Who's right? Hopefully me!

[Drew34]

Yesterday whilst doing my practical assessment (2365 level 2) I caused a bit of a stink.
I was working on a couple of 2 way switches with singles through pvc conduit.
As the training centre boss walked past he started over me having blue cable at the switches.
He kept saying 'why have you got neutrals?'
My response was ' I haven't. I'm going to sleeve them brown. Surly it's not neutral if it's not doing what a neutral should do it's just a cable until terminated.'
My tutor had no problem with this method.
Maybe I should have just smiled and pleased him.
Was I right?

 

[elsparko]

if you use 2core+e for strappers on a 2way then its effectively this situation in OP, you would have to sleeve the blue "neutral" with brown to correctly identify

for an exam setting though with singles i would of went with the brown

 

[Risteard]

Black is [...] also a SwL in single phase.

And where does BS7671 give credence to this view?

 

[elsparko]

And where does BS7671 give credence to this view?

its a bit of an unwritten rule id say.

 

[Risteard]

it would have at least been a colour associated with a live conductor?

So would blue. Neutral is a live conductor.

 

[Risteard]

its a bit of an unwritten rule id say.

I would say it is completely prohibited by BS7671 actually.

 

[elsparko]

I would say it is completely prohibited by BS7671 actually.

only seen the bit you quoted for the black being sw/l in single phase, thats all my comment pertains to, and i doubt that is prohibited lol

still brown sleeving over it though

 

[alasdairp]

I used to do (and oversee) industrial and commercial wiring. We almost always used number sleeves in larger installations so that is was easy to trace wiring and identify circuits. Takes little time and costs almost nothing.

 

[julian fletcher]

Yesterday whilst doing my practical assessment (2365 level 2) I caused a bit of a stink.
I was working on a couple of 2 way switches with singles through pvc conduit.
As the training centre boss walked past he started over me having blue cable at the switches.
He kept saying 'why have you got neutrals?'
My response was ' I haven't. I'm going to sleeve them brown. Surly it's not neutral if it's not doing what a neutral should do it's just a cable until terminated.'
My tutor had no problem with this method.
Maybe I should have just smiled and pleased him.
Was I right?

Hmm unfortunetly if had terminated but forgot to sleave then another sparky came in behind you how could he be sure that the installation was correct? While in a classroom situation you probably wouldnt forgot to sleave however in the rear situation it is easy to missy this international,so to eliminate possible mistake in feature it would always best to stick to correct colour /cable code. Hope this helps and good luck

 

[elsparko]

I used to do (and oversee) industrial and commercial wiring. We almost always used number sleeves in larger installations so that is was easy to trace wiring and identify circuits. Takes little time and costs almost nothing.

industrial requires labelling of circuits anyways, we usually use several along the route tiewrapped to the SWA/fp then ferel the conductors accordingly when terminating at both ends

in 5 years the next guy will ultimately thank us for labelling everything correctly

just finished an un-labelled eicr, fuseboard in the basement too, industrial is much worse though unless there is 2 of you with walkie talkies (that work)

 

[OldeSparky]

problem with twin brown is you need to ID which is which, otherwise you have a 50/50 chance of L feed into L1 and switched L into C, at the switch.

and why would this be a problem?

 

[123]

and why would this be a problem?

No problem on a 1 Gang Switch, total PITA at a 2 Gang switch if you need to know which is the feed

 

[elsparko]

No problem on a 1 Gang Switch, total PITA at a 2 Gang switch if you need to know which is the feed

do you mean 2 way? its relatively easy if the loop is at the switch

its about 5-10 minutes worth of pricking about but not much of a big deal

just add it to the quote

 

[Mike Johnson]

In France, Spain and I think Italy all cables have to be double insulated (run in conduit) and of the same cross section in any one circuit, so UK flat T&E cannot be used as CPC is smaller and only single insulated.

 

[Pete999]

In France, Spain and I think Italy all cables have to be double insulated (run in conduit) and of the same cross section in any one circuit, so UK flat T&E cannot be used as CPC is smaller and only single insulated.

The cpc is only protected by the Mech protection afforded by the outer PVC sheath, theoretically it's not an insulation, therefore not double insulated.

 

[Risteard]

The cpc is only protected by the Mech protection afforded by the outer PVC sheath, theoretically it's not an insulation, therefore not double insulated.

Precisely. Cables are not double insulated but may be insulated and sheathed. Non-sheathed cables must be contained (so no different to the practice of singles in kopex often used on the Continent).