Exterior cabling

[V1k]

Hi, Having just bought a house, the previous owner had 2 exterior lights fitted to the property. These both work but are powered by a standard 1.5mm twin and earth cable connected to the lighting circuit and held on to the wall at approximately 3.5meters high with tower clips.

Should these cables be armoured or can I just put some form of protection around them (if so what would this be?)? Or are they fine as they are?

Many thanks.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

It's not uncommon to find T&E cable outside. They are not the recommended type of cable, as the environment effects them differently to cables more suitable for that purpose.
But saying that if seen loads of these types of cables that have quite evidently been there some years with very little evidence of deterioration.
But they should be protected. They are at a height where mechanical damage is unlikely but the weather conditions such frost and sunlight will have an effect, so best thing is to either change the cable type or run them in plastic conduit.

 

[V1k]

Thanks for that - the standard conduit that you get from Wickes is good enough I take it?

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

Yep Wickes is good, you will also need the conduit to be supported by space bar saddles at a distance of ever 0.75m

 

[V1k]

Brilliant, just wondering if there is any rubber type conduit which fits around corners etc? Trying to get that wire through plastic conduit around 90 degree angles will be problematic? Know of any types of rubber conduit?

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

You can buy pliable conduit, it's a little more specialised.
But just get some inspection elbows for the plastic stuff, wickes will have them too.
http://www.wickes.co.uk/inspection-elbow/invt/715015/
http://www.wickes.co.uk/saddle-spacer-bar/invt/715012/
http://www.wickes.co.uk/round-conduit/invt/712949/

 

[sparkwright]

You must glue all couplers and elbows etc with the correct welding glue, or you will it will fall apart.

You should also ensure water can't get into the conduit. Not much of problem if the conduit is purely to protect the cable; but if the conduit is actually fixed to the light fitting then you must ensure everything is watertight.

May pay to use plenty of saddles fairly close together as plastic conduit can tend to bend quite a bit with the weather.

Any inspection boxes you may use should have a gasket between the box and the lid.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

If possible rewire the lights so that there are no external cables at all.

Failing that, get an electrician to rewire them using pyro - it will look much much better than plastic conduit.