Just a wee take on wiring power circuits and alarm circuits in a garage

[pirate]

I thought I would take a few minutes to give my recent experience in wiring a large garage for power and an alarm circuit. This relates to clipped direct for all cables, using Linian clips.
A laser round the garage, drilling the 6mm holes. clipping the 2.5mm to the brickwork all went very well, and was quick. I've used these Linian clips quite a lot and I am a convert.
Today my pal was installing his alarm circuits, comprising , from the control box, a 6 core and 2 x 4 cores to one side, a 6 core and a 4 core to the other side, and on each side a 4 core alone to the sensors at the roller doors. The 2.5mm clips (actually the same size as the 1.5mm clips) coped fine with a 6 and 2 4s. The 1mm clips took a 6 and a 4 core, and the relatively new nano clips happily took the single runs of a 4 core cable. The nano clips suggest a drill bit of 3mm, but in the very hard brick we found that a 4mm was perfect, the 3mm being just too tight, although it may be ok in softer materials.
Not the most exciting story ever, but maybe it might assist some who are keen to have a single solution to supporting cables against premature collapse in case of fire.

 

[loz2754]

I too love the Linian clips invented by Lin and Ian, who I met at Coventry Elex.

 

[nicebutdim]

Used them for the first time recently on an external Hi-tuff as I didn't want cleats on display. Very impressed with them, although the coating could be better as hammer chipped it on a few.

Only gripe is price, but I'd still complain if they were the same price as cleats

 

[pirate]

I use the bigger ones for supporting 20mm plastic conduit, and they are so much neater than saddles...plus SWA is easily clipped without plugging and cleats.

 

[pirate]

I use a rubber mallet to prevent chipping of the finish, and it works pretty well. I costed the garage job using P-clips with supplementary metal ones...a fiver in it, so not really a financial disaster, especially as it was much faster using the Linian clips.

 

[pirate]

Also, the brick is so hard that driving a plastic clip with a nail in it really isn't an option.
If I was Nick Bundy I'd be getting paid for this thread! LOL!

 

[SparkySy]

They really are excellent and definitely save time installing. I've never used them for alarm and data cable though so good shout!
I use a soft face mallet with replaceable faces for bashing them in, saves chipping the coating.
Sy

 

[pirate]

It's an odd thing, but when looking for a fire-proof solution I can't really see any point in using other clips types, even where fire isn't an issue. You just carry a selection and use them everywhere. The garage in question has 5 doors, so protecting each escape route is important, so it doesn't make sense to mix types when one type does it all. I'd probably use p-clips for coax in an attic, but then I have a million of them to use up!

 

[pc1966]

I saw them recently at the CEF 18th event in Dundee. I hardly need to fix stuff to bricks, etc, so not been looking but agree they look really neat and tick the boxes for cable-collapse regs nicely. Somewhere I have a Thor copper/hide mallet which would do to avoid chipping paint I guess.

Also remember to have some pincers if you need to get them out, the traditional carpentry style. This sort of thing:

99 00 250 | Knipex 250 mm Concrete Nippers Concreters' Nippers for Soft Steel Wire; Medium Wire; Hard Steel Wire; Steel Wire | RS

uk.rs-online.com

 

[littlespark]

Somewhere I have a Thor copper/hide mallet

I’m sure it’s got a name….. Mil…. Mjil…. Mealnor?? Something like that

 

[Vortigern]

Wow, I just learnt something new! I have looked at those clips at the wholesalers and wondered whatever do you do with them. Now I know, yaaay! Looks very good.

 

[loz2754]

I’m sure it’s got a name….. Mil…. Mjil…. Mealnor?? Something like that

Mjolnir

 

[Spoon]

I just had to Google what everyone was talking about. They look like really nice clips.

 

[DPG]

I just had to Google what everyone was talking about. They look like really nice clips.

I think we've broken their website

 

[pirate]

Yup, it's still down...success comes at a price!

 

[timhoward]

I agree, I first used them getting FP200 into a basement and couldn’t believe how quick they were. The double ones keep things very neat. Since then I keep a bag of them in stock.
As above a pair of pincers saves the fingers a bit and I just used a bit of bike inner tube stretched over the hammer.
D-line adjustable clips for round cables are another great product, so much neater than SWA cleats.
Has anyone tried the D-Line stag clips?

 

[pirate]

I've not tried the D-line ones, but for SWA the Linian clips give a very neat appearance.

 

[SparkySy]

Ah the D-Line clips are great too, I use them a lot with 20mm plastic conduit, with the plugless screws they are very quick to install and more importantly in my line of work (agricultural) no silly saddle screws to drop in the sh it never to be seen again!

 

[pirate]

I'm going to try those D-Line clips! They look very easy, and, indeed, no stupid little saddle-screws to drop and lose forever!
Clearly, they can be undone without a tool, so maybe not so secure, but in a low-risk environment that may be a bonus.
I sometimes use all-round band too, which is cheap and quick, but not so pretty!

 

[davesparks]

I costed the garage job using P-clips with supplementary metal ones...a fiver in it, so not really a financial disaster, especially as it was much faster using the Linian clips.

There's no need for supplementary metal clips when using P clips, they are made of copper under the plastic coating.

 

[pirate]

Thanks @davesparks but I know you know what I meant...so, it was wrong of me to use the wrong nomenclature, but hey...I am not perfect.
I meant the usual plastic, nail -in clips, not "P" clips...I think everyone knew that?

Good to see you back here though

 

[Dartlec]

Also, the brick is so hard that driving a plastic clip with a nail in it really isn't an option.
If I was Nick Bundy I'd be getting paid for this thread! LOL!

Doesn't solve the premature collapse issue, but cable clip nail plugs are a thing and they make normal plastic clips an option in walls where normally they aren't...

I'm building a collection of various fire rated clips, but its annoying that they often only sell them in 100 packs, whereas I likely only need 20 of each type for smaller jobs....