UK Where to find Imperial sized MICC Pyro Cable Glands?

[MetricImperial]

Hi Experts,
Does anyone know where I can get some 465 Cable Glands for mineral insulated cable? Cable diameter is 15/32 of an inch.
The cable was installed in 1959, is in good condition but needs some alteration. I have found 2 electricians who can do the work but have better things to do with their time than try to locate Imperial sized glands.
I have tried several UK companies and TPCwire in the USA but still no luck.
Many thanks in advance.

 

[littlespark]

Are you adding to the installation, or is it possible to dismantle the old gland?

If the main gland thread is imperial… you can still source adaptors to take it to a regular 20mm size hole…. And the pot should be able to be reused.

A metric size seal just has to be close enough… but the overall diameter can be sanded down if too large for the pot.

I see the cable size is 15/32… so slightly less than half inch, 12mm… which must be a bigger gland than 20mm!


Ask if the electricians you have sourced have actually worked on MICC before, and a possibility of seeing the work.

It’s one of those skills that is no longer taught to new electricians during training.

 

[westward10]

465 on the pot/gland indicates it is two core, the cable diameter is 11.81mm.
From a Pyrotenax comparison table you will need a 1H50 gland from RGM, a 2H10 cap from RPS and a 1H50 pot from RPS, the pot will need soldering on.
These things are not exact and someone will need to be pretty adept to make it fit.
The chances of you finding imperial parts is close to zero, the parts above are metric.

 

[MetricImperial]

Are you adding to the installation, or is it possible to dismantle the old gland?

If the main gland thread is imperial… you can still source adaptors to take it to a regular 20mm size hole…. And the pot should be able to be reused.

A metric size seal just has to be close enough… but the overall diameter can be sanded down if too large for the pot.

I see the cable size is 15/32… so slightly less than half inch, 12mm… which must be a bigger gland than 20mm!


Ask if the electricians you have sourced have actually worked on MICC before, and a possibility of seeing the work.

It’s one of those skills that is no longer taught to new electricians during training.

Thank you for replying and the advice.
Regarding your first sentence - The MICC cables were running through a partition wall which has now been removed leaving the cables running floor to ceiling through my living room. I think the plan is to cut the MICC cables, terminate them with a gland and attach it to normal electrical cable which is more flexible. That could be run under the floor, up the wall, across the ceiling void and re-attach to the continuation of the MICC cable. So that would require all new glands as the existing glands don't factor in.
I will pass on your following sentences to the electricians.
When I said the diameter is 15/32 inch (11.5mm), that is just by my eye. I will get a micrometer reading at some point.
Both electricians have said they have done MICC cable work since learning it at college. The electrician I think I would go with has said he is very confident about doing the work but just having trouble sourcing the glands.

 

[MetricImperial]

Adding picture of the existing gland which joins my main electrical power box.

 

[MetricImperial]

465 on the pot/gland indicates it is two core, the cable diameter is 11.81mm.
From a Pyrotenax comparison table you will need a 1H50 gland from RGM, a 2H10 cap from RPS and a 1H50 pot from RPS, the pot will need soldering on.
These things are not exact and someone will need to be pretty adept to make it fit.
The chances of you finding imperial parts is close to zero, the parts above are metric.

Thank you very much for this. I will pass this on to the electrician.

 

[westward10]

That is a job for someone highly skilled with MI cable work it will not be straightforward.

 

[MetricImperial]

That is a job for someone highly skilled with MI cable work it will not be straightforward.

Do you have any tips on how to find an electrician who is highly skilled in that field? I have asked about 12 electricians so far and only found two who are prepared to take it on. They both seem intelligent guys who could identify their own limitations.

 

[westward10]

How old are they I'm not saying a younger person cannot do it but with age comes experience and knowledge.

 

[MetricImperial]

How old are they I'm not saying a younger person cannot do it but with age comes experience and knowledge.

One of them about 50, the other I would say late 30's.

 

[littlespark]

you say a 2H10, @westward10 ?

That’s a 2 core, 10mm? So I think this could be a main supply cable feeding the property?

OP, can we see what the MICC is connected to?

 

[MetricImperial]

you say a 2H10, @westward10 ?

That’s a 2 core, 10mm? So I think this could be a main supply cable feeding the property?

OP, can we see what the MICC is connected to?

It's an old house which was divided into 5 flats in 1959. The black box (pictured) is where the power comes into the building and is separated for the 5 flats. The gland (pictured) is coming out of that black separator box. The last picture is the MICC cable coming into my flat, however, that is not the cables in question. The problem cables are the two which run through my flat to the 2 above flats. The picture of the gland which I posted earlier in this thread is what the electrician saw when he opened the connection box coming into my flat.

 

[littlespark]

So it is the main supply cable.... to the flats above you

You will need to get the supplier/ DNO involved to isolate the cable before working on it, and resealing the fuses afterwards.

Its a little more involved than just getting an electrician in.


The warning stickers and seals are there for a reason.

 

[westward10]

you say a 2H10, @westward10 ?

That’s a 2 core, 10mm? So I think this could be a main supply cable feeding the property?

OP, can we see what the MICC is connected to?

The pot and gland sizes are nearest equivalents from a Pyrotenax you will see the gland and pot are 1H50 and they state the pot must be soldered. Metric equivalent of a 465 cable is 6.45mm².

 

[MetricImperial]

So it is the main supply cable.... to the flats above you

You will need to get the supplier/ DNO involved to isolate the cable before working on it, and resealing the fuses afterwards.

Its a little more involved than just getting an electrician in.


The warning stickers and seals are there for a reason.

Thank you for pointing that out. I presume the electricians have taken that into account but I will check with them.

 

[westward10]

It wants leaving well alone unless this has been authorised and discussed with the DNO. Something goes wrong and there is every chance it will do you are going to have a whole load of expense coming your way because they will not repair that cable, they will replace it.

 

[MetricImperial]

It wants leaving well alone unless this has been authorised and discussed with the DNO. Something goes wrong and there is every chance it will do you are going to have a whole load of expense coming your way because they will not repair that cable, they will replace it.

OK thanks, I will discuss this with the electricians. They have both said I need to prepare for it not going as planned. One way or another, it has to be changed as the current situation of the cables running floor to ceiling through the middle of the room is untenable.