I am running a new ring main in a house I am renovating and have been told the tails from the mains sockets need to be 6 inches long. This seems a lot of cable to cram into the back box, can anybody tell me if this is a legal requirement please?
wiring tails
- Thread starter ukbigbloke
- Start date
This is so the spark has plenty of cable to play with when he comes to wire them?
If you cut them all in inch long in the backbox he'll not be happy. Best to have too much than not enough.
The guys that wired my house had at least a foot of cable at each point.
If you cut them all in inch long in the backbox he'll not be happy. Best to have too much than not enough.
The guys that wired my house had at least a foot of cable at each point.
What are your circuit design calculations?
Why are 'running' a ring final circuit?
What do you mean by tails????
Have you asked your Building Control Office - for their advice? They are normally very helpful after you have paid their fee.
There is no legal requirement regarding the lengths you are making off in the backbox, what you need to make sure of is that the cable will not be under stress inside the backbox, so not too long and not too short.
But 4-6 inches is about right.
Also make sure the PVC sheath(this is normally grey) of the cable also enters the backbox, no less than 10mm.
But 4-6 inches is about right.
Also make sure the PVC sheath(this is normally grey) of the cable also enters the backbox, no less than 10mm.
If you think about side entry for the cable, a box is what ?? 190mm odd width (I really can't be 4rsed to check), so a side entry cable to the futhest terminal on the socket face could be 100mm+ away, so 6" or 150mm is about right.
The extra allows some rip space to split the sheaf and strip the core wires.
Also given the cost of 6" of TE cable v re run if too short, and you will understand why it's makes sense to over supply at the terminal point.
I'll be interested to see the resolution of this disagreementI think you mean no more than 10mm
Maybe (since I think I'd agree) what both of you are saying is 'about 10mm'.Kind Regards, John.
I'm sure it's not a reg.
I have to say that, in the distant past, I used to leave far too much sheath on, until I eventually twigged that this was what was often causing me so much grief in cramming everything in!
Kind Regards, John.
It was expected/demanded at college. So I have always applied it - just like using a flylead to the socket backbox - but thats another story.
In practice as soon as you extend it any further especially when adding a spur - the back box starts to get a bit crowded.
No it is not a reg.
There's always the one about good workmanship...
Thanks to all for your advice, the main concern was that I was not in breach of any regulations.
Many thanks
Many thanks
I do
I'll be interested to see the resolution of this disagreement
Kind Regards, John.
yep about 10mm, no less no more
not in the regs, but it what they expect as far as compliance is concerned on a visual/initial.
What about all the other regulations you are quite possibly breaching?
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