Terminating SWA Cable

[Electron]

A Builder is extending a house and expects to unearth a SWA cable running from the house to a detached garage. I can see the SWA terminates at a garage consumer unit but can't see it starting at the CU in the house. I plan to fit a new CU and new SWA to the garage (with a new Garage CU) as part of the project. Just for now I need to know how to terminate the SWA (probably into an waterproof box) when its unearthed. The circuit it's on is a 32A ring which supplies sockets in the house as well as the garage CU . I have isolated the supply so that the SWA cable won't be live when its located.

 

[Zdb]

You can't supply a garage CU from a ring main. You will need to run a new cable back to the CU in the house and put it on it's own circuit.

 

[Ian1981]

A Builder is extending a house and expects to unearth a SWA cable running from the house to a detached garage. I can see the SWA terminates at a garage consumer unit but can't see it starting at the CU in the house. I plan to fit a new CU and new SWA to the garage (with a new Garage CU) as part of the project. Just for now I need to know how to terminate the SWA (probably into an waterproof box) when its unearthed. The circuit it's on is a 32A ring which supplies sockets in the house as well as the garage CU . I have isolated the supply so that the SWA cable won't be live when its located.

Why not gland the swa straight into the metal consumer unit?

 

[Octopus]

Not sure I understand the question.....

 

[Ian1981]

You can't supply a garage CU from a ring main. You will need to run a new cable back to the CU in the house and put it on it's own circuit.

Not sure I understand the question.....

think he's saying there's an existing swa feeding a garage and that when the extension is getting built they may unearth it when doing the foundations , so he's going to install a new swa to the garage .
Think that's correct anyway .

 

[Pete999]

You can't supply a garage CU from a ring main. You will need to run a new cable back to the CU in the house and put it on it's own circuit.

What's a ring main doing in a house?

 

[Wilko]

Hi Simon - perhaps find where the SWA has been connected to house wiring and remove it there. As garage is getting a new supply then SWA best be removed, imho

 

[Zdb]

What's a ring main doing in a house?

ring main - definition of ring main in English | Oxford Dictionaries - https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/ring_main

 

[Octopus]

think he's saying there's an existing swa feeding a garage and that when the extension is getting built they may unearth it when doing the foundations , so he's going to install a new swa to the garage .
Think that's correct anyway .

Hum... he says he's isolated the supply, so presumably he hasn't isolated the socket circuit..... so the cable will be dead!

 

[Pete999]

ring main - definition of ring main in English | Oxford Dictionaries - https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/ring_main

It's a RFC "Ring Final Circuit" not a Ring Main

 

[Pete999]

ring main - definition of ring main in English | Oxford Dictionaries - https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/ring_main

The Oxford dictionary is obviously out of date with regards to the current edition of the Wiring Regulations then.

 

[Electron]

You can't supply a garage CU from a ring main. You will need to run a new cable back to the CU in the house and put it on it's own circuit.

Yes. I plan to do this but need to solve this immediate problem.

 

[Electron]

Hi Simon - perhaps find where the SWA has been connected to house wiring and remove it there. As garage is getting a new supply then SWA best be removed, imho

I agree this would be a good solution. Unfortunately I don't know where the connection was made. I do plan to install a new SWA with the new Consumer unit.

 

[Electron]

It's a RFC "Ring Final Circuit" not a Ring Main

You're quite right Pete999. It's a Ring Final Circuit not a ring main. Thanks for pointing this out. Have you a solution to my question?

 

[Octopus]

I agree this would be a good solution. Unfortunately I don't know where the connection was made. I do plan to install a new SWA with the new Consumer unit.

Best you try and find it as leaving a "terminated" live cable under ground isn't ideal - especially as its part of the RFC ...