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You need a proper duct a minimum of 450mm below surface with warning tape above it. Then run SWA through this duct. If budgets would not stand two poles and a catenary then I can not see that budget will stand a proper duct. Tell customer price for doing a proper job with a duct line dedicated to electrical cable. If he will not pay the price for a proper job then walk away.
 
You could probably knock that infill concrete out with a tooth pick then get it refilled with tarmac.

that would be outside their budget. It's a bowling club, they want to add a 2nd floodlight to the far end of the car park so the oldies can see their way to their cars in the evening. In their minds it's a case of, "can you just add an extra light...."
 
that would be outside their budget. It's a bowling club, they want to add a 2nd floodlight to the far end of the car park so the oldies can see their way to their cars in the evening. In their minds it's a case of, "can you just add an extra light...."
If their budget only allows for a bodge job, then don't do it.

I do work for a local golf club who are always crying about money. They have had bodge jobs done in the past, now they are more prepared to wait till they have funds available to do it right.

By the looks of that drainage installation, you may be fighting a losing battle, that looks a poor bit of work.
 
As a company we did a lot of work for our village hall, my village hall and not the companies. Much of this was done in my own time with the company providing the necessary documentation as a goodwill gesture. I got fed up with seeing money being spent on pointless projects so a line was drawn and I withdrew. Do not undertake this task on the sympathy of we have no money.
 
Quite


One big glaring issue not resolved .... AGAIN
The BYB/BBB aren't step by step guides. If they had to cover every detail and scenario they would be a lot bigger and cost a lot more.

Installation of SWA in Aqua Channel/Drainage Channel? Hmmm not something I'd consider doing at all.
 
The BYB/BBB aren't step by step guides. If they had to cover every detail and scenario they would be a lot bigger and cost a lot more.

Installation of SWA in Aqua Channel/Drainage Channel? Hmmm not something I'd consider doing at all.

Interesting, given that an armoured cable would lie in and pass through a concrete channel with cast iron protection above, and given no other alternatives, where do you see the risk/danger?
 
I suppose the issue is,that either there is no warning or expectation of such a cable being in there,and the labourer hacks away at it,with his graft,whilst cleaning it out...or... you put clear and visible warning notices,nearby,and inform the world,you bypassed good practice.;)
 
Alongside rail tracks and also in other places, cables are often run in concrete trenches with concrete slabs as covers.
Then of course there’s those run in ducts and those just buried in soil.
Not sure that any of the above methods are water proof?
 
As a member of a local Bowls club for thirty years I can tell you that they are as tight as a duck’s rear end and we all know that this is water tight otherwise the poor old duck would sink.
They only like spending money at the bar and then always complain at the prices which are normally half what the pub down the road charges.

Offer them a floodlight on a timer fixed to the wall of their pavilion and if that is not suitable/ possible walk away.

Remember that these people have memories like elephants and will discuss your work with all and sundry. If anything goes wrong you will never hear the end of it and their grapevine network is more efficient that the local press and TV put together.
 
if you do run the SWA in the soakaway, make sure you bond the ironwork with at least 10mm. :mad:.
 
There are no stated depths for SWA in bs7671
708.521.1.1 0.6m
522.8.10 sufficient depth to avoid reasonably foreseeable..
Of course that is not for SWA specifically but it does say the cable should be armoured and that armour capable of acting as protective earth. And yes it is a special location.
I wonder where I got the 450mm from. Used to be 18 inches when I started up? It has stuck in my head.
 
I su
708.521.1.1 0.6m
522.8.10 sufficient depth to avoid reasonably foreseeable..
Of course that is not for SWA specifically but it does say the cable should be armoured and that armour capable of acting as protective earth. And yes it is a special location.
I wonder where I got the 450mm from. Used to be 18 inches when I started up? It has stuck in my head.

;) All of this conjecture,does not detract from what is basically,going to be the OP's decision.

There will not be regs to approve such an idea,because it is not good practice. Will the world end? Is it worse than a thousand other scenarios we encounter? No.

The OP needs to decide,and stand by that,with concise arguments at the ready,for if the shape of a pear appears...

As a prominent contributor to the IET,Mr Y Oda once remarked..."do,or do not...there is no try...":rolleyes:
 
Certainly according to regs quoted, it is reasonably foreseeable that at some point traffic, maybe a tractor/digger will cause sufficient damage to break the cover over the soak away and damage the cable so it would be unacceptable to use this method.
 
I suppose the issue is,that either there is no warning or expectation of such a cable being in there,and the labourer hacks away at it,with his graft,whilst cleaning it out...or... you put clear and visible warning notices,nearby,and inform the world,you bypassed good practice.;)

As the covers are cast metal, any labourer would have to remove the cover to be able to do any work to the soak away which is only 2" deep so the cable would be blindingly obvious, laying in the bottom of the channel.

To get from the end of the soak away to where the light is wanted it would need to run along the bottom of a hedge separating the car park from the road. It wouldn't be possible to dig the cable down so I was considering running it inside 20mm galvanised conduit along the bottom of the hedge. I assume if I also used conduit in the soak away that would negate the concerns mentioned about damage to the cable?
 

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