firetuf and pyro

[Steve]

at work today i noticed some offcuts of cable in a corner under the checkout. I picked them up and it was 3-core "flex" but it had solid conductors. The outer sheath fitted loosely and it had a metal foil inside the sheath. It looks like 2.5mm² conductor size. I looked around and it is what has been used to bring power from the UPS (15min backup) to the tills. Total about 35 metres.

I have looked on the net and the only thing i can find that closely matches it is firetuf. But why has this been used for this purpose? i thought it was used for fire alarms etc. Or is this another one of those commercial jobs where the spark chooses the most expensive he can find because they can afford it?

Also spotted an old alarm wiring centre with about 15 runs of old pyro cable (copper sheathed stuff) coming from it, there must be hundreds of metres of the stuff in the building, none of it used anymore. could this be worth some money? (place was built in the 60's, think this stuff is original but i heard it could last forever)

is firetuf actually replacing pyro nowadays? The newer alarm system in this shop seems to be wired in a more flexible material to the pyro i have seen, i presume this is firetuf. firetuf seems a poorer quality choice IMO - the lazy choice for the electrician??

 

[andy]

at work today i noticed some offcuts of cable in a corner under the checkout. I picked them up and it was 3-core "flex" but it had solid conductors. The outer sheath fitted loosely and it had a metal foil inside the sheath. It looks like 2.5mm² conductor size. I looked around and it is what has been used to bring power from the UPS (15min backup) to the tills. Total about 35 metres.

I have looked on the net and the only thing i can find that closely matches it is firetuf. But why has this been used for this purpose? i thought it was used for fire alarms etc. Or is this another one of those commercial jobs where the spark chooses the most expensive he can find because they can afford it?

Also spotted an old alarm wiring centre with about 15 runs of old pyro cable (copper sheathed stuff) coming from it, there must be hundreds of metres of the stuff in the building, none of it used anymore. could this be worth some money? (place was built in the 60's, think this stuff is original but i heard it could last forever)

is firetuf actually replacing pyro nowadays? The newer alarm system in this shop seems to be wired in a more flexible material to the pyro i have seen, i presume this is firetuf. firetuf seems a poorer quality choice IMO - the lazy choice for the electrician??

FP200 is an alternative to MICC and is easier to terminate, altho MICC is more fire resistant, FP200 meets specs to be used

 

[kendor]

or is it that the nancy boys of today don't know how to terminate pyro?

 

[andy]

or is it that the nancy boys of today don't know how to terminate pyro?

i know how to terminate pyro! altho some of the people i work with dont

 

[kendor]

or is it that the nancy boys of today don't know how to terminate pyro?

i know how to terminate pyro! altho some of the people i work with dont

good on you andy you are not a nancy boy

 

[Lectrician]

As it has a foil screen, it is a screened cable, and keeps out/in any RFI.

It also allows it to be run in close proximity to the computer cat5 (or similar) cabling - Obviously where a till is, you have mains and cat5, often running the length of the room together. It allows them to put both in the same trunking, and clipped/run adjacent.

 

[Steve]

. . . It also allows it to be run in close proximity to the computer cat5 (or similar) cabling - Obviously where a till is, you have mains and cat5, often running the length of the room together. It allows them to put both in the same trunking, and clipped/run adjacent.

good point, although the till computers (the bit underneath) seem very resilient (air vents blocked, surounded with general rubbish and overly-long cables), our IT department seem obsessed with supplying them with only the best power and use very good UPS backups which filter mains, so using firetuf would make sense.

also have funny twisty sockets, where the plugs have a plastic "tower" with 3 metal lugs on, you put the plug "tower" in the hole and twist 90 degrees, only tills and computer can be plugged into them. Not seen these for sale anywhere . .

or is it that the nancy boys of today don't know how to terminate pyro?

thats what i was thinking, just didn't want to seem rude . . .

 

[andy]

also have funny twisty sockets, where the plugs have a plastic "tower" with 3 metal lugs on, you put the plug "tower" in the hole and twist 90 degrees, only tills and computer can be plugged into them. Not seen these for sale anywhere . .

you mean these?

socket
plug

 

[Lectrician]

They are pretty standard for tills.

Most IT places use MK non-standard plug and sockets (tee shaped earth pin).

 

[Steve]

thats them andy. wouldn't round pin sockets suffice to make sure no alien appliances are plugged in?

 

[andy]

thats them andy. wouldn't round pin sockets suffice to make sure no alien appliances are plugged in?

might be because there harder to unplug? as in you have to turn the pull them, rather than just pull em out

 

[Lectrician]

Round pin plugs are not fused. Although are these others?!?

 

[andy]

Round pin plugs are not fused. Although are these others?!?

yes. there fused

from the catalouge:
'A mains electrical connection system for use where a dedicated, clean earth or additional security is req'd. the double socket has standard fixing centres for back boxes and can replace conventional 2-gang socket outlets. the 13A fused plugs are engaged using a simple plug and twist action and the sockets include safety shutters. BS5733 approved

 

[Lectrician]

My point stands then - round pin plugs are unfused

Arn't they made by MEM, these twist ones?? They are seen vastly for retail systems - look at any Woolworths ceiling

In offices etc, it is more common to see the MK sort.

 

[andy]

Arn't they made by MEM, these twist ones??

yes. dont really kno much about them, just i remember seeing them in the CPC catalogue before