Mmmm how to run an outside cable from this consumer unit?

[ban-all-sheds]

There should be a 230 V warning label on the die cast box.

Why?

 

[bernardgreen]

Adds a bit of colour to the drab greyness of the box.

And it might later warn someone that the bits inside are not safe to tamper with.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

And it might later warn someone that the bits inside are not safe to tamper with.

Your house must look a treat, with all those labels on every switch, FCU, socket etc.

 

[40 watt spark]

There should be a 230 V warning label on the die cast box.

Why?

I was told by my NICEIC inspector I had to fit a warning label on the one in my image or it would be marked as a discrepancy

How far do we have go to cover all eventualities these days, its like putting a 'contains nuts' warning on a packet of dry roasted.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

That warning should be on the vans of NICEIC inspectors.

Did you ask him which regulation says it has to have a label?

 

[krieghammer]

Everything has to be idiot proof these days.....

'beware contents hot'

On another note my garage floor is concrete (where the consumer unit is)...

Is it acceptable if swa comes down the wall below consumer unit, then takes a right angle out of the building, then takes another 90 degree angle down the outside wall and into the dug trench? As its swa would it need conduit for the outside wall?

Many thanks

 

[mikeyd]

If it's SWA then you can run it where you want.

So yes it's ok to run it through the wall, and no you don't need to put it in conduit.

Make sure those 90 degree bends aren't too sharp though. Drill downwards from the inside.

 

[krieghammer]

Thanks Mike.

It's cavity walls I have. Breeze block then brick. Normally I'd drill from the outside in. Choose a mortar seam.

 

[conny]

Thanks Mike.

It's cavity walls I have. Breeze block then brick. Normally I'd drill from the outside in. Choose a mortar seam.

In that case, drill through the outside mortar seam but drill up at a slight angle. It helps prevent rain water/hosing plants from entering the structure. You could also seal around cable entry with silicone.

 

[bernardgreen]

Everything has to be idiot proof these days.....

'beware contents hot'

On another note my garage floor is concrete (where the consumer unit is)...

Then you need a sign on the floor "Caution Hard Surface.... Falling onto this floor may result in injury "

 

[krieghammer]

Everything has to be idiot proof these days.....

'beware contents hot'

On another note my garage floor is concrete (where the consumer unit is)...

Then you need a sign on the floor "Caution Hard Surface.... Falling onto this floor may result in injury "

You're right! Damn! Lol! Seriously, won't be long til we need signage for everything.

Sounds reasonable. Shouldn't be too difficult to push cable through both the brick then breeze block.

Did volt drop calcs last night and 4mm is more than adequate.

 

[holmslaw]

..

 

[krieghammer]

I'll post pics of route. That may help.

 

[bernardgreen]

It's not a simple case of drilling through the wall. Somehow you must accommodate the cable bends.

The minimum bend radius of 4 mm SWA with the armour in place does mean vertical up the wall and then almost horizontally in is not practical. Terminating the armour in a weather proof box outside the wall and bring the cores through the wall in a sleeved hole is possible as the minimum bend radius of the cores without the armour is about an inch.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

If you use a large-ish enclosure on the wall, you can run a length of plastic pipe from it into the ground, with your ducting inside that.

Solves the problem of sealing the end of the ducting against water/soil/fauna ingress.

And since the enclosure is accessible, you could have connectors inside and join the SWA in there to a cable from the house, rather than taking the SWA on through - the latter approach may not work, because if you remove the sheath and armour from SWA what you are left with has to be kept in trunking or conduit, or enclosure(s) of some type.