Sort of buried but not cable

[ban-all-sheds]

Going to be installing some freestanding external bollard lights. They'll be in a shallow gravel bed, and the easiest thing to do with cabling will, I'm sure, be to use Hituf lying on the ground.

Would covering it with a few cm of gravel count as burying, and therefore require me to use SWA or conduit?

I'm not worried about it from a safety POV - the gravel will be a narrow strip between a brick wall and a paved area, so no digging will ever take place there, and the lights will signal the presence of cable pretty effectively.

 

[securespark]

I shall get prepared to be shot down, but I can't see a problem with it.

 

[DESL]

Me neither

I'd put it on an RCD if using Hi tuf if SWA no need - just in case!!

 

[Pensdown]

As soon as the cable is covered it becomes "concealed" so IMO the normal regs apply.

In a few years time the gravel will need weeding so I hope you're going to issue Mrs BAS with gauntlets and flash protection...

 

[ban-all-sheds]

It will be on an RCD.

How about if I bond her trowel?

 

[Adam_151]

How about if I bond her?

I'd rather you kept that kind of stuff to yourselves!

TMI and stuff, like!

 

[Pensdown]

IMO an RCD is like PPE. Designers should reduce the risks as far as reasonably practical. If all of the risks can't be designed out then RCD's and PPE can be used to offer protection.

Bonding her trowel back to the MET is a top idea but anything above 6mm may slow her down....

 

[ColJack]

if you're doing the landscaping then just dig a narrow trench and put some adaptaflex from light to light, then put your cable in that..

better than just hiding the cable under the gravel and makes it easier to pull new wires if the need ever arrises..

also adds some protection from stray trowels and sharp bits of gravel.. not much, but a little bit..

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I think I've got some of that in the loft.

Would hate to have to pull cables through it for any distance though, given how corrugated it is on the inside.

When the plan was to have bricklights, I was going to use hituf inside pliable metallic conduit, there not being any reasonable way to loop SWA from light to light underground - guess I could still do that.

 

[ColJack]

the way they get wires down the bigger stuff is to tie a string onto a plastic bag and use a compressor to blow it down the duct.. then pull in a rope with the string..

could do the same with the adaptaflex, but use a fishing line and weight to put the line through the adaptaflex before you bury it..

 

[333rocky333]

Hituf .

Dare I ask
What is this HITUF cable I have seen you mention.

 

[luminaire]

Hituf .

Dare I ask
What is this HITUF cable I have seen you mention.

Have a look here

 

[Lectrician]

I would not use an RCD - outside lights always end up with low IR's, no matter how well installed and maintained.

Maybe use split con - this does atleast have the ability to cause OPD operation if 'shoveled'.

I always prefer to duct split con, and I would also do this with hi-tuff, although I would prefer never to use it!

SWA would be the way to go for me. Are the lanterns a bit d-i-y? IE not having a glanding plate, or room for a trouser box or similar?

 

[Spark123]

Are you talking burried directly in the gravel BAS? What sort of gravel?

 

[ban-all-sheds]

SWA would be the way to go for me.

Very much doubt if I could gland 2 SWA into the light, or even 1, which means junction boxes of some sort..

Are the lanterns a bit d-i-y? IE not having a glanding plate, or room for a trouser box or similar?

2nd one down.