ARMOURED CABLE QUERY

[rossowheels]

Good evening all,

I have an exterior pond which has an armoured cable running from inside the garage which is connected to a separate consumer unit just for the pond electrics. I recently attempted to carry out some electrical work to connect the pond pump and UV steriliser units to the armoured cable which runs into an enclosure behind the pond. I don’t believe that I am colour blind but the armoured cable has four black cables and an earth. It also looks like a further two black cables have been taped down so are not in use. There is also a braded cable which has been taped down so is not in use.

I would much appreciate learning how it is possible to connect a three core cable from say the pond pump to the correct black wires. The earth cable is the only one that does not need guessing.

Thank you so much.

 

[sarkyspark]

That type of cable the black cores will be numbered. You can just make out a zero and a one on the cores in the photo.

 

[EFLImpudence]

... and 2 on another.

 

[rossowheels]

Thank you and that is very interesting. How do the numbers relate to live and neutral. Presumably, since there are four black cables, there are two live wires and two neutral wires? You must have good eye sight since I can only see one cable marked “01” which is not in use.

 

[Murdochcat]

Thank you and that is very interesting. How do the numbers relate to live and neutral. Presumably, since there are four black cables, there are two live wires and two neutral wires?

That rather depends on the installer and how they used the numbered cables.

Fingers crossed they used 1 + 2 for live and 3+4 for neutral - and if it’s 230 volts then the CPC must be connected.

Are those wagos in the open or have you taken a cover off an enclosure?

That cable isn’t really suitable for the use either

 

[Notch7]

How do the numbers relate to live and neutral

You need to look at the other end and see how they are joined to the house wiring

 

[rossowheels]

That rather depends on the installer and how they used the numbered cables.

Fingers crossed they used 1 + 2 for live and 3+4 for neutral - and if it’s 230 volts then the CPC must be connected.

Are those wagos in the open or have you taken a cover off an enclosure?

That cable isn’t really suitable for the use either

Most enlightening, thank you. The wagos are in the enclosure and the photo was taken with the door open. It’s 230 volts. I suppose I could try the combinations you mentioned and the worst that could happen is that the circuit breaker trips?

Why isn’t the armoured/SY cable suitable by the way?

 

[Murdochcat]

Is it armoured? It looks like SY

Best you look at both ends of each cable before you start fiddling with anything

 

[rossowheels]

Is it armoured? It looks like SY

Best you look at both ends of each cable before you start fiddling with anything

You may well be right. I am examining the cable as a layman who would have hoped that such a cable would have some degree of resistance to rodents etc. It is mostly buried under the garden. Unfortunately, the previous occupants of the property carried out the works so I am unable to comment but you may well be right. I just checked out SY cable and have to admit that it does look like SY cable!

 

[Adam_151]

SY cable is widely mis-used, it doesn't actually meet any standard for either the Uk or the EU as a whole, its made to some german only standard, and its generally intended as an EMC screened cable while may have some used on production machinery, doesn't really belong in fixed electrical installations

In addition to the standards aproval issues, its defintaly not suitable for outside use - the sheath goes brittle from UV, then then cracks and lets water in which then rusts the braid. So it starts off clear and silver then goes white, then yellow and then goes a very manky brown,

It is also not suitable for use buried in the ground, a sheath or armour suitable as a CPC is required for that, the braid on SY is made up of loads of separate bits of wire (not continuous end to end like SWA) and defintaly not suitable as a CPC.

Unfortuntaly no one has yet been able to explain the above to aircon guys, refridgeration engineers, or factory maintenance electricians!

 

[Murdochcat]

I think mis use of SY is due to an incorrect urban myth

 

[rossowheels]

SY cable is widely mis-used, it doesn't actually meet any standard for either the Uk or the EU as a whole, its made to some german only standard, and its generally intended as an EMC screened cable while may have some used on production machinery, doesn't really belong in fixed electrical installations

In addition to the standards aproval issues, its defintaly not suitable for outside use - the sheath goes brittle from UV, then then cracks and lets water in which then rusts the braid. So it starts off clear and silver then goes white, then yellow and then goes a very manky brown,

It is also not suitable for use buried in the ground, a sheath or armour suitable as a CPC is required for that, the braid on SY is made up of loads of separate bits of wire (not continuous end to end like SWA) and defintaly not suitable as a CPC.

Unfortuntaly no one has yet been able to explain the above to aircon guys, refridgeration engineers, or factory maintenance electricians!

Most interesting and concerning……I just removed the cover to the consumer unit in the garage and please see photo. I can’t say that I can see any numbers on the black wires. The far right is the feed coming from the house (1 and N) Next to that is a black wire (1?) which goes to the breaker for the pond pump. The far left black wire goes to the breaker for the exterior sockets? So a little closer to answering my original question which is which wires are live and neutral? The far left mcb is not in use. Any comments very much appreciated.

 

[Adam_151]

I Can see 1 on the core that goes to the first MCB after the incommer, and 2 one one of the ones that goes to neutral. I cant see anything on the others in the picture but chances are you could if you turned it around. However that picture raises more questions; why is the supply to that board on two parallel run cables (That is a thing, but it wouldn't be done with cables that small) what is it supplied by?

 

[Murdochcat]

Most interesting and concerning……I just removed the cover to the consumer unit in the garage and please see photo. I can’t say that I can see any numbers on the black wires. The far right is the feed coming from the house (1 and N) Next to that is a black wire (1?) which goes to the breaker for the pond pump. The far left black wire goes to the breaker for the exterior sockets? So a little closer to answering my original question which is which wires are live and neutral? The far left mcb is not in use. Any comments very much appreciated.

Please tell my that that consumer unit isn’t on your socket circuit?

 

[rossowheels]

Please tell my that that consumer unit isn’t on your socket circuit?

The consumer unit is connected to the exterior sockets (IP66) next to the pond and the pond pump/UV unit. May I ask why you ask? PS I have to say that the wiring I inherited from the previous occupant leaves much to be desired. The interior of the original consumer unit was wet and had terminal blocks so I bought a new consumer unit and relocated it undercover and changed the terminal blocks to wagos.