Who's right? Hopefully me!

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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?
 
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
 
Drew34 said:
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
Click to expand...
I would question both the Boss and the Tutor, if you are being given conflicting advice, then the Center is at fault. imo
 
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'
 
Drew34 said:
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'
Click to expand...
If you get grief or fail, I would contact the Sponsor or the CP Scheme they are affiliated to.
 
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!!!
 
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'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'
 
Drew34 said:
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'
Click to expand...
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.
 
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.
 
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.
 
anthonybragg said:
Please explain what the connection is to a CP Scheme.
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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.
 
Ian1981 said:
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
Click to expand...
Perhaps next time you could explain your reasoning with a little more detail, that would have avoided any misunderstanding.
 
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.
 
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
 
Ian1981 said:
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
Click to expand...
Would that be a single gang or multi ganged switch?
 
Pete999 said:
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.
Click to expand...
I see where your coming from now regarding the affiliation, I think it is mostly with the NICEIC and C& G some aren't though. In my day and maybe yours you only had the FoE run/funded (in part) by the Departement of Education you didn't get all these commercial education providers. I can see the point that the training centre would want to see the student installing as taught but sleaving brown complies with the regs.
 
anthonybragg said:
I see where your coming from now regarding the affiliation, I think it is mostly with the NICEIC and C& G some aren't though. In my day and maybe yours you only had the FoE run/funded (in part) by the Departement of Education you didn't get all these commercial education providers. I can see the point that the training centre would want to see the student installing as taught but sleaving brown complies with the regs.
Click to expand...
Deleted
 
telectrix said:
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.
Click to expand...
In all of Ireland twin brown is used, although in the south it is prohibited to oversleeve.
 
telectrix said:
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.
Click to expand...
In all of Ireland twin brown is used, although in the south it is prohibited to oversleeve.
 
Never seen twin brown here in the South of England. However used to see twin Red quite a bit.
Serves a purpose, but it's a pain in the bum when you accidentally wire a complete lighting circuit in the stuff.
 
Pete999 said:
It would matter if you had a 2 or 3 gang switch and needed to loop the L to the other switches.
Click to expand...
Just connect one of the browns to the cpc and bell it out. It really doesn't present a problem. Worth remembering that bs7671 expresses a preference for conductors to be identifiable throughout their length and not just at the terminations.

If someone did it with a single I would expect them to rewire it properly.
 
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