My mistake. My only defence is I was in work during my lunch break and speed reading. I apologise.
SWA Drive
- Thread starter karlitob1983
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My mistake. My only defence is I was in work during my lunch break and speed reading. I apologise.
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Anything you can plug into a 13a socket is restricted by the fuse in the plug so why would it be worthwhile plumping for an oversize cable?
Who said that it was a single socket (or, come to that, that the 'adequate' 1.5mm² cable would be installed per Method C)?
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My point about installing a larger cable was that if any extra capacity was needed, you would not have to rip it up and start again.
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Indeed, and I think most sensible people here will have understood that to be your point - but there is 'always one' (and frequently the same 'one'
) who needs to find something to quibble about!Kind Regards, |John
How far would you go with that? This cable is for a few LEDs not a workshop.
At the moment it is planned for a few LEDs but the O/P, or even a new owner a few years down the line, may decide to build a shed/workshop/home office and think the installed cable would be suitable for his plans. None of us knows what the future may bring so it's a sensible idea to future proof now, (as far as reasonably practical), at slightly more cost than to have to start all over again in the future when costs will probably be substantially higher. I fed my old shed with 6mm SWA a number of years ago, (simply because it was going to be thrown out by the company I worked for as a space saving option). For about 5 years it supplied 3 LED strip lights and 2 x 13A sockets.
Recently built a new workshop, 20' x 10', nearer the house and simply pulled the old cable back to now supply 3 x new strip lights, 9 x 13A sockets, an alarm system and 2 x outdoor security lights. All protected by a 20A MCB and 30mA RCD at the moment because of light loads but with the potential to uprate to 32A if required.
These are Restricted Electrical Works and can only be carried out by a Registered Electrical Contractor (REC), i.e. a member of RECI.
You need to get a REC on board to do these works. You must not do them yourself. You also shouldn't share a duct between LV and ELV wiring, and also the cables need to meet certain standards, i.e. Dca, -s2, d2, a2 at a minimum.
By purchasing the cable you will also have paid 23% VAT on it, whereas as part of the provision of a service (subject to the "two-thirds rule") you would only have paid 13.5% VAT on it.
A REC can also only certify their own work, except for reconnections where the installation has been de-energised by the DSO and they require a Completion Certificate to re-energise it, or where the Change of Contractor procedure has been followed.
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Laying an electric cable - that is not terminated at any end - is not a restricted electric work. As you’ve quoted from my previous post, I’ll get a RECI to finish the work.
Point made as above.
With regards to laying the cable, I never intimated that I would put both into the same duct. I did reference that both cables are going to opposite ends of my home - it’s hard to see how they would share the same duct.
Cable has been purchased from an Irish and UK electrical wholesaler. My quote and the receipt from this wholesaler note the standards that you reference.
I’m fully aware of this but it’s an unusual argument to make considering my previous posts. The RECI I had out quoted me €1200 to bore two holes in my home and thread an swa into the room that my consumer unit is in. He wasn’t connecting it to the consumer unit. He wasn’t digging a trench. He wasn’t laying it to the end of the garden. He wasn’t providing any conduit even though the swa will be partially buried in concrete.
I paid €516 for swa. €96 of which is 23% tax. What your saying is - that I should’ve paid a RECI €1200 to bore two holes so that I could save ~€40 in tax - the difference between 23% and 13.5%. I’m not sure what you chose to spend your money on but - and I think any fair minded person would agree - I do not share your view of value for money.
Besides - since I was rang a lot of wholesalers I found a much better price….by €250 actually….because the more expensive place had to buy new stock recently at the higher prices. I bought current stock at previous prices.
Since the RECI was only boring two holes and not connecting to the consumer unit. As such - according to him when I asked - he didn’t have anything to certify. He said he would return to connect it - at a distant time in the future - but that it would be a days work at least and would cost another €700 EX VAT (+ €150 @13.5%). Which brings the cost of the connection to over €2000 and doesn’t include the costs of the RCB and fuse.
Are you saying that RECI who came out to me was incorrect in saying that boring two holes for an unconnected swa cable didn’t require certification.
If it does, then I will have to pay another €250 to go to another RECI to finish the work if I found someone at a more reasonable price.
Thanks for your time in replying.
No point in worrying about a future new owner. But as I said how far do you go “future proofing” when you or nobody else knows the future.
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