Who's right? Hopefully me!

[Drew34]

Yesterday whilst doing my practical assessment (2365 level 2) I caused a bit of a stink.
I was working on a couple of 2 way switches with singles through pvc conduit.
As the training centre boss walked past he started over me having blue cable at the switches.
He kept saying 'why have you got neutrals?'
My response was ' I haven't. I'm going to sleeve them brown. Surly it's not neutral if it's not doing what a neutral should do it's just a cable until terminated.'
My tutor had no problem with this method.
Maybe I should have just smiled and pleased him.
Was I right?

 

[Cadgey123]

It’s single core cable, why would you pull a blue instead of a brown? Just asking for questions to be asked IMO

 

[Pete999]

Got to ask, why did you us?

 

[Drew34]

I fed it through and realised what I had done so thought sleeving would be ok.

 

[Pete999]

I fed it through and realised what I had done so thought sleeving would be ok.

Maybe that#s why the Boss man was having a go at you.

 

[Cadgey123]

Hardly a big ask to rip it out and throw in a brown one is it. Imagine what you would do on a job?

 

[Drew34]

I'm all for being put straight that's what learning is all about. To learn I need to be shown right. Centre boss says no but my tutor says yes. It's no issue for me to pull them and redo next week. Just after opinions on conflicting information.
Your input is needed as being new I've not earned the right to question these people

 

[Pete999]

I'm all for being put straight that's what learning is all about. To learn I need to be shown right. Centre boss says no but my tutor says yes. It's no issue for me to pull them and redo next week. Just after opinions on conflicting information.
Your input is needed as being new I've not earned the right to question these people

I would question both the Boss and the Tutor, if you are being given conflicting advice, then the Center is at fault. imo

 

[Drew34]

The boss is the man but my tutor assesses me. Would have pulled it out but to be told it's ok just sleeve it.
Got the impression that they clash a bit and my silly mistake just added fuel to the fire.
Just asked the electrician I do bits with and I got a text back saying 'lol. You really are special'

 

[Pete999]

The boss is the man but my tutor assesses me. Would have pulled it out but to be told it's ok just sleeve it.
Got the impression that they clash a bit and my silly mistake just added fuel to the fire.
Just asked the electrician I do bits with and I got a text back saying 'lol. You really are special'

If you get grief or fail, I would contact the Sponsor or the CP Scheme they are affiliated to.

 

[Ian1981]

just smile you don’t have to ‘please him’

 

[Drew34]

Thing is I know what I did was stupid. However I've not decided to enter the industry to be a bodge artist. I'm in it for the long haul and one day would like to be known for being good!!!

 

[telectrix]

the only reason we use blue with a brown sleeve is when using T/E where there's no option. in ROI, they use twin brown for switch cables.

 

[Toneyz]

If you get grief or fail, I would contact the Sponsor or the CP Scheme they are affiliated to.

Not quite sure what a CP Scheme has to do with it I think the OP is referring to the person in charge of the centre (Bossman) and his tutor.

 

[Drew34]

I'm just stressing and unfortunately came here to rant. But on the plus side I know never to do it again.
Maybe I should have just said ' don't worry my mates an electrician and he's gonna change it when he's back off holiday'

 

[Toneyz]

I'm just stressing and unfortunately came here to rant. But on the plus side I know never to do it again.
Maybe I should have just said ' don't worry my mates an electrician and he's gonna change it when he's back off holiday'

Sorry I must be getting the wrong end of the stick is this in a training centre or on site, if on-site why are you unsupervised.

 

[Drew34]

Training centre. Where you pay £2500 and at the end of it all you know is what an atom is

 

[Ian1981]

the only reason we use blue with a brown sleeve is when using T/E where there's no option. in ROI, they use twin brown for switch cables.

I use twin brown when I can saves marking cable ends

 

[Richard Burns]

From the point of view of compliance with the regulations it is possible to sleeve a blue single brown and use it as a line conductor. From a practical and good workmanship point of view it is not good to use a cable that could be misidentified; because you would be expected to use brown in this case brown should be used and this makes a safer and better installation.

 

[Octopus]

the only reason we use blue with a brown sleeve is when using T/E where there's no option. in ROI, they use twin brown for switch cables.

You can buy twin brown and earth ............in the UK

 

[Deleted member 26818]

According to BS7671, you can use whatever colour you want excepting G/Y, as long as you identify at the terminations.
I do a lot of work where there is a permanent line and a switched line. Usually one is brown the other is black. It depends on the site as to which is which.

 

[Pete999]

Not quite sure what a CP Scheme has to do with it I think the OP is referring to the person in charge of the centre (Bossman) and his tutor.

Read my previous post

 

[Toneyz]

Read my previous post

Please explain what the connection is to a CP Scheme.

 

[Pete999]

Please explain what the connection is to a CP Scheme.

IMO if the OP, who as it seems, has received conflicting advice, the training center's usually have some affiliation to a CPS member, example NICEIC approved, that sort of thing.
If he get failed for taking the advice from his Tutor, and it proves out to be the wrong advice, as in this case, I feel his recourse will be to contact the CPS and air his complaint to them, whether he will get anywhere is debatable, you have to agree to that surely, or maybe you don't.

 

[telectrix]

I use twin brown when I can saves marking cable ends

problem with twin brown is you need to ID which is which, otherwise you have a 50/50 chance of L feed into L1 and switched L into C, at the switch.

 

[Drew34]

Thanks for the help guys I will just pull it back out.
Lesson learned

 

[AJshep]

Sounds to me like the training centre didn't want you to waste any more of their cable.

These training centres don't make much money you know

 

[Pete999]

Sounds to me like the training centre didn't want you to waste any more of their cable.

These training centres don't make much money you know

You Jest?

 

[AJshep]

Yes the last paragraph was meant to be taken jestfully.

Although I'm sure that's what they would tell the OP if he asked.

 

[Ian1981]

problem with twin brown is you need to ID which is which, otherwise you have a 50/50 chance of L feed into L1 and switched L into C, at the switch.

Didn’t think it mattered really L or C and L1 are identified as live terminals

 

[Pete999]

Didn’t think it mattered really L and L1 are identified as live terminals

It would matter if you had a 2 or 3 gang switch and needed to loop the L to the other switches.

 

[Ian1981]

It would matter if you had a 2 or 3 gang switch and needed to loop the L to the other switches.

but then I wouldn’t have used twin brown as my switch would be mains fed with just a switch live and neutral to the light

 

[Pete999]

but then I wouldn’t have used twin brown as my switch would be mains fed with just a switch live and neutral to the light

Perhaps next time you could explain your reasoning with a little more detail, that would have avoided any misunderstanding.

 

[telectrix]

i prefer to use 3c/E for switch drops id new works. then you have L, N, S/L at both light/s and switch/es. makes it easy for retro fitting smart switches etc.

 

[Ian1981]

I thought it was obvious if I had mains at the light then I’d use twin brown at the switch and it wouldn’t matter which way they connected to the light switch

 

[ipf]

Didn’t think it mattered really L or C and L1 are identified as live terminals

What if you've got a point in a lighting circuit not identifying a sw L?
Bleedin' 'ell....easy for all these DIY ers.

 

[Pete999]

I thought it was obvious if I had mains at the light then I’d use twin brown at the switch and it wouldn’t matter which way they connected to the light switch

Would that be a single gang or multi ganged switch?

 

[Ian1981]

Would that be a single gang or multi ganged switch?

Light switch would indicate 1 switch.
If I said switches then it would be more than 1
One gang I mean

 

[Ian1981]

Deleted

 

[Ian1981]

What if you've got a point in a lighting circuit not identifying a sw L?
Bleedin' 'ell....easy for all these DIY ers.

Sorry I don’t follow you?