To tie wrap or not to tie wrap. That is the question

[casperLennon]

I’m doing a 48way three phase board at work with 34 circuits. How to keep it tidy without tie wraps? Or is tie wraps the way to go

 

[James]

I’m doing a 48way three phase board at work with 34 circuits. How to keep it tidy without tie wraps? Or is tie wraps the way to go

big boards like that, the only choices you have for a really neat job without spending days on it, tie wraps or if its big enough you can screw some slotted trunking down each side.

 

[casperLennon]

I really wanted to do it without tie wraps but I’m gonna have to give in and use them I think.

 

[Charlie_]

Are all the cables coming in top entry?
Start with the largest cables at the bottom and then cascade down to the smallest at the top..
Avoid RCBOs with functional earths, better still go for one of the new Schneider boards

 

[casperLennon]

All top entry into trunking. All 6mm swa.

 

[Bobster]

Use tie wraps to form the wiring into place.

Remove when all testing is done, as long as you ran them in neat, they shouldn't move too much.

Pet peeve of mine is cable ties where they aren't needed. An if I find people tying cables together in trunking. Heads will role. Nothing worst than having to pull out a cable in trunking an finding its tied to all the others.

 

[Bobster]

All top entry into trunking. All 6mm swa.

At that size, you shouldn't need ties, they will be rigid enough without them.

 

[Leesparkykent]

I cable tie then cut them off.

 

[Jon Bateson]

Yeah tie up , terminate, then remove. Sparky ninja did an interesting video on grouping and enclosure derating.

 

[Dustydazzler]

Use tie wraps to form the wiring into place.

Remove when all testing is done, as long as you ran them in neat, they shouldn't move too much.

Pet peeve of mine is cable ties where they aren't needed. An if I find people tying cables together in trunking. Heads will role. Nothing worst than having to pull out a cable in trunking an finding its tied to all the others.

The old school sparks I have worked with would have lobbed their hammer at you if they saw you putting ties around cables in trunking

 

[Charlie_]

What make of board?
Sounds like a nice easy job

 

[James]

The old school sparks I have worked with would have lobbed their hammer at you if they saw you putting ties around cables in trunking

I have a similar amount of anger directed at whoever tapes up bunches of cables before pulling them down conduit.

makes it almost impossible to pull an extra one down after

 

[casperLennon]

It’s a Schneider. It is a nice easy job. I think I’ll tie them then cut them off when finished

 

[Charlie_]

Is it the new Schneider board?
I’ve just booked a few out for a job that I need to do..
Fancy posting some pics up when you’re done?

 

[casperLennon]

Not sure if it’s the new one. It was already mounted but yes I’ll post some pictures when it’s finished

 

[littlespark]

Not sure if it’s the new one. It was already mounted but yes I’ll post some pictures when it’s finished

Well be prepared to have you work criticised and critiqued by all.

 

[casperLennon]

I’m looking forward to it already

 

[Yozza19]

You can’t beat metal trunk in down the sides and across the top

 

[Toneyz]

I cable tie then cut them off.

I think that is the best way Lee it keeps them in a neat desirable place until complete.

 

[davesparks]

Pet peeve of mine is cable ties where they aren't needed. An if I find people tying cables together in trunking. Heads will role. Nothing worst than having to pull out a cable in trunking an finding its tied to all the others.

At one of the theatres I work for every circuit has been individually cable tied together in the trunking every couple of metres using the cable ties that incorporate a label where the circuit number has been written.
So it is very easy to find the relevant singles in the trunking when making alterations, and not too bad to pull them out if you are moving the whole circuit. But trying to alter a lighting circuit is a nightmare, you pull the s/l and the strappers, perm live, neutral and earth all come with it.

 

[casperLennon]

 

[casperLennon]

I will be cutting the tie wraps off

 

[Dustydazzler]

Very neat.....

But will never work as You seem to have forgotten to install the main switch

 

[Deleted member 26818]

Not seen one of those before.
No sliders.
Shame about the earths.

 

[casperLennon]

The switch is just out of the picture

 

[casperLennon]

To be fair the earths don’t look the best on the picture. They look fine in real life

 

[Deleted member 26818]

If I use tape to cover all of an exposed conductor, I run it along the length of the conductor.
Only ever wrap like that, if I’m building a loom, or making a repair.

 

[casperLennon]

You are right about the earths. I have one that is stripes along instead of wrapped around and it does look better.

 

[Pete999]

There is a Regulation governing the make up of earth sleeving I believe, although I don't have my copy of 7671 to hand.

 

[Dustydazzler]

Do the cores really need to be bound in tape like that ?

Could you not just sleeve a portion of the core

 

[Deleted member 26818]

There is a Regulation governing the make up of earth sleeving I believe, although I don't have my copy of 7671 to hand.

That’s for sleeving bare earths in T&E and FP200.

 

[casperLennon]

Unfortunately no sleeving was on site or being bought for site so it was tape or nothing.

 

[Charlie_]

Some circuit numbers on each wire would be handy for servicing.
On the right hand side o would have started from the bottom and left the top ones free.
Where is the main incoming earth?

 

[casperLennon]

The boss wanted them putting in that way. So flat 1 top left and going down to flat 34. It’s not fully finished yet so main earth not in. If we can’t have sleeving then there is no way we are getting numbers. There is numbers on stickers on the board with the neutrals and earths

 

[Pete999]

That’s for sleeving bare earths in T&E and FP200.

That’s for sleeving bare earths in T&E and FP200.

That's what I said isn't it?

 

[Deleted member 26818]

That's what I said isn't it?

In this instance, the OP has used neutral and earth tape to change the colours of conductors.
As such the requirements for earth sleeving which relate to sleeving bare conductors would not apply.

 

[westward10]

Totally wrapping a conductor in tape looks awful, just needs a tag at the termination point.

 

[Darkwood]

Yep agree, cable tie, do the testing then cut them off and just open them up a bit... grouping factor and all

 

[davesparks]

Not seen one of those before.
No sliders.
Shame about the earths.

That is what used to be a square D board, the breakers plug in to the spine rather than the usual busbar setup, also now made by schneider

 

[casperLennon]

Does that go for both earth and neutral?

 

[Charlie_]

I really don’t like the position of the earth bar.
I would be tempted to put an earth bar down each side.

 

[davesparks]

There is a Regulation governing the make up of earth sleeving I believe, although I don't have my copy of 7671 to hand.

There are rules about identification sleeving but the regs also allow identification by tape, disc or paint.

 

[Bobster]

As others have said, real nice job. However, get your boss to invest in some G/Y heat shrink for the CPC on jobs like this. Looks 100% better IMO.

 

[Wilko]

Very neat, but I’ve never seen so much tape - going to be interesting after a year at operating temp perhaps?

 

[davesparks]

Very neat, but I’ve never seen so much tape - going to be interesting after a year at operating temp perhaps?

I wouldnt call a disgusting sticky mess all that interesting personally!

 

[Charlie_]

Why c type breakers?

 

[casperLennon]

That’s what we got given. When you are a subby you just do as your told

 

[Charlie_]

That’s what we got given. When you are a subby you just do as your told

 

[casperLennon]

Pays the bills.

 

[Dustydazzler]

I’m not a fan of binding cores in miles of insulating tape , it looks very amateur imo

A bit of 4mm 6mm colour sleeve would look the bizz