How to protect external cable

[Yanni]

Is there anything I can nail to the wall to cover and protect the cable on this outside wall?

 

[davelx]

Against what? If that is SWA (steel wire armoured) cable it doesn't need any protection, that's what the steel armour is for.

 

[sparkymarka]

A cleat wouldn’t have gone amiss ….

 

[Handymanjo]

Can't see a gland neither. If it's SWA.

 

[pete01]

Can't see a gland neither. If it's SWA.

It's under the shroud, probably

 

[Yanni]

That’s a closeup

 

[plugwash]

I know BT have a metal channel that they use to protect cable on poles and walls. I don't know how easy it is to find the stuff for private purchase though.

As others have said, SWA is pretty tough stuff, extra protection is not usually needed.

 

[sparkwright]

Against what? If that is SWA (steel wire armoured) cable it doesn't need any protection, that's what the steel armour is for.

Yes... But once the black PVC outer coating gets wrecked, revealing that undamaged armour, the cable is still damaged, as water can get in, and it wouldn't be easy to do a decent repair to it.

 

[pete01]

How is that 12 inch piece of cable ever going to get damaged?

 

[DetlefSchmitz]

Usually vandals with cigarette lighters (AMHIK)

 

[pete01]

Usually vandals with cigarette lighters (AMHIK)

Ok, how do you know?

 

[DetlefSchmitz]

That's what they did outside my place of work... Nothing better to do of an evening I suppose.

 

[davelx]

Yes... But once the black PVC outer coating gets wrecked, revealing that undamaged armour, the cable is still damaged, as water can get in, and it wouldn't be easy to do a decent repair to it.

Hence my question...
there are many thousands of metres of SWA clipped to outside walls without any additional protection. Are you suggesting they should all have BT galvanized style cover?

 

[pete01]

Hence my question...
there are many thousands of metres of SWA clipped to outside walls without any additional protection. Are you suggesting they should all have BT galvanized style cover?

That should be a new reg....we are gonna be busy now

 

[SUNRAY]

That's what they did outside my place of work... Nothing better to do of an evening I suppose.

We did some electrical work at a college including 'upgrading' the earth bonding to a toilet block. We made the bond in the wooden boxing running up the outside of the building where the existing connexion was. Having done a fair bit of work in the establishment this was a deliberate move to prevent tampering/vandalism.

Their inspection insisted we did the bond inside which meant re-running the whole length of 25 or 35mm² from the other building as they would not accept a joint.

Within a very short time (days rather than weeks) we were back as the earth cable was described as overheating, the only evidence we could find was the very short part inside the building which was blackened/charred, complete with a black patch on the ceiling above it.

The fix was to open the boxing again and make the connexion there out of harms way. Oh and of course they expected it to be done under snagging/warranty.