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This is something I've long been curious about. Given that twin brown is not as widely available as blue/brown T&E, and therefore likely to be more expensive, why do so many NI electricians use it rather than sleeve regular T&E?
It's available at every wholesaler in Northern Ireland, and generally no more expensive than T&E.
What isn't on the shelf at too many wholesalers here is 1.0mm T&E, pretty much everyone here uses 1.5mm T&E, even in those big bad new build housing developments
 
Similar to Australia... Here it’s called the MEN multiple earthed Neutral. IEC 60364 describes the MEN as a TNC-S system but each property has an earth stake. TPS cable also has a sheathed earth and the cores are stranded. There is also a cable called a Twin Active which is red and White. Essentially for strappers.
Interesting in the UK we call ours protective multiple earthing (PME) for TNCS but it's uncommon to have a consumer Earth rod at the property as-well.

is the earth cable of TPS the same Size/CSA ?

mods is it possible to split the thread into another thread something like Different wiring practices in your country?
 
This is something I've long been curious about. Given that twin brown is not as widely available as blue/brown T&E, and therefore likely to be more expensive, why do so many NI electricians use it rather than sleeve regular T&E?
No idea, really. But it would save time (as well as looking professional) as no sleeving effort needed and at some point that might justify the expense of having it in your van for jobs.
 
I only heard of it's use in Ireland but does look like you can buy in UK.

Still think T&E is better with sleeving, easier to id switch line etc

I don't know if anyone has any thoughts on T&E bare conductor - I like the idea of same size CSA for cpc but not the price increase - sleeving is a pain for cpc but I like the old theory of bare cpc that its safer if you bang a nail in or brake down of insulation etc it will come into contact quicker with cpc.
 
It's available at every wholesaler in Northern Ireland, and generally no more expensive than T&E.
What isn't on the shelf at too many wholesalers here is 1.0mm T&E, pretty much everyone here uses 1.5mm T&E, even in those big bad new build housing developments
It's the same price here.

That's good enough reason to not bother with sleeving blue cores :smiley:

The reason I asked was the link previously posted to Meteor showed that they offer 1.5 twin brown at almost 50% higher price than blue/brown T&E. Obviously that's only one wholesaler, but it raised the question of price in my mind - especially given how frugal we can be in NI.



On a slightly different note; the house I grew up in was wired in VIR, with lighting run in singles which all had red inner insulation. Was this usual or was VIR generally used with black insulation for neutrals?

That old VIR installation was a work of art. Sadly the same couldn't be said for later additions which were generally shambolic and, in some instances, downright dangerous :disappointed:
 
Vulcanised Indian Rubber... used when sparkies were pretty good chippies. Anyway back to your original question. TPS, The CPC is the same core size as the Live and Neutral.
 
Whats Vir?

I think 2 plate system must be more common in domestic wiring in Ireland? I say this because of the use of Twin Brown and Singles & Earth ?
Mostly 3 plate, although some have moved to 2 plate.

Twin brown & singles & Earth etc. works perfectly with a 3 plate installation.
 
I cant think where you would need a single with 3 plate? except the up/down hallway lighting?
Plenty of scenarios.

2-way lighting have a brown & Earth to the first switch from the permanent phase terminal; twin brown between switches (strappers), and then a single brown back to the luminaire from the 2nd switch to the switched phase terminal.

Or an outside light have a brown & Earth from the switch and a single blue from the luminaire, or a blue & Earth from the luminaire with a single brown from the switch if this is more efficient with cable.
 
The rest of the circuit is 3 plated.

And with the 2-ways it's still 3 plated.

Given the cost of 1.5 T&E and 3C&E, is the saving significant when using sheathed singles?

I'm interested in why lighting is often wired in this manner over here. It's not a criticism of our conventions, rather genuine curiosity.
 
How do we solve the long meter tail problem? plate - EletriciansForums.net

I assume you mean like pages 1 + 2?
Maybe someone can enlighten :lightbulb:me what does the word plate actually mean? I assume it's the number of wires?
 
I always took it to mean the number of line and neutral terminations, but that's probably wrong.

2 Plate = Switched line + Neutral
3 Plate = Line, Switched line + Neutral.


I'm becoming addicted to this forum, having gone from interested to avid in my absorbtion of information.
 

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