Stripping meter tails

[JohnD]

this is second- or third-hand rumour

if you could track down the people involved you could induce them to write a letter of complaint seeking justification.

once the reasons have been set out in writing they could be dealt with

maybe the wrong coloured cores had been used; who knows what the truth is?

 

[CallEdsFirst]

Well that's far more in the spirit my post intended.

I can appreciate that there is an element of chinese whispers, and the story could have changed a long way from "Errr could you please swap the brown and blue in the incomer before I connect this up! "

All I shall do is go back to my customer and tell him that it's not a change in regs, it's not a requirement that you do or don't use grey outher sheathed tails, and that there may be some crossed wires (not literally we hope).

As an addition, does anyone else think it is wise that the regs do change seeing as grey is now the third phase colour. The two scenarios shouldn't interfere (domestic tails not likely to be confused for two L3's coming out of the same meter), but for watertightness etc, should grey be swapped for a now defunct yellow colour?

 

[JohnD]

I reckon identifying rings near the cable ends are OK.

 

[CallEdsFirst]

I reckon identifying rings near the cable ends are OK.

Well yes, as long as they comply with BS3858!!!!

 

[JohnD]

are you not allowed to use rings any more that do not meet the specification for binding and identification sleeves for use on electric cables and wires?

I used to put rings of coloured vinyl tape on as a reminder to help avoid careless errors

 

[ban-all-sheds]

My mum always said "If you don't have anything nice to say, ***** !" I can appreciate your label of nonsense, but this really did happen and thus there is truth here too.

Nonsense as in the whole assertion from the DNO guy is ludicrous, not that the story is false.

Well yes, they can, but not everyone is in a position to argue, or knowledgable enough to be sure, or confident enough to tell the guy that says yay or nay that he is wrong.

Surely a professional electrician knows the regulations well enough to know that what he has done complies? Surely he is confident enough to say "my installation complies with BS7671, on what legal basis are you refusing to connect it, and in answering that please quote the relevant provision in the ESQCR?"?

Well yes they do, and as it states "preferably" I am happy,

The "preferably" refers to what cores are within any sheathing, i.e. it is preferable that the cores are identifiable all the way through the sheathing, not just the end. It is meant to deprecate the use of cables where the cores are not identifiable except by marking or labelling added at the exposed ends at the time of installation. It cannot mean that it is preferable for the sheath of a cable to be the same colour as the cores.

but the DNO wasn't so I should tell my customer "Bollards mate, now sling your hook!"

No - you shouldn't, but that's not what I said....

 

[CallEdsFirst]

are you not allowed to use rings any more that do not meet the specification for binding and identification sleeves for use on electric cables and wires?

I used to put rings of coloured vinyl tape on as a reminder to help avoid careless errors

Not according to 17th! Same point as we started on:

I took my quote out because of copyright reasons, but your identification method has to comply with BS3858

Can't get a copy of that one at the minute.

 

[securespark]

Surely tape and ties comes under the banner of "binding"?

Whether it complies with 3858 or not, I'm not sure...

 

[CallEdsFirst]

Alright, Ban, you are playing nicer so I will too (and I do genuinely appreciate the feedback! This is where you tell me you are on the board for the IET!)

The guy knows that he has used the right colours, but is then caught off guard?

Both insulation and sheath colours? Did I read that wrong?

The thing is, like the distance between service head and dis board rule, with or without switchfuse, this could be a DNO preference, and therefore totally up to them. If that's the case, these things have a habit of spreading and I need to prepare for that.

The only other relevant info I have is a reference in BS6004:2000, taken from table 7 (I won't quote as I don't have permission and it's not for implementation purposes) but basically it says the outer is grey unless the cable manufacturer and customer agree otherwise.

So it can be to spec in other colours, but the norm is grey.[/quote]

 

[securespark]

Appendix 7 mentions tapes, sleeves or discs to id cables. Must comply then?

 

[RF Lighting]

 

[CallEdsFirst]

Seriously RF, do you have a bionic eye that you just download from at the end of each day? You have a picture for everything!

But what's your point? You have seen them? You always use them? You are only allowed to use them? Share your infinite wisdom as well as your infinite images.

 

[CallEdsFirst]

Appendix 7 mentions tapes, sleeves or discs to id cables. Must comply then?

One would assume so, but i bet this is not how it goes

21.1.5 If identification is required on a grey outer sheath in order to distinguish between L1 and a Neutral Conductor, just wrap a bit of tape round it. As long as it's a similar colour, it will look pukka

Mind you, they'd be a lot more readable if they were written like that!

 

[securespark]

pukka....the first British Standard written by Jamie Oliver...

 

[JohnD]

you mean it will look lik a pie?