Using CPC as live conductor.... ok i know, but...

[uksparks]

Hi,

Had to change a bathroom fan at the weekend for someone and they wanted it to be on a timer, but couldnt as the cable was buried in the wall and wouldn't move etc..

the cable that fed it was a three core flex, I the earth was not being used anyway due to the load on the end etc.

I know you are not meant to use the CPC as a live conductor, but if its flex and the same CSA and you were to correctly identify it with brown etc, would it have then been acceptable?

I didn't do it, but it made me think, oh i so could have used it, but it just seemed wrong. I can understand why you wouldn't do it in twin and earth, but surely where its flex or all conductors are the same CSA and have their own sheathing on them inside the outer, would it have been acceptable or not?

I am going to say not on the basis CPC is CPC and nothing else, any thoughts would been welcomed.

 

[Pete999]

The two regs in question are here, in case anyone hasn't got the regs with them:

514.4.2 Protective conductor

The bi-colour combination green-and-yellow shall be used exclusively for identification of a protective conductor

and this combination shall not be used for any other purpose. In this combination one of the colours shall cover at

least 30 % and at most 70 % of the surface being coloured, while the other colour shall cover the remainder of the

surface.

Single-core cables that are coloured green-and-yellow throughout their length shall only be used as a protective

conductor and shall not be overmarked at their terminations, except as permitted by Regulation 514.4.3.

A bare conductor or busbar used as a protective conductor shall be identified, where necessary, by equal green-andyellow

stripes, each not less than 15 mm and not more than 100 mm wide, close together, either throughout the

length of the conductor or in each compartment and unit and at each accessible position.

514.4.3 PEN conductor

A PEN conductor shall, when insulated, be marked by one of the following methods:

(i) Green-and-yellow throughout its length with, in addition, blue markings at the terminations

(ii) Blue throughout its length with, in addition, green-and-yellow markings at the terminations.

Think that nails it mate

 

[GLENNSPARK]

Think that nails it mate

yeah sorry Pete...i have only just got back in...and hadn`t looked through the thread....just read the twaddle at #1

 

[jackhammerJIM]

Hi,

Had to change a bathroom fan at the weekend for someone and they wanted it to be on a timer, but couldnt as the cable was buried in the wall and wouldn't move etc..

UKSPARKS .

could have fit a low voltage timer fan .

 

[camerabloke]

Better in my eyes to make the CPC the neutral and mark up accordingly.

 

[Plonker 3]

Better in my eyes to make the CPC the neutral and mark up accordingly.

Why?
A) it contravenes the regs
B) neutral is still a live conductor

 

[camerabloke]

Only as a bodge of course. Yeah I know it's a live conductor but weirdly seems better to me

 

[GLENNSPARK]

UKSPARKS .

could have fit a low voltage timer fan .

he has..

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Better in my eyes to make the CPC the neutral and mark up accordingly.

drivvel..

 

[jackhammerJIM]

he has..

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where does it say that glenn ????

 

[MDJ]

Better in my eyes to make the CPC the neutral and mark up accordingly.

haha, very funny haha

 

[GLENNSPARK]

where does it say that glenn ????

what i meant was the low voltage

 

[Guest55]

im guessing camera bloke is getting that i wish i hadnt said that now , feeling lol.

 

[camerabloke]

Yeah I am a bit

 

[uksparks]

I got it. It is LV.

 

[MDJ]

selv!!!!!

 

[uksparks]

yeah sorry Pete...i have only just got back in...and hadn`t looked through the thread....just read the twaddle at #1

Twaddle... Tut, seems to have caused a lot of debate though.

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It wouldn't help as I still needed a permenant and switched live.