SWA BS5467 cable glands

[1capybara]

If im using steel wired armor cable BS5467, am i required to terminate it with a brass cable gland? Or land I terminate its armor with a lug on both the load side and the line side? If a brass cable gland is required, can someone please find a link to directions for using these glands,our guys are struggling with them and taking an hour or two each to put them on. Thanks for your help, this is my first post

 

[malcolmsanford]

Welcome to the forum.

Not sure if I understand you correctly but when you say terminate the armour with a lug, is that puting all the armoured strands into a lug then compressing the lug? If that is the case then I would be suprised as you would not be able to mechanicaly fix the cable to an enclosure, so I would use the glands.

There are several types of gland on the market but I have to admit I've only ever used the type that required an earth tag or "Banjo". Unless your using the armoured as your CPC then you only need to earth it at one end, so that should save you time. and that would normally be at the Distribution Board.

As for terminating them, well I can't seem to find a link in how to, but I'm not suprised it is taking that long if it is the first time you have used SWA. It 's like most things time will become quicker when you become more adept at it, but normally a termination should take 20 mins or so.

 

[1capybara]

Welcome to the forum.

Not sure if I understand you correctly but when you say terminate the armour with a lug, is that puting all the armoured strands into a lug then compressing the lug? If that is the case then I would be suprised as you would not be able to mechanicaly fix the cable to an enclosure, so I would use the glands.

-
thx for your reply!
what I had in mind was not using a brass gland if its not required by code.
instead I would get the cable into the panel, land the hots and neutrals, a use
a lug - either the crimp or compression type, or the mechanical type that you tighten down with a allen wrench- for all the wire strands of the armor.
Malcolm

 

[malcolmsanford]

I gather by the terms Hots and Neutrals you may be one of our colonial cousins. I can't obviously comment on your codes but can only advise what we do in terminating SWA.

Before you do anything slide the shroud over the whole cable and move it down past where you are going to cut the cable.

Then take the gland which should be in 2 parts, a union nut and the concial gland. Unscrew the union and then slide this down to where the shroud is.

Now for the sake of this you want to have 12" tails. Cut the outer PVC sheath approx 18" and remove the outer PVC. What you now should have is the inner part of the cable which will be the SWA and the internal sheaf/conductors.

My personal preference in removing the armoured is get a suitable size jubilee clip and tighten this about 2" above you PVC. Then with a junior hack saw slightly score the strands all the way around the top if the jubilee clip, taking care to score each strand, but not too heavy as to cut into the inner PVC of the conductors.

Then in sections start to unravel the strands down to the jubilee clip and bend back and forwards until the strands break at the clip and continue with this until all the strand are removed. Once you have removed all the strands remove the clip as well.

You should now had the inner sheath of the SWA exposed and about 2" of nealty cut strands above the outer PVC sheath. Remove the inner sheath to expose the conductors cutting them back to perhaps 1/2" inch above the neatrly trimed strands.

Now hold the cable just under where you cut the outer PVC off and then take the conductors and rotate them gentlely, this will splay out the 2" or so left of the strands. This is all done with practice but soon achieved. What your doing is making a gap to slide that second part of the gland down to. Once you have the strands splayed to about 3/4" slide the concial part of the gland down over the conductors. the concial part should go inside the strands you splayed and then making sure each strand is evenly distributed around the neck of the gland slide the union up and screw it together.

You then tighten with wrenches and what you should have is a brass gland firmly screwed together, 12" to 15" of your conductors showing and about 1" of bare threads below the gland.

Now you drill a suitable size hole depwnding on the gland size ie 3/4" or 1" etc into whatever your terminating the gland into. Once the hole is drilled you slide the earth tab or banjo over the threads and insert gland into the hole. So you should have perhaps 1/2" thread in the enclosure and fit the lock nut loosely just to hold it in place. Line up the earth tab or banjo mark it and then drill a 1/4" hole into the enclosure. Fit a brass nut and bolt through the earth clamp into the enclosure. Personally i use anti vibration washers then a nut to secure it. Finally tighten the lock nut up and you have a secure termination.

After practice this becomes really easy, the hard part will be the sizes of cables you use. anything upto 35mm is quite easy, after that it becomes heavy work. I hope that this helps you, if anything else just holler

 

[1capybara]

if i dont use a brass cable gland, how would I
mechanically fix the cable to the enclosure?
run it inside a PVC pipe, or use a 2-screw "romex" connector
[as we call it in the states] am I violating 17th ed???

 

[telectrix]

Very suucinct description there , Malcolm. I would always advise the use of the correct gland. clamps etc. can lead to cable damage. I think it would be a good idea if somebody could compile a " how to" video -- easier to follow than written instructions. I learnt by being shown how. personally, I prefer to use SWA earthing nuts instead of a banjo, cost about £1 each butt worth it.

 

[malcolmsanford]

As I said I never used them, us old dinosaurs still use the banjo's. Are they good?

 

[telectrix]

As I said I never used them, us old dinosaurs still use the banjo's. Are they good?

fantastic. just a big nut with tapped holes for earthing fly leads. teeth on under side to score paint off . saves taking it all apart to fit the banjo you forgot untill all tightened up. biggest advantage i find is not having to space 2 glands according to the banjos, esp. when space is tight . give them a try. made by SWA same as crimpers . google SWA earth nuts for pics.

 

[telectrix]

and they're brass so no dissimilar metal corrosion problems. easier to fit than those awful thin steel nuts your grips slip off and you bash your knuckles.

 

[malcolmsanford]

Cheers mate I'll have a look for them as our guys use the banjo methods. Oh I never use grips on locking nuts, hammer and a screw driver saves the knuckles.

Affectionately known as the Wilson method of tightening locknuts and brass bushes after my tormentor ...ooppps mentor and sparks.

 

[johnboy6083]

on power stations and substations ive worked on, weve used serrated washers, and no banjo.

 

[IQ Electrical]

I too would always advocate the use of an appropriate gland, as would the manufacturer of the cable.

Here is a 'DIY' type step-by-step guide for terminating SWA:

Terminating SWA - DIYWiki

 

[Guest123]

on power stations and substations ive worked on, weve used serrated washers, and no banjo.

Going off on one a bit, does anyone use serrated washers when bushing galv conduit into trunking and flushed metal backboxes etc???

 

[johnboy6083]

have done in high vibration environments. also when installing boxes onto trunking, as you then dont need to use a locking bolt. i use bush king spanner, and you can get a really tight grip!

 

[malcolmsanford]

Have to admit no always just relied on the bushes

 

[1capybara]

does my suggested method- PVC pipe or those
two-screw clamps violate 17th ed? is there anything in 17th ed which requires
brass cable glands?

 

[johnboy6083]

manufacturers instructions take precedence over the regs. they say install with a brass gland. thats the way to do it1

 

[IQ Electrical]

does my suggested method- PVC pipe or those
two-screw clamps violate 17th ed? is there anything in 17th ed which requires
brass cable glands?

Guidance Note 8: 9.3.5

"It is of paramount importance that armoured cables are terminated in a proper manner and in accordance with the manufacturers instructions"

 

[rocker]

does my suggested method- PVC pipe or those
two-screw clamps violate 17th ed? is there anything in 17th ed which requires
brass cable glands?

If you are in america the 17th edition BS7671 doesn't apply to you, you have your own set of rules and regulations. To be honest mate this is a UK based forum and I doubt there are many people here who can help you with this query, but the general consensus is 'use the glands'.

 

[Guest123]

To be honest, I wouldn't even consider using anything but the correct gland kit for an SWA cable.......bit of a no-brainer IMO.

 

[telectrix]

To be honest, I wouldn't even consider using anything but the correct gland kit for an SWA cable.......bit of a no-brainer IMO.

and sometimes we can even use the correct SIZE of gland. LOL.

 

[Knobhead]

I’ll add my ten pence.
I’ve had more than my fair share of trouble with contractors making cables off into the correct gland but not allowing the inner serving to protrude through the gland. Occasional nicks to the inner insulation can be expected, (poor workmanship) but when it’s hidden inside the gland? Add several years of damp crap that’s built up in the gland make faultfinding hard work!

 

[tonys]

Going off on one a bit, does anyone use serrated washers when bushing galv conduit into trunking and flushed metal backboxes etc???

Have done in the past, flanged couplers as well as serrated washers in Government buildings which appear to have certain specifications laid down, I suppose you could say there own set of regs.