Have the rules for ring mains changed over the years?

[rewireIT]

I'm curious now. Slate slate or tiles slate?

Decent demo

Slates are fixed in 4 places.

 

[nicebutdim]

More room in the CU to work,

We have spacious boards, although not historically common in domestic installations as we don't generally require so much room for protective devices.

double pole breakers

Very common here and usually require half as much real estate in domestic boards.

no dreadful flat profile cable

Of no relevance to the subject. Sheath only needs to enter the board and it is generally the case that only individual conductors are brought forward.

more appliances on separate circuits giving better selectivity

No reason that wouldn't be the case in the UK. The difference being we have more choice where circuit design is concerned.

main switch provided on incoming head as standard

DNO equipment is of no relevance when comparing the niceties of French CUs.

pre-sleeved earth wires

We can have those too. Again a matter of us having more choices available in circuit design.

pre-wired conduit

Not sure how that's a benefit, unless cable type and size is limited. Seems like a nightmare for wholesalers, unless this convenience is limited to specific circumstances. Imagine how much more storage would be required if all cable arrived in its own containment. Is only one type of conduit available or does all of the above have to be stocked in multiple conduit sizes?

better selection of fittings (especially for lights),

Can you elaborate or is this a purely subjective opinion.

better light switch rocker size

Perhaps you haven't seen the choices available in the UK?

no ring final's

Better or nicer how?

better looking plugs

Very important. Who cares about safety or convenience?

variable supply (bringing it down brings standing charge down)

This makes for prettier CUs?

colour coded cable so you can see on sight what size it is....

Seems reasonable, but how do you determine type of colour indicates size.

Experience tells most people what size of cable they're dealing with. Perhaps your opinion may change as experience is gained.

Just obviously better than the horror show here in the UK.

That settles it.

Wait until you see how they slate roofs. Although i'm sure someone will try to say pinning with nails like we do is best.

Can you do plumbing again? It's been a while.

I'm astounded that you've deviated so far from the thread subject. Didn't you admonish someone for the same offence yesterday?

 

[Pretty Mouth]

Decent demo

Slates are fixed in 4 places.

Very cool. Do they have to pin the verge slates, or will the clips hold them in place too?

 

[mainline]

Very cool. Do they have to pin the verge slates, or will the clips hold them in place too?

It won't last like Welsh slate boyo

 

[davesparks]

Decent demo

Slates are fixed in 4 places.

OK, looks like a good system, not sure it's any better or worse than what we do.

I'm sure differing weather and enviromental requirements have led to the development of that system. Much how a roof in Scotland would be done different to one in England

 

[rewireIT]

Very cool. Do they have to pin the verge slates, or will the clips hold them in place too?

Dunno if you can choose to but i've seen it done without.

 

[davesparks]

Seems reasonable, but how do you determine type of colour indicates size.

This is done in the USA, their Romex cable which is the equivalent of our T&E has different coloured sheaths to denote the common sizes used. I believe there is white, red, yellow and black.

 

[nicebutdim]

This is done in the USA, their Romex cable which is the equivalent of our T&E has different coloured sheaths to denote the common sizes used. I believe there is white, red, yellow and black.

I guessed this likely applied only to a specific type of cable, but difficult to ascertain when the anti- UK electrical opinions were so light on detail.

 

[rewireIT]

Experience tells most people what size of cable they're dealing with. Perhaps your opinion may change as experience is gained.

As an apprentice you probably don't know that you're not always up close with cable, enough to determine size.

The actual electricians on here probably know that.

 

[nicebutdim]

As an apprentice you probably don't know that you're not always up close with cable, enough to determine size.

The actual electricians on here probably know that.

Are you now disputing your own point?

 

[nicebutdim]

A few weeks back I fitted a domestic CU.

24 outgoing circuits in a 40 module board, with 35 usable ways after isolators & SPD.

Each outgoing circuit was afforded its own SP+N RCBO.

Loads of room to work and space available for future expansion to the tune of 11 more circuits (a few of which will be put to use in the next few months).

Perhaps I'm thick, being an apprentice and all, but could someone explain what would have been improved by taking cues from French conventions?

 

[timhoward]

I wouldn't be adding more circuits to a re wireable Cu.

Nor would I. The word "replacement" was rather key! I must be sinking to new depths of literary regression as it's taken me three posts to convey the idea that you have a small space, and only a small new cu will fit in it, and small new CU's can't have as many circuits.
But we've moved onto important stuff now, like onions, and soup. Maybe wine, garlick, and tiramisu are forthcoming. Oops I crossed the border.

There are benefits to using a Ring final, there are also benefits using a horse and cart compared to a van.

Well onions grow better after you've used a horse and cart.

As an apprentice you probably don't know that you're not always up close with cable, enough to determine size.

The actual electricians on here probably know that.

I'm getting a bit sick of multiple attempts by multiple people to steer this back to a reasonable debate and lighten the mood being undermined by you resorting to being offensive. Have an onion and chill out.

 

[davesparks]

As an apprentice you probably don't know that you're not always up close with cable, enough to determine size.

How often does this situation occur? And of those times how often does it occur with a sheathed cable where you can see the sheath?

The only times I really have any issue with identifying cable size is those sizes I don't often use or types of cable I don't often use.

The actual electricians on here probably know that.

Ah, that must be the problem, I'm not an actual electrician.

 

[littlespark]

Did someone say garlic bread?
Garlic?? Bread!

“It’s the future!!”

 

[davesparks]

I actually had a situation this afternoon where I was trying to identify the size of an existing cable and I wasn't sure about it.
It was either 185mm or 240mm singles, but I don't work with sizes often (if I do I prefer tri-rate for obvious reasons) and also being quite old the insulation can be a bit thicker and confuse things.

I've solved it by adding both sizes of lug to the parts order so that I'm covered either way.

Maybe if someone had painted the trunking according to a universal colour code it would have been better?

 

[littlespark]

I actually had a situation this afternoon where I was trying to identify the size of an existing cable and I wasn't sure about it.
It was either 185mm or 240mm singles, but I don't work with sizes often (if I do I prefer tri-rate for obvious reasons) and also being quite old the insulation can be a bit thicker and confuse things.

I've solved it by adding both sizes of lug to the parts order so that I'm covered either way.

Maybe if someone had painted the trunking according to a universal colour code it would have been better?

Measure distance across…. Half it, square it, multiply by pi….

Mmmmmm pie…..


Cable that size… is it not written on the insulation somewhere?

 

[nicebutdim]

I actually had a situation this afternoon where I was trying to identify the size of an existing cable and I wasn't sure about it.
It was either 185mm or 240mm singles, but I don't work with sizes often (if I do I prefer tri-rate for obvious reasons) and also being quite old the insulation can be a bit thicker and confuse things.

I've solved it by adding both sizes of lug to the parts order so that I'm covered either way.

Maybe if someone had painted the trunking according to a universal colour code it would have been better?

I'm quite prepared to stand corrected, but don't believe French cable of that size would have been any easier to identify.

Those sizes of singles confuse me as I'm more familiar with them as shaped conductors in multi core cable.

 

[westward10]

I think trades should be identified by hair colour, blue for electricians

 

[westward10]

I'm quite prepared to stand corrected, but don't believe French cable of that size would have been any easier to identify.

Those sizes of singles confuse me as I'm more familiar with them as shaped conductors in multi core cable.

Shaped conductors are known as sectoral.

 

[nicebutdim]

Shaped conductors are known as sectoral.

Searched my memory for that term and failed. Figured 'shaped' would get the point across

 

[davesparks]

I think trades should be identified by hair colour, blue for electricians

At least I've managed to get that bit right!

 

[davesparks]

Cable that size… is it not written on the insulation somewhere?

Possibly, but there is only a very short bit visible until I can actually do the shutdown.

 

[westward10]

Looks bluer than previously Dave.

 

[nicebutdim]

At least I've managed to get that bit right!

View attachment 109564

AWG40 if I remember colour codes correctly?

 

[7029 dave]

Overseas electrical installation methods, materials, accessories, regulations etc have no relevance here in the UK, so dont understand why the heated debate.
I suggest go and work over in France or other parts of Europe if our system is so bad and a horror show.