To Cap or Not

[telectrix]

have always believed that the purpose of capping was to protect cable from chemical attack by the old lime plaster. now it serves to protect against rough plasterers. but, have been on new build sites where cables are just clipped, and on others where building inspector has insisted on capping, even on dry -line. what reg. if any applies?

 

[nickblake]

i do like the wear a cap stops the dust getting in my hair .... whats left of it

 

[danzor]

Capping makes it look tidy even when dry-lining

 

[Darkwood]

Capping is solely for the protection of the soft cable insulation against the sharp edge of the plasterers float, its enforced by some councils as it eliminates possible IR faults that can easily avoid timely and costly fault finding, its used under dry-lining normally through habit but some councils just routinely apply the above to all cables run down walls, if you are reasonably happy the cables wont be damaged then nothing wrong with clippng but the risk is yours to take as any plasterer who accidently damages a cable will just say you should have capped it.
I dont recall any regulation that specifically specifies capping but through common sense capping should be used on a rough and skim wall as cables require to be addequatly protected during installation.

 

[telectrix]

agree with both of you there. prefer to use oval tube if i can. easier to pull through when her indoors hangs a picture of the kids directly above switch/socket

 

[Ponty Massive]

I use oval tube is chasing a wall or capping if going on new block work

 

[rocker]

Have always used top hat but am currently doing a rewire and thought I'd give oval a go... I think I'm converted already.

I have been known just to clip and plaster over occasionally when chasing down to capping depth is a nightmare, in fact did one little spur like this today when I discovered the extension's bottom 5 courses have been done with engineering bricks.

 

[Phil]

umm the good old hand throbbing engineering bricks

 

[rocker]

Oh they're bloody lovely, aren't they!? What moron builds a single storey extension with bloody engineering bricks?

 

[jpmiff]

always used top hat capping,

building control generally insist on engineering bricks below dpc on both skins