Newbie sparkie - Favours already??

[doobyfirkin08]

Hi guys, im currently in my 2nd year of my 2330 having completed my first 3 exams with credits and hope to be a safe and trustworthy electrician.ive read a lot of advice from you guys and the help you give people on here truly deserves credit (as without it i can imagine some of em burning down thier houses through lack of knowledge and safety) i have been asked by a friend to assist in installing some garden lights, i have advised him to use SWA cable but he is insisting on using 2.5mm twin & earth ran along the fence in plastic trunking into sealed outdoor swich and sockets?? could or would be legal and safe?? all the trunking can be sealed with silicon but surely this cant pass part p ( any advice or your views on this would be very much appreciated,
Thank you for reading & kindest regards
Paul

 

[FingRinal]

Your friend has asked you because you are much more learned than he is. You've offered him your opinion (a good one) and he's rejected it.

Tell him you can help him do the bodge job to a good standard if you want to but make it clear that it's nothing to do with you. If for a second you think he would point the finger at you (for whatever reason), do you need to be told what you should do?

Remember this is and will be your chosen livelihood - to him it's just the chance to get something done on the cheap.

But tell us exactly what kind of fence and where exactly will the cable be run?

 

[ericmark]

I agree with you does not seem a very good way to run cables but the twin and earth will not be exposed to sun light. And there is nothing to say you can’t use trunking.
132.5.1 Equipment likely to be exposed to weather, corrosive atmospheres or other adverse conditions shall be so constructed or protected as may be necessary to prevent danger arising from such exposure.
132.7 Type of wiring and method of installation
The choice of the type of wiring system and the method of installation shall include consideration of the following:
(ii) The nature of the structure supporting the wiring
133.3 Conditions of installation
Electrical equipment shall be selected so as to withstand safely the stresses, the environmental conditions (see Regulation 132.5) and the characteristics of its location. An item of equipment which does not by design have the properties corresponding to its location may be used where adequate further protection is provided as part of the completed electrical installation.
134.1.1 Good workmanship by competent persons or persons under their supervision and proper materials shall be used in the erection of the electrical installation. Electrical equipment shall be installed in accordance with the instructions provided by the manufacturer of the equipment.
You must ask yourself does it comply with above. A fence post made of reinforced concrete would be unlikely to be damaged by the elements and cause damage to a cable attached to it but with a wooden post in earth only the results would be different. Trunking does come in many grades and although T2 may be no good some is stronger than conduit. And I can’t imagine how your going to attach the trunking and I would think it will look rotten. I would ask the building inspector as if he says not then no more worries.
Eric

 

[doobyfirkin08]

Hi guys, thank you for the replies, i appreciate your views a lot, it is a really decent friend ive offered to help, i just wanted it to be safe for him & his family, the outdoor lights are to be ran off a fused switch from a downstairs socket that is in the conservatory(spurred from kitchen)so i could do the installation but would need full trunking, bends,corners, the works,,and even silicon seal any small gaps, and with outdoor switches and sockets, ill test and inspect everything and record all results for future reference,

 

[FingRinal]

What's the chances of the fence being blown down in the wind for example? Or bust by next door's kids kicking a ball against it? Or the elements rotting it in a couple of years etc..??