Cabling underneath Static caravan

[ericmark]

hawk glands are OK with reversible rings but the proper glands for the job are a real pain in the neck and I would use standard stuffing glands. If you push braid back you can enlarge a hole and push inner through hole then pull braid and it reduces again making it OK to go into earth terminal a bit of messing and not easy but easier than using correct glands. Any way if you use three core the steel needs only a few strands to earth only really for rodent attack.
Eric

 

[Lectrician]

What is a caravan? Of interest only not trying to have a go at Lectrician as it did make me go and research what a caravan is and I have make some mistakes:-
A trailer leisure accommodation vehicle, used for touring, designed to meet the requirements for the construction and use of road vehicles.
Not for habitation purposes.
To be for habitation it must have an adequate piped supply of wholesome water a suitably located water closet for the exclusive use of the occupants for the exclusive use of the occupants (if any), a suitably located fixed bath or shower and a wash hand basin each of which is provided with a satisfactory supply of hot and cold water and it has an effective system for the draining of foul water and surface water. This was taken from Portsmouth City Council web site but I would suspect the same definition would apply nation wide.
So a touring caravan is not for habitation unless water and drains are connected.
MOBILE OR TRANSPORTABLE UNITS however do have some common rules with caravans so also one must look at Section 717 and the Mobile Home it seems would come under that section. So 717.52.1 Flexible cables (for connecting the unit to the supply) in accordance with H07RN-F (BS 7919), or cables of equivalent design, having a minimum cross-sectional area of 2.5 mm² copper shall be used. The flexible cable shall enter the unit by an insulating inlet in such a way as to minimize the possibility of any insulation damage or fault which might energize the exposed-conductive-parts of the unit. Will apply and guess what that is even more restrictive than the one for caravans.
I realise 521.9.3 A flexible cable or flexible cord shall be used for fixed wiring only where the relevant provisions of the Regulations are met. But as yet I have not worked out what the relevant provisions are may be you would like to enlighten me.
The BS 7671:2008 regulations are complex and I would not profess to know them all so in the main look at what would make sense and any portable building will flex and so wiring it in cable that will also flex makes sense.
I have made mistakes and I will admit it when I have but here I think I was right to advise on flex although if you can quote any regulation which says otherwise I will take notice.
Eric

There is no regulation that says "you must wire a static van in twin and earth", but similarly, there is no regulation that says "you must wire it in flex".

There is a section for caravans which you should very simply ignore when working in a static van.

All new static vans and 'mobile' homes that come to sites are all wired in either T+E or FP200 - I have fitted supplies to hundreds of vans, many during the last winter shutdown on caravan parks.

When dealing with the regs, always use the regs difinitions section, and don't go looking for other definitions of 'caravan' and 'leisure accomodation vehicle'. That will only confuse

 

[Lectrician]

If I was doing any wiring to a true CARAVAN, a towed one with rear light clusters etc, I would of course be using flex or similar.

I would still not see the point is using arctic flex though. This is designed to remain highly flexible when cold, certainly not required for this type of install.

Arctic flex is designed to stay flexible and not crach when used on construction sites and similar during the cold winter months