SWA submain into plastic consumer unit?

[BillyH]

What options do i have for terminating a 16mm 3 core swa into a plastic consumer unit?

 

[telectrix]

are you using the 3rd core as cpc? if so, then the armour only needs earthing at the supply end.

 

[malcolmsanford]

In the context of mechanical or earthing ?

 

[timo1]

I would take it into a metal adaptable box just before the CU and then from that to the CU in T+E.

 

[Jay Sparks]

Hi,

You could terminate the swa into a seperate box that you would mount near the cu, then in the box, you would conect it to t&e via choc bloc, terminals etc. Then the t&e would go to the cu.

Cheers

Jay

 

[BillyH]

In the context of mechanical or earthing ?

Looking at the mechanical aspect rather than earthing. Using a seperate enclosure for termination is not possible due to the location of the c/u. I am using the 3rd core as cpc

 

[Octopus]

How about running T&E from the CU, to "outside" where you could use a Wiska box to do the connections?

 

[BillyH]

are you using the 3rd core as cpc? if so, then the armour only needs earthing at the supply end.

So i would'nt need to use a gland. I could just expose the conductors and connect as per mains tails

 

[johnboy6083]

just glandf the SWA into the CU, and then use a banjo, bent at 90deg to allow lug to be attched inside of the CU. This will reduce your Zs, and will take an extra few seconds. its not good practice to introduce joins in a cable, where there will be no need. As for not using a gland, this is also bad practice, unless the accessory is designed for the purpose, eg, some street lights.

 

[telectrix]

agree^^^ best not to introduce joints if not necessary. but deffo use a gland. make sure SWA is well supported close to the CU so as not to put a strain on the box around the gland.

 

[malcolmsanford]

So i would'nt need to use a gland. I could just expose the conductors and connect as per mains tails

:nono::nono:

 

[BillyH]

The cable will be installed in stud wall at 1st fix stage so would only be able to enter consumer unit through the back

 

[Des 56]

Try and fit a conduit box to the consumer unit,it can be fixed securely reducing strain on the cons unit and allow the termination of the Swa to be done

 

[johnboy6083]

Try and fit a conduit box to the consumer unit,it can be fixed securely reducing strain on the cons unit and allow the termination of the Swa to be done

that is a good idea by des, and you can still use a banjo if you wish on the bush on the inside of thje CU. If it was a smaller cable, you could use the 4mm lug hole in the back of the box

 

[Engineer54]

Personally i would never convert a SWA cable to T&E in an adaptable box in this circumstance. If you mount the metal adaptable box directly under the CU enclosure connected via plastic or metal coupling or other, you can then make your SWA termination off with a banjo or earthing nut to the box and take your conductors straight through to the CU, ....Sorted!!


As stated above, introducing unnecessary joints is never a good idea, especially when talking about the larger sized of domestic cables.

I've never seen street lighting with a means of earthing SWA cables without making use of a gland, and can't picture them either. you can't clamp them, without putting undue stress on the internal conductors. If anyone has a link to these accessories, i'd be interested to have a look at them.... Some of the worst corrosion i've seen on SWA cables have been at street lighting positions...

 

[Engineer54]

Nothing stopping you from connecting the SWA cable off directly to the plastic CU enclosure using banjo's or earthing nut's either. So long as the cable is fully supported by correctly sized cable cleats....

 

[johnboy6083]

Personally i would never convert a SWA cable to T&E in an adaptable box in this circumstance. If you mount the metal adaptable box directly under the CU enclosure connected via plastic or metal coupling or other, you can then make your SWA termination off with a banjo or earthing nut to the box and take your conductors straight through to the CU, ....Sorted!!


As stated above, introducing unnecessary joints is never a good idea, especially when talking about the larger sized of domestic cables.

I've never seen street lighting with a means of earthing SWA cables without making use of a gland, and can't picture them either. you can't clamp them, without putting undue stress on the internal conductors. If anyone has a link to these accessories, i'd be interested to have a look at them.... Some of the worst corrosion i've seen on SWA cables have been at street lighting positions...

http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rc...peWdCQ&usg=AFQjCNHl3HQiAKlC_wWmKpiQT7tFuxDr6A

some of the cutouts( try the link above), come with a cone attached, and you then use a jubilee clip to terminate the armour. Ive not used them, but been on jobs where they have been used. I dont like them either, but i also hate the indoor type glands, and use CW or E1W all of the time.

 

[lamb]

E54, they are called CET glands and the SWA gets clamped up with built in jubilee clips. Have used them on pedestal boxes, feeder pillars etc and also lighting columns.

 

[lamb]

Please follow link
Earthing & Accessories

 

[jase]

billyhas, you say the SWA will be in a partition wall at first fix, will the CU be mounted surface on the board afterwards, or will it be a flush fit?

 

[Engineer54]

http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rc...peWdCQ&usg=AFQjCNHl3HQiAKlC_wWmKpiQT7tFuxDr6A

some of the cutouts( try the link above), come with a cone attached, and you then use a jubilee clip to terminate the armour. Ive not used them, but been on jobs where they have been used. I dont like them either, but i also hate the indoor type glands, and use CW or E1W all of the time.

Thanks johnboy, Yes i can understand what your talking about now!! lol! Think i would use a length of heatshrink, over a termination such as this. Don't think a normal shroud would suffice in conditions such as street lighting poles, which always tend to be damp in my experience...

 

[BillyH]

billyhas, you say the SWA will be in a partition wall at first fix, will the CU be mounted surface on the board afterwards, or will it be a flush fit?

Surface mounted

 

[Amp David]

I would take it into a metal adaptable box just before the CU and then from that to the CU in T+E.

Or terminate into said metal box and take the cores through into the CU, rather than having to join.

 

[Engineer54]

Surface mounted

Then you can't make a joint in an adaptable box that is not accessable!!!

 

[BillyH]

Then you can't make a joint in an adaptable box that is not accessable!!!

I never intended to join the cable. I just need to terminate through the back of a plastic consumer unit

 

[Engineer54]

I never intended to join the cable. I just need to terminate through the back of a plastic consumer unit

Good to hear Billy, ..unnecessary joints are bad news at the best of times... I think you have more than enough acceptable alternatives now, on the best ways of how to terminate a SWA cable into your CU, so go get-um...lol!!

 

[Octopus]

If you are planning to terminate through the back of the CU, I hope the stud wall is "thick" otherwise you'll have a devil of a job putting the correct radius/bend on the SWA even before you allow for the gland etc.

 

[jase]

terminate into metal adaptable box, fixed flush into the stud wall with noginns top and bottom, leave the lid off and put the plasterboard on with the cables of your SWA coming through where you want, then you can surface mount the CU using the noggins top and bottom of the A/B as fixing points. simples

 

[telectrix]

terminate into metal adaptable box, fixed flush into the stud wall with noginns top and bottom, leave the lid off and put the plasterboard on with the cables of your SWA coming through where you want, then you can surface mount the CU using the noggins top and bottom of the A/B as fixing points. simples

sounds like a PLAN. funny how it's only in post #25 that we find out he wants to come into the BACK of the CU!

 

[BillyH]

sounds like a PLAN. funny how it's only in post #25 that we find out he wants to come into the BACK of the CU!

I apologise if there was any confusion but surely post #12 gave the info you thought was omitted until post #25.Please keep up

 

[telectrix]

OK, got me there. i must have missed that 2 liner while scrolling through the posts. then jase seems to have the easiest solution.

 

[BillyH]

terminate into metal adaptable box, fixed flush into the stud wall with noginns top and bottom, leave the lid off and put the plasterboard on with the cables of your SWA coming through where you want, then you can surface mount the CU using the noggins top and bottom of the A/B as fixing points. simples

Cheers jase,should've thought of this myself