UK SWA Cable termination

[mjjm986]

Hi All,

Looking some advice. Had someone install a SWA cable to exterior outhouse. In the outhouse everything.looks.great, new consumer board and three double sockets all installed and looking good. My.concern is with how the SWA cable has been terminated at the main board in the house. Surely the SWA should have been terminated into a junction box or something similar, then a feed to the new RCBO's? Should I be concerned or leave as is?

 

[westward10]

I'm afraid what needs to happen is you find a competent electrician who can advise how to make it safe.

 

[mjjm986]

I'm afraid what needs to happen is you find a competent electrician who can advise how to make it safe.

Really? I was gonna give him the chance to put right, but I must admit I'm worries that I won't know what right and what's not.

 

[MJPD29]

Really? I was gonna give him the chance to put right, but I must admit I'm worries that I won't know what right and what's not.

I agree, give him a chance. He hasn't got a leg to stand on there is no excuse for that sort of work whatsoever

 

[HappyHippyDad]

I'm all for giving someone a second chance, but not in this case. They clearly take no pride in their work and this is your safety that is at stake. I would absolutely not want that person back in my house.

 

[littlespark]

Oooh… that’s a special type of wrong.

Missing mainswitch is just puzzling.
No glands on the SWA is rough.

You sure this was an electrician?

 

[MJPD29]

Oooh… that’s a special type of wrong.

Missing mainswitch is just puzzling.
No glands on the SWA is rough.

You sure this was an electrician?

It actually seems more difficult to connect that live in with the busbar than to use a main switch. Maybe he's trying to use up materials left over from job

 

[westward10]

Really? I was gonna give him the chance to put right, but I must admit I'm worries that I won't know what right and what's not.

It is fair enough to give someone a second chance we all make mistakes but they are not mistakes those are examples of someone who it totally incompetent and they know no better. I agree with @HappyHippyDad I would not let them touch it. Personally I would be looking at seeking legal advice on how to proceed.

 

[mjjm986]

Thanks everyone for your input so far, really appreciate it. Can I ask, if you were quoting for the same job what way should it have been done.

In the shed am I right in thinking the armoured should have been glanded with an earth taken from the gland to the consumer unit, rather than connect the armour wire? Then the three main cores connected as required with a mains switch.

Then in the house, the cable glanded, with an earth taken from the gland, where would it go from there?

I think we all agree the connections are not acceptable. Is it standard practice though for the feed to come from the main switch to the two new breakers that were added on the main board?

Just trying to get a clear picture in my head of what needs done to for the chap to fix it or if I need to get someone else to do it.

Is some one able to give me the main steps in completing an installation lime this? It would be very helpful.

 

[IAmSparkytus!]

Thanks everyone for your input so far, really appreciate it. Can I ask, if you were quoting for the same job what way should it have been done.

In the shed am I right in thinking the armoured should have been glanded with an earth taken from the gland to the consumer unit, rather than connect the armour wire? Then the three main cores connected as required with a mains switch.

Then in the house, the cable glanded, with an earth taken from the gland, where would it go from there?

I think we all agree the connections are not acceptable. Is it standard practice though for the feed to come from the main switch to the two new breakers that were added on the main board?

Just trying to get a clear picture in my head of what needs done to for the chap to fix it or if I need to get someone else to do it.

Is some one able to give me the main steps in completing an installation lime this? It would be very helpful.

Sounds like you have more of an idea than the cowboy had

 

[IAmSparkytus!]

Don't agree that the cowboy should be given a second chance. If they've done a shocking job like this, do you really think they'll be able to come along and fix all issues?

Looks like they've brought the feed in through the back of the DB in the shed as well making it impossible to gland off.

 

[mjjm986]

Don't agree that the cowboy should be given a second chance. If they've done a shocking job like this, do you really think they'll be able to come along and fix all issues?

Looks like they've brought the feed in through the back of the DB in the shed as well making it impossible to gland off.

That's a good point, there is no slack on the cable on either end, therefore like you say, no chance of adding a gland. Do you think am I looking at starting over from scratch with a new cable?

 

[IAmSparkytus!]

Wouldn't say so, you can probably utilise what you have in place.

Whats on the other side of the wall where the DB is? One way would be to take the feed back out, gland it into an adaptable box and then bring the cores through the hole made into the DB.

The supply end looks a bit busy, maybe another photo of the setup from slightly further away will help us see what's going on so we can advise what could potentially be done at that end too.

How long was the bloke at your house for? Do you have any photos of how the SWA is ran to get to the outhouse?

 

[mjjm986]

Wouldn't say so, you can probably utilise what you have in place.

Whats on the other side of the wall where the DB is? One way would be to take the feed back out, gland it into an adaptable box and then bring the cores through the hole made into the DB.

The supply end looks a bit busy, maybe another photo of the setup from slightly further away will help us see what's going on so we can advise what could potentially be done at that end too.

How long was the bloke at your house for? Do you have any photos of how the SWA is ran to get to the outhouse?

Nothing on other side of wall, cable Is clipped along the exterior wall of the house and goes directly through the wall to shed and main board in the house, see below pics.

Below are better pics of the main board in the house.

From wat I can see, the earth from the SWA goes to the mains switch, the live goes to the smaller of the two new breakers, with another live coming from the smaller breaker to the new main breaker for the shed. The neutral from the SWA goes directly to the main shed breaker. Then the cream cable connects the mains switch to the main shed breaker.

 

[Rockingit]

Deleted

 

[westward10]

Looking closer at the pics that is a three core cable. The pic at the board shows a cpc in the cable and the original pics shows a cpc into the switch fuse. Nevertheless it is a dire installation.