Underground Cable Joints

Newpark7 · Jan 25, 2012

Hi all

Looked at a job today, the customer wants 6 lamp posts and about 15 to 20 70w SON floodlamps installed around the garden. There are some existing lamps which have been badly installed with the SWA terminated into a steel adaptable box some lying above ground, some buried, with a flex via a 20mm grommet out of the adaptable box going to the light fitting - Not exactly the right IP rating

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Lamp posts are to be mounted on a stone patio there are some existing cables in place 2 x 2.5swa cables protruding about 40mm through the paving slabs - what's the best way to join onto these as space is limited by the lamp post base plate? there is no room for gel filled box of any sort.

What does everyone use to terminate the SWA into, bearing in mind most lights will have 2 x 1.5mm swa loop in/out plus the flex to the light fitting. Is it better to have the joints underground (gel filled or Pratley box) what flex is best from the UG joint to the flood light? etc.

Any ideas please as I have to get a quote in before the weekend.

Thanks

jase · Jan 25, 2012

Galv conduit "y" boxes, filled with joint compound and lidded up with a rubber gasket.

hi-tuff cable

mogga · Jan 25, 2012

SMK street lighting cut outs or henley ones Joint with torpedo joints to many joints will just cause BI(G BIG problems in the future specialy if your Not confident about then ect ect

GLENNSPARK · Jan 25, 2012

how about scotchcasting em?

Darkwood · Jan 25, 2012

you sure its a garden and not a national park????

Knobhead · Jan 25, 2012

Scotchcast breach joints with the spurred leg terminated in the post. The instructions with the Scotchcast joint are very good, and the mechanical connectors easy to use.

GLENNSPARK · Jan 25, 2012

yep Tony....good reliable joint ...scotchcasts....

mjmarkey1967 · Aug 6, 2012

Tofco cable fused cut-outs are the way to go. From memory you can terminate up to 35mm sq. mutlicore CSA on some of them, depends on your cable length and your volt drop issue. Judging by the lamp wattages could be a decent run involved. Remember need to allow a factor of 1.8 of total nominal current to allow for start up currents and ensure 1.5mm sq. cable (which seems low to me) is not over carring amperes.

drew35 · Aug 6, 2012

Don't bury galvanised it lasts five minutes before turning into a brown, crusty, snotty mess! I had some to sort out last week, I had to break all the conduit boxes open, it was a horrible messy job which pee'd me off, and it had only been down a few years.