Extending the cable that goes into the consumer unit

My camera's broken. However, I do have some more info. The consumer unit is called an MK Sentry Unit. Rated current with switch disconnect is 100A, with RCD 80A. There are two rows of fuses, the top row, which has 3, is labelled 'off-peak', the bottom row, which has 6, is labelled 24 hour.

Of the 4 wires tha are encased in the big thick one, 3 seem to go into the box in the top right as you look at it (the red, yellow and blue wires) while the black wire goes in somewhere in the top left as you look at it.

Hope this helps!
 
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I'd recommend jumping on the Niceic's website, and finding a local electrician who will do a 'free estimate'. If the first one you call wont do a free estimate, simply try the next in the list. Eventually you will find someone who will.
 
I have seen 4 core swa used to supply flats (single phase) with the spare core connected to earth or just left loose in the CU, this may be the case
 
I have a sneaking suspicion that of the 4core cable, 2 cores are used for 24h and the other 2 cores are used for economy 7 or something similar to this has been done. How are the wires connected in the consumer unit? There should also be some sort of method of isolation somewhere whereas you can kill all power to this cable.
 
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Spark123 said:
I have a sneaking suspicion that of the 4core cable, 2 cores are used for 24h and the other 2 cores are used for economy 7 or something similar to this has been done. How are the wires connected in the consumer unit? There should also be some sort of method of isolation somewhere whereas you can kill all power to this cable.

I haven't opened the consumer unit to look but the black wire goes in separately to the other three. I can kill all the power to the cable by going downstairs to the communal cupboard where the meters are, finding mine and and switching it off.

I've had a look on Google and I'm now pretty sure it's 4-core armoured cable that I'm dealing with. So what I need to know is could I just go and buy a couple of metres of it, kill the power, cut the cable and then add the extra 2 metres? If so, how would the joins need to be done, presumably not with a twist of the wires and a spot of insulating tape?!? Are there junction boxes for this kind of thing or is it not allowed?

(Incidentally, I'm not planning to do this myself I'm just curious as to how it would be done!)
 
Presuming it is an armoured cable feedin a peak and off peak board, then you could extend the cable.

It is not something you could do with a joint box.

You would need to gland the old and new cables into an adaptable box, and through crimp each core.

As this cable will probably be 16mm² or 25mm² you would need heavy duty crimpers, and cover each crimp with heat shrink sleeving.

Summary: The cable can be extended, but it is not really a DIY job.
 
RF Lighting said:
Presuming it is an armoured cable feedin a peak and off peak board, then you could extend the cable.

It is not something you could do with a joint box.

You would need to gland the old and new cables into an adaptable box, and through crimp each core.

As this cable will probably be 16mm² or 25mm² you would need heavy duty crimpers, and cover each crimp with heat shrink sleeving.

Summary: The cable can be extended, but it is not really a DIY job.

You, sir, are a gentleman and a scholar!
 
JohnD said:
we're never going to see the pictures then? :cry: :cry: :cry:
If my camera is working then I'll take some. I'm hoping it's just flat batteries which are recharging now but there wasn't so much as a flicker earlier so I fear it could be more serious.
 
Yum, yum, 25mm 4-core SWA into a Sentry double-decker...
 
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I have tidied this up a bit.

Mod Rupert

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Explanation, Rupert, please?
 
Mod Rupert said:
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I have tidied this up a bit.

Mod Rupert

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Yeh, and got rid of the photo of my really beautiful double decker sentry consumer unit
 

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