Why?
- Thread starter ban-all-sheds
- Start date
It's very odd. All of their documentation majors on the fact that it is intended to be used as for "... interconnecting cable for measuring, controlling or regulation in control equipment for assembly and production lines, conveyors and for computer units ... ", rather than for any 'power' applications, yet in some cases (4-core) it goes up to 95mm². Even 3-core goes up to 35mm².
I reckon you ought to ask them!
Kind Regards, John
I reckon you ought to ask them!
Kind Regards, John
Who knows - but for what purpose would one use a "300V/500V" rated cable of large CSA other than 'mains', or some near-equivalent thereto?
Kind Regards, John
Intuitively it looks like it could carry more current than the foil in BS 8436 cables....
Don't know why it comes in the sizes it does, but the insulation rating Q is easy to answer - 528.1.
We used to use 3 core & earth SY cable for 415v slitter motors so a short wouldn't be affected by the screen.
It would if something penetrated the cable and created a fault between the braid and line, but didn't touch neutral or the cpc.
- Joined
- 27 Jan 2008
- Messages
- 27,459
- Reaction score
- 3,321
- Location
- Llanfair Caereinion, Nr Welshpool
- Country
I have come across two very different types of SY cable. Most the UK stuff has a steel braided armour only but the Dutch and German stuff seems to have a copper stranded conductor in contact with the steel braid.
As the cable ages I have found the steel braid has rusted under the transparent sheath so some parts can lack the earthed braid and as a result is no better than a flex as far as protection goes. At least with the copper stranded conductor in contact with the steel braid if this happens it's only that rusted area which has lost protection where water has not penetrated it is still sound. But this is not the case with the UK stuff.
So these cables need to be visible to detect any damage due to rust and also are only rated at 70°C not 90°C and with such small diameter steel wires they could compromise any protective rubber gloves.
I would not want to renew one of these cables live. And I would expect it is the live working required with the public mains which is the problem.
This is only a guess but I also note BS6500 is not in the list BS 5467, BS 6346. BS 6724, BS 7846, BS EN 60702-1 or BS 8436 which can be used with less than 50mm buried in a wall one would have thought it was at least as good as Ali-tube.
I know the food industry like these cables as smooth easy clean sheath but their life was not that long with cheese and other milk products it seemed to be a regular job to renew them.
Also the Hawk glands are expensive and the SY gland is useless. Often we used stuffing glands and threaded the inner through a teased hole in the braid then stroked the braid into a thinner section slid on an earth sleeve and crimped on an earth lug. Good job but time consuming. The Hawk gland has a reversible ring one way for SWA the other way for braid also fire rated seals but the cost was silly. Used Hawk in petrol chemical but too expensive else where.
It would be interesting to see the answer but I do realise this was not really a replacement for SWA but still better than flex. Well I suppose it is a flex so where flex is required and also you want an earthed outer it does a good job.
As the cable ages I have found the steel braid has rusted under the transparent sheath so some parts can lack the earthed braid and as a result is no better than a flex as far as protection goes. At least with the copper stranded conductor in contact with the steel braid if this happens it's only that rusted area which has lost protection where water has not penetrated it is still sound. But this is not the case with the UK stuff.
So these cables need to be visible to detect any damage due to rust and also are only rated at 70°C not 90°C and with such small diameter steel wires they could compromise any protective rubber gloves.
I would not want to renew one of these cables live. And I would expect it is the live working required with the public mains which is the problem.
This is only a guess but I also note BS6500 is not in the list BS 5467, BS 6346. BS 6724, BS 7846, BS EN 60702-1 or BS 8436 which can be used with less than 50mm buried in a wall one would have thought it was at least as good as Ali-tube.
I know the food industry like these cables as smooth easy clean sheath but their life was not that long with cheese and other milk products it seemed to be a regular job to renew them.
Also the Hawk glands are expensive and the SY gland is useless. Often we used stuffing glands and threaded the inner through a teased hole in the braid then stroked the braid into a thinner section slid on an earth sleeve and crimped on an earth lug. Good job but time consuming. The Hawk gland has a reversible ring one way for SWA the other way for braid also fire rated seals but the cost was silly. Used Hawk in petrol chemical but too expensive else where.
It would be interesting to see the answer but I do realise this was not really a replacement for SWA but still better than flex. Well I suppose it is a flex so where flex is required and also you want an earthed outer it does a good job.
Or "public mains"?
What's in my house isn't public - put it this way, I'd be pretty miffed if they came in and started using it.
We do use this type of cable for temporary connections from small generators (8kVA) to maintain some customer supplies during faults.
But I suppose they ain't connected to the public mains!
But I suppose they ain't connected to the public mains!
You are a member of the public. The mains supplies your house, therefore it is public mains.
DIYnot Local
Staff member
If you need to find a tradesperson to get your job done, please try our local search below, or if you are doing it yourself you can find suppliers local to you.
Select the supplier or trade you require, enter your location to begin your search.
Are you a trade or supplier? You can create your listing free at DIYnot Local
