Terminating an armoured onto a cee form plug....bad practice?

Tidy Max · Apr 29, 2013

Alreety chaps,

got a quick one for you.

How do you all feel about terminating armored cable onto a 32A ceeform plug? If i went to a job and saw this i would think it was abit odd/what cowboy had done it, HOWEVER.

A client has had a bit of a man shed built in his back yard and it covers the drain cover. So with that in mind its been made so if any emergency access is needed to the drains (re: banging poo) the shed can be moved with a pallet truck....... but not if my armored is permanently terminated.

So, i figured i would be best running the armor out of the shed, up to a ceeform/isolator on the wall. It will most likely sit there for years and never be unplugged, but in the event it needs to be the client doesn't need to contact a spark or take a screwdriver in his hand and do some damage. He can just flip the isolator and unplug the shed and move it with the pallet truck!

I can't say ive ever seen an armoured into a ceeform though its always SY. But...is it really that bad to do?!

Toonlad · Apr 30, 2013

darkwood said:
Yes toonlad i assume you didn't mean that how you wrote it... a very embarrassing boo boo on here hmmmm a cable with a plug on either end now what could go wrong!!!!!

I was deadly serious when i wrote it. About as serious as the propossed cabling to the shed. Since its now deemed portable it will need pat testing next. Normal person wouldnt even bother putting a supply to a 6x4, once you get your crap in you wont have room to swing a cat in it. Posts on here get worse and worse each day with ludicrous ideas.

Next post on these forums asks can i do something, im gonna say yer sure mate; fill your boots, what could possibly go wrong!!!

Deleted member 9648 · Apr 30, 2013

darkwood said:
I understand the requirement for max mechanical protection but is it not the case that it can be terminated into a rigid point regardless and omit the need for a plug socket kit...... minimum cost isn't a good enough reason to take shot cuts IMHO ive been called out to sites before and the state of these so called swa to ceeform joints is something to be believed SAFETY is the number 1 priority and whether an install is Temp or Permanent the BS standards should be applied..... swa is not designed for terminating into ceeform trailer plug and sockets, consider the swa which ive seen just chopped (earth of course other end) and taped off then just locked in place with the ceeform cable grip..... if you bend the cable close to this plug or socket the lack of clamping on the swa can see it pushing steel wire forward into the live terminals of the plug as the inside of the bend tries to lose its compression forces imposed on the steel wire. Ill hold strong in my opinion on this due to the number of times ive seen these joints onsite fail, become dangerous and still been handled ...well ive lost count TBH. Its not what the swa is designed for nor the ceeform trailing plugs and sockets again i say i don't care if its for 1 day or 100days it still has to be hold up to the criteria set out in the bs7671. Now yes i see the issue in that you have to comply to 704-522-8-10 as well as 704-511-1 but this does not mean you can use an swa with a ceeform style trailer point on the end but you should terminate into a fixed outlet whether it be a well sited power point IP rated or without an IP rated enclosure or terminated to an IP rated joint on the site cab itself.... if be the case you have to come out to disconnect to resite these huts then be it but cutting corners to keep costs down isn't an excuse that holds well with me.

Call it what you like mate. I've seen just as many poorly installed glanded into fixed socket SWA installs as I've seen poor SWA into plug installs,depends who is doing them. Never had a problem with any of the installs I've done. One of the stipulations that is set by the contractor we work for is that site units must be disconnectable without an electrician on site. That means a plug and inlet socket arrangement is the only option.

Outspoken · Apr 30, 2013

A shed of this size likely only needs a light, so what is the problem of using a solar powered one, forget swa, HO7RN or any other daft idea for a temporary permanent link..use the technology we have available...and it's be a darn site easier to install.

Here is an example of one with MAPLIN

Or there is this example

I don't see the need to over complicate a simple solution.

Brightspark2 · Apr 30, 2013

Outspoken said:
A shed of this size likely only needs a light, so what is the problem of using a solar powered one, forget swa, HO7RN or any other daft idea for a temporary permanent link..use the technology we have available...and it's be a darn site easier to install.

Here is an example of one with MAPLIN

Or there is this example

I don't see the need to over complicate a simple solution.

Wouldnt be much of man shed if it only had a light in...

Tidy Max · Apr 30, 2013

Nope, hes having a couple of sockets and a light. The other side of the shed is the roller shutter door so probably supply that too. More importantly, he can have whatever the hell he likes. It's his shed and his money.

No need to be such a tool about it toonlad. Really was just a question of interest and its not really that whacky a proposal is it.?

Might i also add, a normal person probably wouldn't feel the need to lay in to someone on a forum. Cheers for the unnecessary post by the way, made me feel bad about using the forum and pretty much put me off bothering posting any more questions.

Thumbs up buddy.

Guest111 · Apr 30, 2013

As Darkwood said safety should not be any less for a so called temp install,armoured cable attached to wall then SY into shed,however I,m sure building regs forbid puttings sheds etc over manholes,they are there for areason

Darkwood · May 1, 2013

phil d said:
As Darkwood said safety should not be any less for a so called temp install,armoured cable attached to wall then SY into shed,however I,m sure building regs forbid puttings sheds etc over manholes,they are there for areason

Very good point after the epic debate phil.... blocking access to a manhole would contravene building regs par se' so this thread is irrelevant

Toonlad · May 1, 2013

Tidy Max said:
Nope, hes having a couple of sockets and a light. The other side of the shed is the roller shutter door so probably supply that too. More importantly, he can have whatever the hell he likes. It's his shed and his money.

No need to be such a tool about it toonlad. Really was just a question of interest and its not really that whacky a proposal is it.?

Might i also add, a normal person probably wouldn't feel the need to lay in to someone on a forum. Cheers for the unnecessary post by the way, made me feel bad about using the forum and pretty much put me off bothering posting any more questions.

Thumbs up buddy.

Thanks for the poor insult i will give you a thanks later.

So you come on here and ask for our Feelings on terminating swa into a plug. I answered,what i felt. you choose to single me out for being brutally honest. Now if im the the tool here, can you explain to me where you have stated, what type of supply characteristic you have, Havnt mentioned if your coming of a consumer unit, or splitting tails and adding a new board, are you exporting your earth, total cable length, total load designed.Voltage drop. RCD prtection.

So far this shed is having sockets lights and a roller shutter. But this shed is fixed installation until it becomes portable with a palatiser.

As for what the customer wants i agree totally with you, however he or you dont need to agree with my oppinion.

As for the forum patrol members, the first thing you guys normally ask is MORE INFO required OP.

Time and time again people post on here and ask for oppinions and advise, when something is said and is not to your liken the insults start, or they try the guilt trip , wish i never posted on here, after 4 pages of info.

But if you want my oppinion think building site cabins, they dont move until, they have too.