Advice needed see pic

[ricksalford]

Hello,

I am doing up the pond in our garden.

I've attempted to replace the plug of the wiring that connects the pump/filter to our electrics. After opening the plug I found what is show on the pics.....

The earth wire was not even connected in the plug and if you see the pic you'll notice a gap in the red wire's sleeving.....

The previous owner used to leave this pump on 24/7....

Now do you guys think I can replace the plug and use this cable or is it shot....not sure how old the cable is.

Also you''ll notice that the pluge shows 3amp and somone replaced the fuse with a 13amp....

 

[RF Lighting]

That cable is FP200 which is fire resistant cable, and really is not designed for use like you appear to currently have.

I think you would best served to replace the cable with something more suitable.

 

[sparkydude]

That cable is not designed to go into a plug, that cable being red in colour is normally only used for fire alarm supplies . The inner insulation is brittle as it is silicone covered cores and this is the way it is made. How does the cable run from the housde to your pond? buried , clipped, in duct ? i suggestif the cable is to be used then you need to terminate that cable in a conduit box with the appropriate stuffing glands fitted then come out to your plug with a 3 core flex. The red cable is not really suitable for the purpose your previous owner has put it to , but as long as you have it terminated correctly and the mains is supplied via an RCD then you should be OK .

Nick

 

[ricksalford]

That cable is not designed to go into a plug, that cable being red in colour is normally only used for fire alarm supplies . The inner insulation is brittle as it is silicone covered cores and this is the way it is made. How does the cable run from the housde to your pond? buried , clipped, in duct ? i suggestif the cable is to be used then you need to terminate that cable in a conduit box with the appropriate stuffing glands fitted then come out to your plug with a 3 core flex. The red cable is not really suitable for the purpose your previous owner has put it to , but as long as you have it terminated correctly and the mains is supplied via an RCD then you should be OK .

Nick

there is a box outside on the wall. the wire that runs from this box is enclosed in conduit so cannot see what type it is.

I will investigate tomorrow and put more pics on.

What should it be replaced with?

 

[sparkydude]

It is not unsuitable as a supply its just the termination side of it that is the worry, it has an earthed outer sheath on it so it is similiar to armoured cable, but without the mechanical protection. If it is in conduit all the way then it is not a problem just need to alter the terminataions at the house end. WHat does it terminate into at the pond end? as this might need a bit of work too.

Nick

 

[SeanT]

Junction box -> flex -> plug if you want it easy

 

[ricksalford]

It is not unsuitable as a supply its just the termination side of it that is the worry, it has an earthed outer sheath on it so it is similiar to armoured cable, but without the mechanical protection. If it is in conduit all the way then it is not a problem just need to alter the terminataions at the house end. WHat does it terminate into at the pond end? as this might need a bit of work too.

Nick

terminates into another junction box which is connected to the pump wire.
Will open this box too and take pics.

 

[ricksalford]

hi,

as promised more pics of the pond arrangement.
Do you guys think i can keep this?
I think it looks a bit of a mess, not happy with the state of the junction boxes and shouldn't the connector be enclosed in a chock block?

The pond I am doing up (house just bought) used to have koi carps but i won't be keeping fish, only vegetation. I'd like to retain the waterfall so I should keep the pump (hazelok titan 5000).

Any advice on how to have a tidy wiring arrangement for this?
I'd be plugging it into an indoor socket on an RCD breaker plugged in the socket. The house sockets have RCD protection but I'd like to give it extra with a separate RCD in the socket.
Do you suggest I change the junction boxes and the cable?
Last night a few people on here suggested i get rid of the red wire. This wire runs from the first junction box to the indoor socket as shown by previous pics.

First junction box connecting indoor red cable to black cable.

Second junction box connecting black cable to pump wire:

The filter

[/img]

Another view of arrangement

 

[333rocky333]

The wires are joined with thro crimps if done properly they are better than connecter blocks.
They look like they have been crimped with a proper ratchet crimper also.
Although over crimped and possibly wrong size crimps

 

[ricksalford]

The wires are joined with thro crimps if done properly they are better than connecter blocks.
They look like they have been crimped with a proper ratchet crimper also.
Although over crimped and possibly wrong size crimps

what do you think of the black cable running between junction boxes

 

[333rocky333]

Is that the red yellow blue cored cable.

That is swa (armoured) that is the correct stuff, that is what you need to
replace the red cable.
When it was installed It should have been colour sleeved for the earth and the blue should have been sleeved (black) neutral really.

It is old colour cable , but as it is installed already you just need to resleeve it to the new colours (brown live) and earth .blue for neutral ok
They should be terminated so the armoured is earthed also.

 

[ricksalford]

Thanks.

Can you advice what cable I should use to replace the red one.
This will have to go through a cavity wall and under a carpet. It will be plugged into a socket.

 

[streetlighter]

It would be better to install a 13 amp fused spur than use a plug and socket arrangement. Also is the socket outlet protected by a 30mA RCD?

With the spur you could run 2.5mm twin and cpc cable in the house to the enclosure on the house wall.

 

[ricksalford]

It would be better to install a 13 amp fused spur than use a plug and socket arrangement. Also is the socket outlet protected by a 30mA RCD?

With the spur you could run 2.5mm twin and cpc cable in the house to the enclosure on the house wall.

can i connect he 2.5mm T&E to a 13 AMP plug?

The sockets are protected by 30mA RCD.

 

[333rocky333]

Twin and earth is not suitable to wire to a plugtop