Control panel regulations?

[Alistair]

Hi,

Are there any regulations dedicated to the build of machine control panels?
Obviously you follow BS7671 as regards cable selection etc but what about cable colours and identification.

Also are there any regulations covering PLCs?

 

[johnnyb]

Any low voltage circuits usually are wired in white cable as to easly identify that fact, (mains rated).

 

[Alistair]

My previous company wired all three phase black, 24v dc blue and 24v ac red. I was lead to belive that as long as the circuits are correctly identified there isn't an issue?

 

[desertbootz]

As far as I know there are standards but not regulations. Standards usually apply to multi core rather than singles used to loom. Proper ID is the key and in particular with regard to AC and DC as mentioned above.

 

[maddfridge]

Hi,

Are there any regulations dedicated to the build of machine control panels?
Obviously you follow BS7671 as regards cable selection etc but what about cable colours and identification.

Also are there any regulations covering PLCs?

hi there

what lucky people you all are nice colors and low voltage

You want to try some luverley old gas boilers big stufffy all wired in lovely black cables with no numbers glorious old black pyros everywhere

drawings were on the back of a smoke packet but all these got lost after the smoking ban

seriously many differnet panel manufactures keep to there own standard of control panel and the field wiring becomes a night mare.

what i am getting at is that panels come under the wiring regs gas regs fire alrm regs building regs and ever other reg you may not of heard of ie kitchen extract fans linked acroos loads of loverley safety systems.


in practice the regs are there but various panels wired in by many sparks break other regs without their knowledge

the classic is where heating plant is not connected to a fire alarm so the gas valve drops out etc. there are many more as we all know

cheers all

 

[silva.foxx]

Hi 1st post virgin... I'll break myself in.

Are there any regulations dedicated to the build of machine control panels?
Obviously you follow BS7671 as regards cable selection etc but what about cable colours and identification.

Also are there any regulations covering PLCs?

I believe machine control panels are covered by BS EN 60204.

Explaining the changes in the 2006 version of BS EN 60204-1 may provide a little info.

silva.foxx

 

[Andy Smith]

Not sure of regs but previous company used the following

Black 3 ph (415v)
Brown 240 vac
Light blue neutral
White 42vac
Dark blue 24vdc
Red 24vac
Orange safety circuit E-stop ect normally 24vdc as well

 

[Notsosmart]

See also BS EN 60439 ~ Low voltage switchgear & control assemblies (Tried to attach it but the zipped file is too large ~ sorry)

With regard wiring colours we as a company do use the harmonised colours Ie;
3 Phase:- Black, Brown, Grey ~ & subsequent single phase circuits adhering to their 'mother' phase.
Neutral:- Light Blue
Earth:- Green & yellow
0v Reference Earth (12/24vdc):- Either Blue Sleeved at ends with Green & Yellow 0r Visa versa.

All other wires can be subject to the customers specifications unless we feel they will be detremental to regulations ie; solid green coloured cable.

White in our case is generally used for external signals (4-20mA, no volt contacts etc), Yellow is for tie-ins with other control panels on site.

As stated by others in this thread; All wires in the control panel will have core numbers (utilising ident sleeves) as well as all components having unique Identifier labels.

All site multicore cables connecting into the control cab should also have core ident numbers.