Underground Cable

[abltech]

Hi Guys,

I have a question, a friend has asked me to check out something for him (I wish I never said yes).

On arrival he shows me the garage and asks me to check if its safe (he's about to sell his house).

I find that he has 4 twin sockets and 4 5ft 58W lights all fed from 4.0mm flex coming off a socket in the kitchen from the main dwelling with no rcd protection anywhere to be seen. The flex terminates into a 13A fused spur in the garage which is then seperates into 0.75mm flex for the lights and 1.0mm for the sockets (I near laughed at him at this point).

My question is however the flex is buried underground below patio he says its in a 4" drainage pipe buired deep. I have no access to this to check, but could the flex be used and is the drainge pipe adequate mechanical protection. I would prefer to rip the whole lot out and start again with SWA but he's very reluctant to diturb the patio. The cable comes down the outside wall of the main dwelling in conduit and is exposed maybe 2" before it goes into the ground I would say this is not OK and requires protecting.

What is your thoughts mainly on the flex and its undergound protection.

 

[walsh builders]

If its run in a 4" pipe it should be easy to pull your swa through with the flex.

 

[richy3333]

Is there something sinister under the patio?

 

[HappyHippyDad]

I think if the lights are 0.75mm and the sockets 1mm then whoever installed it is not going to have done a very good job at burying the cable, so I doubt its 'buried deep'. Are you sure its 1mm for the sockets and not 1.5mm?
Like the chap above said if it really is buried in 4" pipe then you should be able to pull some SWA through. I doubt a drainage pipe could be classed as mechanical protection.

Also you've said that he has 'told' you that its in 4" pipe, can you see this where the bare flex enters the ground or is the flex itself entering the ground without any pipe surrounding it?

 

[abltech]

I agree totally with all coments, I think the only reasons he does not wish to lift the patio is because he is selling and cannot be bothered or wants to spend the money having it lifted, he wanted it corrected as quicky and cheaply as possible which is why I wished I never went near it. He is selling it to co-ownership so he is responsible for all remedial work.

I can see the cable going underground, as mentioned it comes down the wall in conduit and then is exposed for about 2" before it disappears (I hope into pipe). I think based on this alone the only option is to lift and remove the cable and replace it to satisfy me. I was unsure if the pipe under the patio would be "adequate mechanical protection", and it seems from the comment above that its not. I suppose if the cable is exposed Im going to have to lift some of it anyway to protect what isnt protected before the pipe. I cannot pull it through as its tight in the ground on its way down.

Some pictures of the exposed cable would maybe help my explanation so Ill try get some Monday.

 

[davesparks]

If it needs making safe to be sold then disconnect the supply and remove as much of the cable as is necessary to prevent it being easily reconnected.

 

[HappyHippyDad]

I agree totally with all coments, I think the only reasons he does not wish to lift the patio is because he is selling and cannot be bothered or wants to spend the money having it lifted, he wanted it corrected as quicky and cheaply as possible which is why I wished I never went near it. He is selling it to co-ownership so he is responsible for all remedial work.

I can see the cable going underground, as mentioned it comes down the wall in conduit and then is exposed for about 2" before it disappears (I hope into pipe). I think based on this alone the only option is to lift and remove the cable and replace it to satisfy me. I was unsure if the pipe under the patio would be "adequate mechanical protection", and it seems from the comment above that its not. I suppose if the cable is exposed Im going to have to lift some of it anyway to protect what isnt protected before the pipe. I cannot pull it through as its tight in the ground on its way down.

Some pictures of the exposed cable would maybe help my explanation so Ill try get some Monday.

So the bare flex goes straight into the ground. That's no good is it. I think your friend just wants you to say everything is fine so that he can sell it. All you can do is give the correct advice and then it is up to him whether or not he takes it. I would say that the slabs have to come up so that the flex can be properly protected or changed for the correct cable.

Plus explaining that the lights need to be adequately fused down (and changed to 1mm really, in line with BS7671) and change the sockets to 2.5mm (checking first that they are not 1.5mm which would be OK if on a 13a spur as suggested).
Or you just disconnect as above!

 

[Pete999]

Hi Guys,

I have a question, a friend has asked me to check out something for him (I wish I never said yes).

On arrival he shows me the garage and asks me to check if its safe (he's about to sell his house).

I find that he has 4 twin sockets and 4 5ft 58W lights all fed from 4.0mm flex coming off a socket in the kitchen from the main dwelling with no rcd protection anywhere to be seen. The flex terminates into a 13A fused spur in the garage which is then seperates into 0.75mm flex for the lights and 1.0mm for the sockets (I near laughed at him at this point).

My question is however the flex is buried underground below patio he says its in a 4" drainage pipe buired deep. I have no access to this to check, but could the flex be used and is the drainge pipe adequate mechanical protection. I would prefer to rip the whole lot out and start again with SWA but he's very reluctant to diturb the patio. The cable comes down the outside wall of the main dwelling in conduit and is exposed maybe 2" before it goes into the ground I would say this is not OK and requires protecting.

What is your thoughts mainly on the flex and its undergound protection.

More to the point if I am reading your post correctly you say it splits from the 13A spur with TWO flexes one for the lights and one for the sockets, oh dear