Tips for sizing cables

[kellogs64]

Hi guys , bit off a stupid question but you guys n girls got any tips for sizing cables when doing periodics. sometimes look in fuse board and have too look a few times to work out wat mm they are thanks

 

[Geordie Spark]

HOW TO POST A NEW THREAD / TOPIC: Click the blue button on the left labelled "+ Post New Thread" to start a new thread/topic, give the thread a descriptive title, and fill in the big box with your electrical related question or problem. Then click 'submit new thread' (bottom right) to post your message to the Electrical Forum.

Since when has ? been a descriptive title.

Mind you I’d be embraced to admit I couldn’t tell cable sizes just by looking at them.

I would be embarrassed.

 

[ferg]

I would be embarrassed.

Maybe he needs a hug.:grouphug:

I cant seem to find a running away smiley though

 

[driverman]

But....always handy to know cables sizes, never assume been put in correctly in the first place for what it is intended to do.

 

[ferg]

Nobody is perfect.
If you have a weak spot, find a way to deal with it instead of ignoring it.

In my case I have to use a pad and paper when I'm fault finding.
Otherwise I forget what I've already worked out and or ruled out.

 

[uksparks]

Crimp some ring crimps on the different sizes of cable and put them on a handy key ring in size order.

I don't often refer to them but i went in TLC once and asked them to cut off 6" of every size cable they had upto 35mm and sure enough the bloke emerged 5 mins later with a load of cut offs and isn't charge me, it is handy sometimes to have a reference point if you are not 100% sure. It's just in those look twice situations.

 

[Rockingit]

Whilst I'd be the first to say that it comes with experience (and if you haven't got the experience then why are you doing periodicals?!) I'll also admit that sometimes it can be difficult to see between 2.5 <> 4 <> 6mm TE, especially as these days the insulation and sheathing seems to be getting thinner with every new drum.

 

[Geordie Spark]

Nobody is perfect.
If you have a weak spot, find a way to deal with it instead of ignoring it.

In my case I have to use a pad and paper when I'm fault finding.
Otherwise I forget what I've already worked out and or ruled out.

Don't worry about it - it's just dementia setting in - you'll soon forget about it.

Sorry ......... do I know you??

Who am I???

 

[ipf]

Don't worry about it - it's just dementia setting in - you'll soon forget about it.

Sorry ......... do I know you??

Who am I???

Have I read this before?...........oh, I can't have, can't find me glasses?......I'll use a mug instead, plenty of them around

 

[shanky887614]

Whilst I'd be the first to say that it comes with experience (and if you haven't got the experience then why are you doing periodically?!) I'll also admit that sometimes it can be difficult sometimes to see between 2.5<>4<>6mm TE, especially as these days the insulation and sheathing seems to be getting thinner with every new drum.

Your right there, had to look twice a couple times at drum of 1.5 cause it was that thin it looked more like 1mm

 

[Guest77]

GASP!
Surely everyone knows it's 1/1.5 mm for lights, 2.5 for sockets, 6 for cookers, 10 for showers and 4 for just about every commercial/light industrial application.

and double GASP here

 

[uksparks]

Yes exactly, some 4mm and 6mm looks the same, I have noticed this that some brands the insulation is literally double the thickness and it really can throw you.

I don't know what your preference for cable is but I will only install prysmian as its just so much better and nicer to strip, sometimes the customer supplies the cable, I go to strip and pull it apart and it won't shift.

 

[Guest77]

Yes exactly, some 4mm and 6mm looks the same, I have noticed this that some brands the insulation is literally double the thickness and it really can throw you.

I don't know what your preference for cable is but I will only install prysmian as its just so much better and nicer to strip, sometimes the customer supplies the cable, I go to strip and pull it apart and it won't shift.

what ever is the cheapest, providing it has a kite mark or I won't win the job lol

 

[Rockingit]

I don't know what your preference for cable is but I will only install prysmian as its just so much better and nicer to strip, sometimes the customer supplies the cable, I go to strip and pull it apart and it won't shift.

what ever is the cheapest, providing it has a kite mark or I won't win the job lol

I had this very issue with some Prysmian a couple of weeks back - had ordered a long length of 25mm/3 SWA, and what turned up in the back of the delivery van I almost sent away as I took one look at it and said "that's 10 or 16, no way 25". It WAS 25mm, with triangular conductors and inner sheath almost paper thin but it threw me big time. And I hate shaped conductors, too!

 

[GMES]

Yep I have to agree the swa is getting thinner by the year and can easily make you double take, same as Rockingit, I have nearly returned a few drums of late, only to be proven wrong.

 

[Knobhead]

Its not as if rolled and shaped conductors haven’t been around for a while. OK the insulation is thinner but it’s the conductor size you look at.

The only stuff that really threw me was some 95mm super flexible over sheathed singles, 70mm lugs fit it perfectly. Lovely stuff to work with.