Wiring Methods

[FledglingApprentice]

Hi all, if I could just tap into your experience it would be great!

In your experience what are the pros and cons of wiring a house in twin and earth clipped and drilled through joists, and alternatively installing a conduit system?

I' don't want you to do it fot me, I just want to see what I've missed as I'm sure most of you will know all sorts of hints and tips to make life easier or financially rewarding!


Heres what I've thought of:

T and E

cheaper than conduit system and quicker to install

however drilling holes may weaken the buildings structure and also presents a risk to someone screwing or nailing something into the wall when eg. trying to hang a picture

Conduit

In theory should make a future rewire a LOT quicker and less messy. provides better protection to cables, essential to use on solid brick walls in houses, Also provides option of using single wires rather than T&E(?????)

However, more costly and time consuming, may not be necessary, if using metal conduit it wil also need to b earthed. Could make later modifications (ie adding socket to a ring) more difficult.

Im sure I've missed some points so can anyone give me some input?

Cheers

 

[breezer]

steel conuit does not to be separetly earthed since it gets its earth from its supply, (cu) but thats a bit hard with a plastic cu.

as you have said its mostly down to cost

you quote house rewire in T & E

i quote same house in steel conduit,

who do you think will get the job?

most people (look at this forum) want the job done as cheap as possible, rewiring times are not theirproblem so why should they care how easy it is next time

 

[FledglingApprentice]

Cheers breezer,

its a question in a project at college,

in my limited experience we have only used conduit (PVC) for protecting cable in raggled solid walls, and running stair lighting systems in bloocks of flats

but nonetheless I still have to make an attempt at answering the question!

 

[JohnD]

In a house?

Clipped direct or in conduit - do you mean surface-mounted conduit? In the living areas?

Most householders would be very resistant to either of these methods, except in a garage or loft, as they are so unsightly.

In a garage, where a surface mount is acceptable, conduit would give some impact resistance.

in lofts, people like to trample on cables, a metal conduit would give protection, and a clip-to-side would mean the cables were buried in insulation so would need recalculating and might increase the materials cost.

If you mean conduits in walls, they do have the advantage of giving an earthed barrier to drills and nails (if steel), and notionally make it easier to replace or draw in additional cores, but this is rarely done in a house.

labour and materials costs are going to be lower for clipped.

Neat conduit work needs skill and preferably bending equipment.