Are we obsessed by length and girth? (of cables)

[mildmanneredjanitor]

Hi,

Just a few things that I'm a little curious about, with regards cable size, ring radial etc...

One job that I have done in the past was to install a dedicated ring main running through the bilge of a boat so the owner could fit frost heaters to prevent freezing during the winter months. So I ran 1.5 mm flex (flex is normally used on boats for ring circuits b4 u say anything) from a spare connector on the (switched) bus to each socket and back again. Pukka.

Now the thing is, there seems to be little consistency with boat wiring as from the bus a single 1.5mm wire then goes to a MCB on the user electrical panel and 1.5mm back to a distribution board? (As per all the other circuits)

Also, all these large cable sizes throughout the boat and then connected to shorepower through - Yep 20 metres of 1.5mm flex with an inline electric meter.

2 x 1.25Kw Calorifier, microwave, washing machine, barbeque plus bits and bobs. (OK, unlikely to be ALL on at same time but all adds up)

My point is (yes there is a point!), how much current can a single cable/flex carry ACTUALLY? And is the limit of one spur off of a ring circuit really overkill?

When a customer asks for an additional socket to be fitted, spurred from an existing socket and that socket turns out to be a spur itself. Do you then insist on tearing the house up in order to create a complete ring circuit? Tricky aint it. Damned if you do, damned if you don't. Then again, I've never seen a poverty stricken sparky!

Look forward to your comments.

TA TA

A very bored insomniac!

 

[LifesABitchAndThenYouFry]

"When a customer asks for an additional socket to be fitted, spurred from an existing socket and that socket turns out to be a spur itself. Do you then insist on tearing the house up in order to create a complete ring circuit?"

No - use a fused connection unit to protect the spur radial. These rules are there to stop cables bursting into flames and are based on the laws of physics - don't ignore them!

"Tricky aint it. Damned if you do, damned if you don't. Then again, I've never seen a poverty stricken sparky!"

Better to be dammed by a customer or lose the job than be dammed in court after someone has lost their life cause you ignored the regs - no?

 

[il78]

I've never seen a poverty stricken sparky

I'm Here.....I'm Here

 

[securespark]

Moi, aussi, mon ami!!