SWA fault.

[telectrix]

never seen anything like this before. new cable supplied by cient, installed by ne. no probs. 2 weeks later get a call.. no power. continuity test proves brown conductor is o/c. client is in a catch22. has to return cable for replacement involving me 2 call-outs.... as a temp. measure, i rejigged it, using grey as L, BK as N, and armour as sole cpc. 8 wweks down the line, call to MCB tripped and won't reset. this is what i found after dissing the SWA completely.

cable was laid on ground prior to client digging trench, no chance of external damage. any ideas, apart from faulty manufacture?

 

[Pete999]

Go back to the supplier/cable manufacturer for compensation if it's down to them, and advice. Can't see what else you can do, unless there are something dodgy electrical goings on.

 

[telectrix]

client supplied the cable. he needs to take it back to supplier. after the 1st fault, i got power back on. client is then in a catch 22. can;t get new cable without taking original back. now it's failed completely, he's got no power to a location, but he'll have to manage till he gets his arse back to the supplier.

 

[Pete999]

client supplied the cable. he needs to take it back to supplier. after the 1st fault, i got power back on. client is then in a catch 22. can;t get new cable without taking original back. now it's failed completely, he's got no power to a location, but he'll have to manage till he gets his arse back to the supplier.

Not your problem Tel problem being I know you would like to help, all you can do is advise him

 

[Knobhead]

I can’t see any manufacture accepting that as a manufacturing fault. It would have failed the immersion test before leaving the factory.
Its been cut, probably with a chisel.

Cut a couple of metres out of it and put two joints in. Damp will have tracked down the cores and it’s usual to take a section out to get to where the interior is dry.

 

[telectrix]

tony. the cable was installed lying on the ground, away from any hazards. within 2 weeks, the brown conductor went open circuit. there was no signs of damage. if it had been hit with a chisel or sharp implement, the armour would have been depressed from one side. it wasn't. and no signs of crushing.

 

[Knobhead]

Sent the section to the manufacturer, they'll only tell you what I said.

 

[Rockingit]

Have had a decent zoom in on that pic, and have to agree that it's scuffed, pockmarked and just too cleanly broken to have been a form of 'explosion'. Methinks someone is telling you a mis-truth somewhere.

 

[telectrix]

so how's the steel been so cleanly cut as with a saw. it's definitely not been chopped as it would show signs.

 

[7029 dave]

No burn marks is there. If it has been ditched you would see them.

 

[telectrix]

there's burn marks on the conductors and their insulation. nothing on the armour.

 

[Rockingit]

This is a wild, wild thought and is probably doing your customer an enormous injustice...but.....how confident are you it's the same cable? Because that looks as cut as a cut thing on cut day, and I bet under a microscope you'd see the saw marks. When all other possibilities have been eliminated, whatever remains (however unlikely) has to be the truth.

 

[7029 dave]

Em, sounds like it's been wacked Tel.

 

[Octopus]

client supplied the cable. he needs to take it back to supplier. after the 1st fault, i got power back on. client is then in a catch 22. can;t get new cable without taking original back. now it's failed completely, he's got no power to a location, but he'll have to manage till he gets his arse back to the supplier.

So thats a win, win for you then Tel.

You get paid to fault find, you get paid to install the replacement and the client gets the hassel of argueing with the supplier!

 

[telectrix]

i don't know. but can't believe that th client ( who has supplied the cable) would damage it himself or let anyon e lse dot, then put it back in the undergrowth. bear in mind that the first failure was one conductor going o/c with a IR test between the other 2 and the armour showing clear. then this failure several weeks later. it's baffling me.

 

[Clive P]

Hi,

Looking closely at the picture the armouring has got to have been cut, the wires are in alignment with each other; not ragged but looking like a saw cut. I see where you are coming from, but if I turned up on site that would be my first impression.
Look forward to hearing the final outcome.

Regards.