Steel capping

[slippyr4]

Where a cable needs to be chased into a wall, it's my understanding that if:-

- it's not directly north, south, east or west of an accessory
or
- it's not right in an internal corner,
or
- it's not within 150mm of the top or the bottom of a wall,
or
- the cable isn't buried 50mm deep from either side of the wall,

then the cable needs protection. Steel capping is the puppy here. My question, does the capping need to be earthed? or is it providing purely mechanical protection?

--

When i took the cladding off the wall in the kitchen, most the plaster fell off. A lighting loop cable comes down from the ceiling for ~500mm before going through the wall into the ceiling void above the utlity room (which is an extension, and has a lower ceiling than the rest of the house).

I'm going to be getting the kitchen plastered very soon and will need to sort this cable out.

 

[pdcelec]

metal capping does not provide the mechanical protection that is required. Steel conduit is the puppy here

 

[slippyr4]

Earthed or not?

 

[andy]

Earthed or not?

capping isnt acceptable. it must be earthed steel conduit

 

[ban-all-sheds]

http://www.niceic.org.uk/downloads/C5-43.pdf

http://www.niceic.org.uk/downloads/concealedcables.pdf

 

[slippyr4]

Thanks chaps. Not sure how i'll get it round the corner under the lintel but i'm sure i'll work something out!!

What would you earth the conduit with? would the CPC from the (1.5mm) lighting cable be ok or will it need a separate conductor? It wouldn't be that big a deal to connect it to the CPC from the nearest socket, if that would be better.

Strikes me from a logical point of view that the CPC is good enough.

 

[has]

If you connect the conduit correctly to the back box ie;bush and coupler, then earth the box job done.

 

[arctic]

Would another way of getting round this problem be to surface mount a junction box on the wall? Thus covering the possibility of the cable running both horizontally and vertically from it. (so you put the junction box on the wall which then lets any future worker know that there may be a cable either vertically or horizontally from it.

Just an idea.

 

[pdcelec]

Theoretically I think that would comply but the aesthetics of having surface mounted jb's everywhere does not appeal to me. Maybe you could paint them all different colours as a modern art idea.

 

[Mr Winston]

- it's not within 150mm of the top or the bottom of a wall,

There is no zone at the bottom of the wall only in internal corners and at ceiling level @150mm from the junction

 

[BJS_Spark]

Use plastic capping. No earthing required on it and it is easier to cut!!

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Doesn't provide earthed mechanical protection though, which is what this topic is about...

 

[BJS_Spark]

I think you will find the title of the topic is 'Steel Capping'. I was referring to the benefit of plastic capping over steel capping in general, where it's use is appropriate.

 

[andy]

I think you will find the title of the topic is 'Steel Capping'. I was referring to the benefit of plastic capping over steel capping in general, where it's use is appropriate.

well why didnt you say that

 

[Mr Winston]

the clue to the subject of the post is in the OP's opening message - dunno what kind of forum it would be if we just read the title and answered without reading the body of the message