Armoured cable into building below ground - how should hole have been ducted / sealed

[Gavin A]

Re: Armoured cable into building below ground - how should hole have been ducted / se

cement, butyle mastic, CT1, proper long life outdoor rated silicon... anything along those lines really, just get the surface clean first.

I'd think there is a potential that this is the cause, and it could have taken this long to show up if the water table has risen / there's been a particularly wet period, or a leaking drain etc.

Often supposedly solid walls actually have a narrow cavity / rubble filled cavity before internal blockwork / cinder block, and any water can run along the cavity, so it's possible that water entering in one place can cause issues further down the wall.

Best to rule it out anyway for the sake of half an hours digging and a couple of quid's worth of sealant.

I'd still rate it as far more likely that the damp is actually down to condensation on a cold spot on the wall if it's not from a leaking drainpipe etc, as even if it did leak in in that way during exceptional rain, I doubt it's going to do it often enough to end up causing damp internally.

 

[Geordie Spark]

Re: Armoured cable into building below ground - how should hole have been ducted / se

DUPLICATED POST DELETED


I am having problems typing my messages on the Forum - this somehow posted exactly the same reply to Tidy Max as I had submitted some time ago.

I cannot type correctly at present - it is as if my Keyboard keys are only working intermitantly - and randomly intermitantly !

I will try and answer a couple of more replies but if I `Disappear` Tonight it will be because of this Typing problem.

Thanks to all for their responses - including the messages that contain `Digs` at my unusual / incorrect use of some punctuation marks !

Regards,


Chris

I'm clutching at straws here Chris, but is this any good? Waterproofing & Tanking Products - Damp, Waterproofing, Woodworm, Timber Treatment, Wood Preservative

 

[chris murphy]

Re: Armoured cable into building below ground - how should hole have been ducted / se

Hi Chris !

My reply to you was not based on "Technical Knowledge" - it was based on Geordie instinct and common sense.

We're not talking about an industrial installation or even a commercial installation here are we so the current being drawn through the cable will be relatively light - even with the electric cooker working so I doubt if the cable will get anywhere near warm and if it does, surely the remainder of the cable that isn't covered by the foam will dissipate the little bit of warmth generated. It isn't all going to sit in that same spot all day is it? If you somehow manage to put a lump of hot water in the middy of a 3 meter length of 15mm pipe does that heat stay in that one place - or does it spread towards each end of the pipe reducing the temperature as it goes?

OK - I admit that in the case of the pipe it will progressively cool while the cable won't, because it has electricery passing through it, but at the same time I really don't think you're going to get things all that hot in a domestic situation. A factory or large warehouse situation where you're pulling lots of amps through the thing I think could be a different kettle of horses

NOT that it matters, but are you sure these cables are armoured (S W A) and not Split Concentric which look similar but don't have the Steel Wire Armour built into them?

If you wanted to sleeve this BTW, how about a piece of plastic waste ( 40mm maybe? ) split along it's length so you can open it enough to spring it over the cables? I'm guessing as I can't see the job from here !! :sailor:

"Hello Geordie Spark",

Thanks very much for your message and the details about the dissipation of any Heat that might ever be generated on a Armoured cable that has Expanded Foam around it.

Regarding trying to Sleeve these cables - Because of the way that the cables have been bent through the `Slotted Hole` it is not possible to reto-fit anything like a split pipe around them.

Not only are they bent at about a 135 degree angle downwards through the Slot / Hole but one is on top of the other as they penetrate into the Building.

The `Slotted Hole` was cut into the Brickwork at about a 135 degree angle - with only the penetration Hole to inside being horizontal.


I am calling the cables `Armoured` as they are Black and from memory about 30mm in diameter - You could be correct that they are some other type of cable - but they are clipped to the outside of the Building so I THOUGHT they would have to be Armoured [?]


When they were installed the Meters / Main Fuses were connected to them by the Electricity Suppliers Electricians so they were the correct cables for that outside location.


Thanks for your suggestions - as always I appreciate your Help and Advice.

Regards,


Chris

 

[Geordie Spark]

Re: Armoured cable into building below ground - how should hole have been ducted / se

"Hello Geordie Spark",

Thanks very much for your message and the details about the dissipation of any Heat that might ever be generated on a Armoured cable that has Expanded Foam around it.

Regarding trying to Sleeve these cables - Because of the way that the cables have been bent through the `Slotted Hole` it is not possible to reto-fit anything like a split pipe around them.

Not only are they bent at about a 135 degree angle downwards through the Slot / Hole but one is on top of the other as they penetrate into the Building.

I am calling the cables `Armoured` as they are Black and from memory about 30mm in diameter - You could be correct that they are some other type of cable - but they are clipped to the outside of the Building so I THOUGHT they would have to be Armoured [?]


When they were installed the Meters / Main Fuses were connected to them by the Electricity Suppliers Electricians so they were the correct cables for that outside location.


Thanks for your suggestions - as always I appreciate your Help and Advice.

Regards,


Chris

No problem Chris.

Bloody Hell though ... those cables are a lot bigger than I was thinking - I was thinking of the one that comes into my house which is like a bit of 15mm Speedfit pipe !!

If they are as big as you say, it throws most of what I have said straight out of the window.

Anyway, It was good to meet up with you again.

 

[chris murphy]

Re: Armoured cable into building below ground - how should hole have been ducted / se

I'm clutching at straws here Chris, but is this any good? Waterproofing & Tanking Products - Damp, Waterproofing, Woodworm, Timber Treatment, Wood Preservative

"Hello again Geordie Spark",

I don`t think that there would be too much of a problem getting Waterproof Cement - the Damp Proofing Contractor should be able to either supply this or recommend what to buy - BUT I needed to KNOW that this would not be corrosive to the Cable sheathing and would adhere to the sheathing itself before I can advise my Friend correctly

I felt that it would not be appropriate to apply Tape around the Cables where a Cement product would be contacting them as this would be a possible Water ingress point - ?


Thanks again.

Regards,

Chris

 

[overskilled]

Re: Armoured cable into building below ground - how should hole have been ducted / se

Split Concentric cabling possibly? Black like armoured and common in DNO use.....even where sparks would normally be required to use SWA...

 

[Geordie Spark]

Re: Armoured cable into building below ground - how should hole have been ducted / se

"Hello again Geordie Spark",

I don`t think that there would be too much of a problem getting Waterproof Cement - the Damp Proofing Contractor should be able to either supply this or recommend what to buy - BUT I needed to KNOW that this would not be corrosive to the Cable sheathing and would adhere to the sheathing itself before I can advise my Friend correctly

I felt that it would not be appropriate to apply Tape around the Cables where a Cement product would be contacting them as this would be a possible Water ingress point - ?


Thanks again.

Regards,

Chris

And this seems to be the stumbling block - none of us seem to be able to give a definitive answer !!!

I understand your frustration.

 

[overskilled]

Re: Armoured cable into building below ground - how should hole have been ducted / se

Well from personal experience....replaced an exterior light recently on my gaffe - cabled in T+E through the wall, clearly tails left during construction, roughcasters in, light then installed.
Cable looked none the worse for wear, tested out alright and no signs of water penetration despite 40 years of scottish weather pounding away....

 

[Silly Sausage]

Re: Armoured cable into building below ground - how should hole have been ducted / se

Aye OS, this cable below floor level is a Red Herring!

Could be whole shoal of them down there!

 

[HandySparks]

Re: Armoured cable into building below ground - how should hole have been ducted / se

Given the number of garages I've seen with the DNO's cable coming straight up through the concreted floor, I'd be happy to concrete/mortar it in. Anyway, isn't SWA suitable for direct burial in concrete?