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11 KV cables.

broadgage
Until fairly recently, underground 11 KV cables were invariably 3 core, paper insulated, lead covered, with an earthed steel wire armouring. Then came the more modern plastic insulated cables, with earthed armour and a red plastic over sheath to distinguish them from LV cables.


However the modern trend seems to be a bundle a 3 single core cables, each with an aluminium core, plastic insulation, copper wire armouring and a red plastic sheath.

Why is this used ? It seems to me that 3 single core cables would be more costly to manufacture, and more labour intensive to joint or terminate, than one 3 core cable.

I fail to see the advantage, but presume that there must be some advantage, or why make the change ?
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  • Former Community Member
    0 Former Community Member
    20 years ago I re-wired about 15 pubs with a local electrician and we had a routine that whenever someone asked about how we knew which wire was which in the inevitable 24 gang grid switch, I'd tell them that it's even more impressive when you know that my mate is colour blind. They fell for it every time when I explained that the individual cores have very small Braille markings and after a surreptitious look my mate would "feel" the cable and declare it blue, yellow etc to the impressed victim. We even offered to let the enquirer feel the core for himself who announced that, yes, he could feel the marks (in reality, minute extrusion marks). This worked well till we had the Landlord on it who after we'd finished that day, announced his experience to the evening regulars who mercilessly ribbed him for falling for it. He was not a happy bunny with us the next day. so we missed out on teas etc!


    Regards


    BAD
Reply
  • Former Community Member
    0 Former Community Member
    20 years ago I re-wired about 15 pubs with a local electrician and we had a routine that whenever someone asked about how we knew which wire was which in the inevitable 24 gang grid switch, I'd tell them that it's even more impressive when you know that my mate is colour blind. They fell for it every time when I explained that the individual cores have very small Braille markings and after a surreptitious look my mate would "feel" the cable and declare it blue, yellow etc to the impressed victim. We even offered to let the enquirer feel the core for himself who announced that, yes, he could feel the marks (in reality, minute extrusion marks). This worked well till we had the Landlord on it who after we'd finished that day, announced his experience to the evening regulars who mercilessly ribbed him for falling for it. He was not a happy bunny with us the next day. so we missed out on teas etc!


    Regards


    BAD
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