec]

What a **** lol!

Tool is the word.

Coming in from the bottom is still going to leave 'live parts' in the db! Do as Dave said and ask him to show you the reg.

He's a super sparky, the one's that get told wrong things when they are becoming a super sparky. A bit like some super sparkys I once knew who would borrow neutrals.:rolleyes4:

 

[marconi]

Hi I've been pulled today for installing an swa glancing into the top of a header trunking then taking it through the db, saying its against the regs saying a once a main sw is off the whole db has to be dead, I can't find a reference to it,
normally I would always gland it in the bottom of the db but the cable was already installed and could only go in the top,

am am I completely in the wrong here?
thanks

I am not an expert on this but I did a google search 'supply cable into a distribution panel' and found a pdf guidance note by a British manufacturer beginning with H titled 'Guide to Commercial Installations Distribution'.

In it there is a picture of top cable entry from horizontal trunking. In this guidance note there is no mention of any prohibition on top entry of the supply cable - see the sections on 'Cable Entry' page 8 and 'Isolation and switching' page 10. I made a quick phone call to their technical department (did not mention your particular post) and they too said no problem with the route you have used for the supply cable. See also page 36 'Protection against electric shock' which talks about being able to isolate the installation and also the DB/DP internal 'assemblies' and IP.

Is this any help to you? Regulation numbers are mentioned but as I said I am not familiar with what they say but you could look them up.

 

[jonney88]

That's grand! I appreciate you spending the time. I knew he was talking a load of rubbish but I like to get the facts before I answer back, cheers

 

[Darkwood]

There is no specific regulation against this practice although the design of any installation should be so that it is servicable for alterations, additions and testing procedures, the issue with having bulky supply cables running through a panel is they take up a lot of space usually reserved for the easy install and access of circuit wiring. This would then IMHO make this a case by case or situation dependent query, if you're having to move about supply cables to make additions to, alter or simply do testing on existing circuits then they should not have been run through the board, when you work around amongst these supply cables it makes it likely that you are unknowingly creating forces on the actual supply terminations as you move them which can loosen them and create obvious issues associated with loose poor terminations.
If you managed to locate the supply cables so that they are not interfering or in the way of the circuit wiring then not an issue.

I can see why they are keen not to see this practice but they haven't explained themselves very well.

Looking at your pic, although its hard to tell but if you have tiewraped that to the back panel and it is not in the way of any circuits be they existing or any future additions then you have a good case to argue your corner, although if its worth it is another thing, sometimes just best to go with the flow as following their methology leaves all installs without the risks I have mentioned above.

 

[jackhammerJIM]

Nothing wrong with it in my opinion . Who pulled you up ?

 

[Barry White]

looks a neat and tidy board to me carry on and be proud you care.