UK SWA Cable termination

[mjjm986]

Hi All,

Looking some advice. Had someone install a SWA cable to exterior outhouse. In the outhouse everything.looks.great, new consumer board and three double sockets all installed and looking good. My.concern is with how the SWA cable has been terminated at the main board in the house. Surely the SWA should have been terminated into a junction box or something similar, then a feed to the new RCBO's? Should I be concerned or leave as is?

 

[westward10]

That is appalling it should be glanded and those conductors enclosed. Also what appears to be a cream coloured cable is the inner part of the cable used to supply the rcd, that "bedding" should not be exposed like that.

 

[Rockingit]

As above, that's not acceptable at all! I'm now curious as to what you're considering the 'good' job in the outhouse, to the layman.

 

[brianmoooore]

Is the offending enclosure at the house end plastic?

 

[Dustydazzler]

Looks fine ?

 

[mjjm986]

That is appalling it should be glanded and those conductors enclosed. Also what appears to be a cream coloured cable is the inner part of the cable used to supply the rcd, that "bedding" should not be exposed like that.

That is appalling it should be glanded and those conductors enclosed. Also what appears to be a cream coloured cable is the inner part of the cable used to supply the rcd, that "bedding" should not be exposed like that.

Thanks, when you say bedding should not be exposed, can I as what you mean by that?

 

[mjjm986]

As above, that's not acceptable at all! I'm now curious as to what you're considering the 'good' job in the outhouse, to the layman.

Hey, in so far as i can tell it looks neat and tidy in the shed, no obvious signs of anything that sticks out, although I appreciate that I can't see what is underneath.

 

[westward10]

That cream coloured cable is the inner part of a swa cable with the outer black sheath and armour removed, it should not be exposed like that.

 

[mjjm986]

Is the offending enclosure at the house end plastic?

The rest of the board is metal, the new RCBO's are plastic. In the shed it is a metal consumer unit supplying three double sockets, one each for freezer dryer and one washing machine leaving a spare socket in each. With a 16 amp breaker for socket supplying freezer and a 32amp breaker for two double sockets supplying dryer and washing machine.

 

[goasis]

That was not installed by an even vaugly competent electrician. It's not some thing done by mistake, or a technique that some use and others don't. It's just straight up terrible. I would assume the rest of his work is also well.worth having checked over. Regardless of what it may look like on the surface. Whoever did this has no standards or conscience

Can't really tell where that swa is coming from, it looks like that brown conductor is a link between the 2 enclosures. I'd bet that cream swa is coming off the main switch in the board above, hence the mk 40a mcb

 

[mjjm986]

That was not installed by an even vaugly competent electrician. It's not some thing done by mistake, or a technique that some use and others don't. It's just straight up terrible. I would assume the rest of his work is also well.worth having checked over. Regardless of what it may look like on the surface. Whoever did this has no standards or conscience

Can't really tell where that swa 8s coming from, it looks like that brown conductor is a look between the 2 enclosures. I'd bet that cream swa is coming off the main switch in the board above, hence the mk 40a mcb

Yes, the cream cable is coming from the mains switch.

 

[goasis]

What does the consumer unit in the outhouse look like?

 

[Vortigern]

In any event SWA will always be properly glanded and terminated. Even on a plastic box. You can still put a banjo/frying pan on it and fly lead to the earth terminal at the earth bus-bar. Or you could use a pirahna nut. I have seen so many "variations" of SWA some quite inventive, but in all cases it should be properly glanded/booted etc. no sneaky black tape 'cos you forgot to put the boot on! I think the only case for not putting the fly lead on and even then the gland would go on albeit a plastic version, is when coming from TN to TT. Even then the outer armour would still need the fly lead at the point of origin in to protect the SWA against mechanical damage. As it stand there is no such protection in your picture. Hmmm my dog is licking its lips at the picture????

 

[IAmSparkytus!]

Any chance of some photos of the rest of the works?

 

[MJPD29]

Looks like absolutley shocking work. Any pictures of the rest of it?

 

[Rockingit]

My guess is that it‘s a 2 core cable ( else would normally be in Br, BL, Gry) and that 1) there’s no cpc been taken with it (although do I spy a 100mA RCD which could suggest a TT so there could be some horrendous rod mashup somewhere else), 2) that inner SWA section got cut off and used as an insulated and sheathed(?!) short link from the board to a separate breaker, and then another one wouldn’t fit in the same hole so stripped the sheath off, hence the exposed L & N.

Also - this was reportable work under Part P so you should have had a full set of paperwork with it (not Scotland) - I‘d be seriously tempted to complain and ask for an independent inspection from Certsure.

 

[nicebutdim]

Also - this was reportable work under Part P so you should have had a full set of paperwork with it (not Scotland) - I‘d be seriously tempted to complain and ask for an independent inspection from Certsure.

OP is located in NI.

 

[MJPD29]

My guess is that it‘s a 2 core cable ( else would normally be in Br, BL, Gry) and that 1) there’s no cpc been taken with it (although do I spy a 100mA RCD which could suggest a TT so there could be some horrendous rod mashup somewhere else), 2) that inner SWA section got cut off and used as an insulated and sheathed(?!) short link from the board to a separate breaker, and then another one wouldn’t fit in the same hole so stripped the sheath off, hence the exposed L & N.

Also - this was reportable work under Part P so you should have had a full set of paperwork with it (not Scotland) - I‘d be seriously tempted to complain and ask for an independent inspection from Certsure.

No part p rubbish here

 

[ipf]

Someone's into RCD units, too.
Earthing?
It needs a lot of looking into, that lot.
How much was the joker paid?

 

[Dustydazzler]

I charged my usual £90 per hour + vat

 

[ipf]

I charged my usual £90 per hour + vat

Thought you might. Cheap as chips, as usual.

 

[David Prosser]

My guess is that it‘s a 2 core cable ( else would normally be in Br, BL, Gry) and that 1) there’s no cpc been taken with it (although do I spy a 100mA RCD which could suggest a TT so there could be some horrendous rod mashup somewhere else), 2) that inner SWA section got cut off and used as an insulated and sheathed(?!) short link from the board to a separate breaker, and then another one wouldn’t fit in the same hole so stripped the sheath off, hence the exposed L & N.

Also - this was reportable work under Part P so you should have had a full set of paperwork with it (not Scotland) - I‘d be seriously tempted to complain and ask for an independent inspection from Certsure.

You can get single phase SWA core colours from most suppliers.

 

[mjjm986]

So, I took a few more pics.

This is the other end of the SWA cable coming into the consumer unit inside the shed.

It then runs off to feed the three double sockets. Idea is that another breaker is added in the next few weeks for a feed to garden pond and lights.

I need to chat to the electrician tomorrow. Any advice on what.i should ask him to do to put right? He is due to be paid however I'm not comfortable with this. For example in the main board in the house there are pieces of the steel from the steel wire cable sticking out through the white insulation tape, am I right in thinking, worst case scenario, they could become electrified and cause a risk of shock?

 

[Dustydazzler]

Looks like someone stole your main switch ....

 

[mjjm986]

Looks like someone stole your main switch ....

I did wonder why there was isolation in the house but not the shed, surely in an emergency a mains switch would be required in the shed.

 

[mjjm986]

You can get single phase SWA core colours from most suppliers.

I think someone else mentioned I was from Northern Ireland, forgot to add that to my post ?

 

[westward10]

That is appalling if we employed anyone who carried out work to that standard they would be sacked. If the armour is the earth then you have problems however there is an additional cpc. As above the main switch is missing, I am not sure this individual should be doing electrical work.

 

[Cagethethird]

Did you take the cover off for the photo or was it left like that?

 

[IAmSparkytus!]

So THATS how you make off an SWA.... I've been doing it wrong all these years ?

 

[mjjm986]

Did you take the cover off for the photo or was it left like that?

I isolates the lower and removed the cover to get a look.