Terminating SWA glands at both ends

[markc17]

Hey all,

Was wondering if there is any reg that states an armoured cable has to have a gland both ends?
It is a 3 core single phase 10mm so has an internal earth.. ive earthed it the supply end into the board... The cable runs outside along a building then ducks back in through the wall.
The other end is to go into a small Wylex 2 way C.U. in a server room.
My problem is that the CU has a fully detatchable plastic cover, and the only entrance hole is given at the back.. giving nowhere to terminate the SWA. Even if i packed the board off the wall in wood...there would not be room to make it off properly at the back as the entrance hole is prefab.
I know manufacturers recommend proper termination using a gland.. but the armouring is earthed.. and if i hold the cable tight with cleats.. is there any reason that i cannot tape the armouring to the sheath and slot the cover over it, without a brass gland? Perhaps cable tie the top of the cable to the back of the consumer unit?
The room is locked to the public.. and i am the only person that will have anything to do with the board.

I once worked at a company where they did not gland one end of the armoured where it went into air conditioning units... cant find anywhere that actually states whether it is ok to do or not..

First time dealing with a cheap board like this so any advise apreciated..

Mark

 

[telectrix]

fit an adaptable box under the CU. gland SWA into this at bottom, leaving tails long enough to reach into CU and be terminated. then coupler from top of ad. box into CU.

 

[Engineer54]

So you have purchased an inappropriate CU, and thinking of ways to get round the problem!! So why can't you terminate into a metal adaptable box (or the like) and then take the inner section (cores) of the SWA cable into the CU?? The only instance that i can think of, of the top of my head where SWA cable glands are not required, would be at a propriety made for purpose SWA cable joint....

I once worked at a company where they did not gland one end of the armoured where it went into air conditioning units... cant find anywhere that actually states whether it is ok to do or not..

That is a totally unsatisfactory installation, and is totally unnecessary to boot!! More like pure laziness and/or lack of competence !! That company needs a firm boot to it's posterior regions

 

[stitch]

fit an adaptable box under the CU. gland SWA into this at bottom, leaving tails long enough to reach into CU and be terminated. then coupler from top of ad. box into CU.

What he said.

 

[Silly Sausage]

Just get a metalclad CU and have done!

 

[markc17]

Well, if it is inappropriate...
The CU comes with a 63 amp main switch.. maximum core size 50mm.. so i assumed it might be bought with the termination of an armoured cable in mind...
I did think about a box.. sounds best... but going to look a bit shabby..
So as far as you guys are conscerned... and out of interests sake.. you ALWAYS use a gland...? and the way my old company used to feed non glanded armoured cables into air con units was wrong? The cable was earthed.. and passed up into the unit where it was attatched.. so dont really see why it is THAT incompetent..
In future i will go metal clad..

 

[Engineer54]

Well, if it is inappropriate...
The CU comes with a 63 amp main switch.. maximum core size 50mm.. so i assumed it might be bought with the termination of an armoured cable in mind...
I did think about a box.. sounds best... but going to look a bit shabby..
So as far as you guys are conscerned... and out of interests sake.. you ALWAYS use a gland...? and the way my old company used to feed non glanded armoured cables into air con units was wrong? The cable was earthed.. and passed up into the unit where it was attatched.. so dont really see why it is THAT incompetent..
In future i will go metal clad..

Yes, professional electricians Always Gland SWA cables!! What do you mean by ''attached''??

Really, ....you can't see anything wrong with taking a SWA cable straight through the casing of a air-con unit?? Yes Markc17, ... it is WRONG!! So no local isolation provision either by the sound of it!!

 

[telectrix]

SWA glands are specifically designed to gland off SWA cable, doing it any other way is like attaching your gas pipe to the boiler with duct tape. end of.

apologies to any plumbers out there that do this as a matter of course.

 

[markc123]

Yes, professional electricians Always Gland SWA cables!!

You'd think that wouldn't you...quite common practice for me now is making off joints people can't be arsed to do.

The only time you shouldn't gland a SWA cable is in a underground joint.

There is the argument that there is nothing set in stone to say do it (if you're not using the strands as an earth) but too me, all SWA should be glanded properly in any given situation, if the environment didn't need it glanding then 100% guaranteed you don't need SWA for the job. If you don't gland SWA you look lazy/cluess and have poor workmanship.

 

[Engineer54]

You'd think that wouldn't you...quite common practice for me now is making off joints people can't be arsed to do.

The only time you shouldn't gland a SWA cable is in a underground joint.

There is the argument that there is nothing set in stone to say do it (if you're not using the strands as an earth) but too me, all SWA should be glanded properly in any given situation, if the environment didn't need it glanding then 100% guaranteed you don't need SWA for the job. If you don't gland SWA you look lazy/cluess and have poor workmanship.

That's the type of joints i was talking about!! lol!!

Also had another flash of memory, Quite a few of the newer road way Lamp post internal fitments, now include gland-less SWA terminations, where the armouring is clamped into a purpose made facility!!

 

[markc17]

Ive never terminated an armoured without using a gland.. was just a question.. as am utilising an old feed for a 63amp commando and have never used a board with a removable cover before

 

[markc17]

Really, ....you can't see anything wrong with taking a SWA cable straight through the casing of a air-con unit?? Yes Markc17, ... it is WRONG!! So no local isolation provision either by the sound of it!![/QUOTE]

I know it SOUNDS wrong as it was what we always do... but the armoured went into an isolator next to the unit... then out of the load side.. cleated tight to the wall into the aircon housing about a metre... then another half metre loose inside the unit with the armouring taped back.. cable tied and connected..
The units were a story off the ground.. and the cable was tightly in place.. so my observation was more that the only way it would be dangerous is if somebody hung on it.. which is VERY unlikely...

 

[Outspoken]

If you do not want to use an adapatable box then why not use a short length of 2" x 2" steel trunking. The swa can be terminated into it and the exposed cores are protected until they enter the CU. The end of the trunking covered with end caps...

I would direct your attention to Chapter 52 of the BS7671:2008, namely Selection and erection of Wiring Systems.

Be Professional and do the job properly FFS.

 

[markc17]

a box underneath to make off the gland and then ill pack the board off the wall so i dont have to slot the cover... is the way i'll go..was just curious.

 

[Outspoken]

a box underneath to make off the gland and then ill pack the board off the wall so i dont have to slot the cover... is the way i'll go..was just curious.

Yeah, that will look nice and be professional...:banghead:

 

[markc17]

how will that not be proffessional? i make off into a box.. keep the tails long and rather than SLOT the cover.. which comes off completely... or chase out the wall...i will pack out the CU off the wall so i can come in the premade back entry... i dont see the problem?

 

[markc17]

Its good that people can come on here and ask for opinions and debate without being chastised..

 

[Outspoken]

Its good that people can come on here and ask for opinions and debate without being chastised..

Mark, do you really expect to come here and state you will do something that looks like a --- on your head and not expect a rebuke?

Come on chap, I sincerely hope your standards are better than that.

 

[telectrix]

slot the cover. as long as the ad. box is close up to the bottom of the cover.

 

[markc17]

Mark, do you really expect to come here and state you will do something that looks like a --- on your head and not expect a rebuke?

Come on chap, I sincerely hope your standards are better than that.

Its all good... i asked the question because i knew it was not the 'proper' way to do it..theres not much armoured to work with and it is in the corner of a room.. if the cable was securely fixed to the point of entering the enclosure the danger was not as obvious to me as some are suggesting.. plus im not sure if i am going to have to make a joint in the box to extend it if i take the gland back that far...Would have negated the need for a joint.
This is a server room locked to all but trained personell so its not like i was doing this as an install in someones garage...
Still, i am going to do it as it should be done.... thanks for the advise.