Using Green/Yellow not as CPC

[sparkinlee]

Here's quick question...

Can I sleeve a green & yellow flex conductor with brown or blue to use it as a switched live or neutral?

I'm looking at a situation where I do not need the CPC connection (the timer switch I'm connecting to is class 2 insulated) but I do need live, neutral and switched live. So I'm wondering if I can use 3 core flex (so that the conductors are all insulated within the outer sheath, unlike T&E) and put a brown sleeve on the G/Y to use it as the switched live.

Thanks for your help, and sorry if this has been answered many times before!

 

[Electricalserv]

Here's quick question...

Can I sleeve a green & yellow flex conductor with brown or blue to use it as a switched live or neutral?

I'm looking at a situation where I do not need the CPC connection (the timer switch I'm connecting to is class 2 insulated) but I do need live, neutral and switched live. So I'm wondering if I can use 3 core flex (so that the conductors are all insulated within the outer sheath, unlike T&E) and put a brown sleeve on the G/Y to use it as the switched live.

Thanks for your help, and sorry if this has been answered many times before!

Personally I don't like the idea!

 

[pennywise]

It's in the NIC EIC ( So this may be one of their, well it's in our fictitious rule book etc) snags and solutions and if memory serves it is exceptable if the run is totally visible. Personally would never do it.

 

[RWJ]

I'm sure the regs state CPC (green & yellow) must NEVER be over sleeved or used for anything but CPC / Earth......

I'll try and located said reg

 

[SirKit Breaker]

I will stand up to be shot at. I am certain that it does say somewhere in BS7671 that Green or Green and yellow are only to be used to identify earthing and bonding connections and must not be used for any other purpose. Or words to that effect. I am so sure that i would put money on it.

Cheers.........Howard

 

[Paul.M]

Cpc needs to run the full length of the circuit so that's that out of the window.

 

[Electricalserv]

Reg 514.4.2

Is the closest I can find

 

[sparkinlee]

Thanks all for the quick help... off to get some 4-core then!

 

[Paul.M]

ttereg 514.4.2

green and yellow shall be used exclusively for identification of a protective conductor and this combination shall not be used for any other purpose.

 

[Paul.M]

Reg 514.4.2

Is the closest I can find

Beat me to it.

 

[SirKit Breaker]

ttereg 514.4.2

green and yellow shall be used exclusively for identification of a protective conductor and this combination shall not be used for any other purpose.

I knew i was right...........

Cheers..........Howard

 

[pennywise]

Well the NIC strike again lol

 

[Goody]

Here's quick question...

Can I sleeve a green & yellow flex conductor with brown or blue to use it as a switched live or neutral?

I'm looking at a situation where I do not need the CPC connection (the timer switch I'm connecting to is class 2 insulated) but I do need live, neutral and switched live. So I'm wondering if I can use 3 core flex (so that the conductors are all insulated within the outer sheath, unlike T&E) and put a brown sleeve on the G/Y to use it as the switched live.

Thanks for your help, and sorry if this has been answered many times before!

For this type of work you should use a 3 core cable. In T&E the cross section of the earth isn't the same as the lives; so earth shouldn't be used as permanent live. Just my opinion.

 

[Paul.M]

I knew i was right...........

Cheers..........Howard

You always are Howard, I'm just the saddo looking it up but at least the op knows why it can't be done for future ref.

 

[coomers]

Yes the green and yellow should only be used as a earth conductor but if you sleeve it with another colour ie brown/blue not a problem this can not be done with twin and earth cable. regs state green and yellow should only be used for
earth conductor this is correct but you have sleeved it its now not a earth conductor.
its no different than sleeving say a blue switch wire with brown sleeve or the black of a 3 core armoured yellow and green sleeve/tape.but after saying all that the flex you are using in that situation should still carry a earth.

 

[nickblake]

Yes the green and yellow should only be used as a earth conductor but if you sleeve it with another colour ie brown/blue not a problem this can not be done with twin and earth cable. regs state green and yellow should only be used for
earth conductor this is correct but you have sleeved it its now not a earth conductor.
its no different than sleeving say a blue switch wire with brown sleeve or the black of a 3 core armoured yellow and green sleeve/tape.but after saying all that the flex you are using in that situation should still carry a earth.

doesnt matter mate not permitted in regs ,cpc's on cable TWE or #flex should never be used as a live conductor simples read back on some of the posts

 

[nickblake]

For this type of work you should use a 3 core cable. In T&E the cross section of the earth isn't the same as the lives; so earth shouldn't be used as permanent live. Just my opinion.

use a 4 core so that any future modifications that may require an earth are then provided , i always make a earth available for that exact reason not connected but there

 

[SPARTYKUS]

...and what if someone taps into the cable in the future and sees the section thats not sleeved, but still green and yellow? Might get a shock!

 

[sparkinlee]

Thanks all for your comments on my original post - as a one person operation this is a very useful resource to get others' opinions.

With reference to some of the comments, I knew there were more issues with T&E because of the smaller conductor size of the CPC and that it is uninsulated inside the outer sheath.

Neither of those applies to flex though which is why it occurred to me that it might be possible to 're-label' the green/yellow, but you've pointed me to the regs which say no, so that's that!

Thanks again.

 

[Deleted member 26818]

The restriction against using G/Y as anything other than a CPC/earth, only applies to single core cables, here is an excerpt from 514.4.2: "Single core cables that are coloured green-and yellow throughout their length shall only be used as a protective conductor and shall not be over-marked at their terminations, except as permitted by Regulation 514.4.3."
Whith multicore cables such as flex, or SWA, it is allowed to oversleeve the exposed core another colour.