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littlespark

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Had a call from a local caravan site… under new ownership, and creating some new pitches.
Went to site to have a chat, the guy already knew I’ve had experience around caravans.

He mentioned connecting up new units, general repairs, whatever… and he said they used “armoured” cable. 32A supply into a Rolec box
Didn’t think about it… until I was driving away.
I noticed at the back of one of the new sites they’re developing there’s the Rolec box, with a 32A IP44 blue socket on the side.

So does that mean they’re terminating an armoured cable into a blue plug? (EN 60309)

They don’t come with a threaded plate for SWA
glands do they?
Maybe whoever’s done this company’s hook ups in the past has used SWA and cut the armour off.

I think I’ll be using hituff when it comes to it.
 
I don’t know that yet…. It’s just the cable from the Rolec to the caravan I was querying.

I’ll get the info from him in due course…. But I don’t know if it was common practice, right or wrong, to use armoured cable onto a plug.

On the site I was on, I used 2.5mm blue artic flex, on a 16A plug…. The previous spark had only used 1.5.
 
On the site I was on, I used 2.5mm blue artic flex, on a 16A plug…. The previous spark had only used 1.5.

Whats wrong with 1.5mm for 16A?

I wouldnt use arctic flex, you'd be better off with H07-RNF, it's a lot tougher and more suited to being outside.

Arctic flex, despite the name, is not great outdoors, especially not for long periods. In the events industry it is very much frowned upon, I hesitate to use the word 'banned' but it is as near as dammit.
 
Whats wrong with 1.5mm for 16A?

I wouldnt use arctic flex, you'd be better off with H07-RNF, it's a lot tougher and more suited to being outside.

Arctic flex, despite the name, is not great outdoors, especially not for long periods. In the events industry it is very much frowned upon, I hesitate to use the word 'banned' but it is as near as dammit.
HO7RNF would be the best cable as stated. Unless I'm reading this wrong thr minimum is 2.5mm (32A) however it doesn't seem to explicitly say no to 1.5mm (for 16A).

One for our static caravan experts Screenshot_20230330_103812_Drive - EletriciansForums.netOne for our static caravan experts Screenshot_20230330_103522_Drive - EletriciansForums.net
 
Well, it’s a void point now because that was on the old site we owned. (Artic flex)

The current question is the use of armoured into a 32A plug. Shouldn’t be done, but is it likely to come across it. If so, I’m going have to tell this fella that what’s been done before is all wrong.

(Possibly. Like I said, I’m going to have to check it all out first)
 
The current question is the use of armoured into a 32A plug. Shouldn’t be done, but is it likely to come across it. If so, I’m going have to tell this fella that what’s been done before is all wrong.

No it shouldn't be done, plugs and trailing sockets are generally designed and intended for use with flexible cables.

But yes, you do see other types of cable put into them. I've seen a lot of armoured bodged into trailing sockets to connect portacabins on construction sites.

I get what you mean about telling a customer that what has been done before, or what they are expecting is wrong.
When I'm faced with the 'on our other site the other guy did XYZ' I try not to comment on that too much. I will try to explain that I prefer to work a different way and why,
 
Whats wrong with 1.5mm for 16A?

I wouldnt use arctic flex, you'd be better off with H07-RNF, it's a lot tougher and more suited to being outside.

Arctic flex, despite the name, is not great outdoors, especially not for long periods. In the events industry it is very much frowned upon, I hesitate to use the word 'banned' but it is as near as dammit.
Indeed. Kind of is by virtue of 7909 dictating the use of H07, although in certain situations I've no beef with it at all. I think a lot of myths started a few years back when there was a huge amount of fake Chinese carp cable that didn't meet standards on the market.
 

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