Ring Main at Consumer unit

I thought that the coding I suggested would raise a few comments, but those wanting a C2 need to tell us why. The Tails do not lack fault protection Andy, the sheath has nothing to do with that. If you think that a short length of primary insulation exposed could reasonably be mechanically damaged, please explain that too. "A lunatic with a sharp knife" will not do, he could also cut through the sheath just as easily.  It appears to me that you are considering the sheath as extra insulation, it is not it could be equally a steel foil, which would short the tail to Earth if damaged enough but that is the purpose of mechanical protection, it makes the cable less likely to be damaged but not impossible to damage given the right conditions. The other Andy (Spark) has shown us badly stripped cables, but these will presumably inside an enclosure so might cause a fault, but not a touch danger. They simply indicate a careless bad workman and should be a C3. The one entering a Henly block is a C1, there are accessible exposed live conductor(s) showing and capable of human contact (although quite difficult, it meets IP2x but not IP4x). Stripping the sheath of a longish amount is necessary inside some CUs because the sheathed tail cannot be bent sufficiently tightly through 180 degrees to fit the main switch. An alternative is to enter at the top with an IP4x gland, but this rarely happens. Those using Stanley knives for stripping are asking for trouble, particularly with a new blade, I find proper strippers or an electrician's knife much better. Good tradesmen would cut and strip the tail again (properly) and discard the damaged end.


The only defect of an exposed insulated single conductor is, by the regulations, only a lack of mechanical protection. The insulation is in reality good for several KV at least, so cannot be described as dangerous to touch, just to mechanically damage. as such damage is unlikely, how can you give a C2, making the whole installation unsatisfactory? It simply requires some simple maintenance by small improvements. Compare it to a plug where the cord grip has failed or become loose, does this make the appliance unsatisfactory, and is it dangerous to touch. No, it may be dangerous if you pull the cord hard enough to disconnect the CPC, but with proper plug fitting that cannot happen without the live already having been broken, so not very dangerous.

I thought that the coding I suggested would raise a few comments, but those wanting a C2 need to tell us why. The Tails do not lack fault protection Andy, the sheath has nothing to do with that. If you think that a short length of primary insulation exposed could reasonably be mechanically damaged, please explain that too. "A lunatic with a sharp knife" will not do, he could also cut through the sheath just as easily.  It appears to me that you are considering the sheath as extra insulation, it is not it could be equally a steel foil, which would short the tail to Earth if damaged enough but that is the purpose of mechanical protection, it makes the cable less likely to be damaged but not impossible to damage given the right conditions. The other Andy (Spark) has shown us badly stripped cables, but these will presumably inside an enclosure so might cause a fault, but not a touch danger. They simply indicate a careless bad workman and should be a C3. The one entering a Henly block is a C1, there are accessible exposed live conductor(s) showing and capable of human contact (although quite difficult, it meets IP2x but not IP4x). Stripping the sheath of a longish amount is necessary inside some CUs because the sheathed tail cannot be bent sufficiently tightly through 180 degrees to fit the main switch. An alternative is to enter at the top with an IP4x gland, but this rarely happens. Those using Stanley knives for stripping are asking for trouble, particularly with a new blade, I find proper strippers or an electrician's knife much better. Good tradesmen would cut and strip the tail again (properly) and discard the damaged end.


The only defect of an exposed insulated single conductor is, by the regulations, only a lack of mechanical protection. The insulation is in reality good for several KV at least, so cannot be described as dangerous to touch, just to mechanically damage. as such damage is unlikely, how can you give a C2, making the whole installation unsatisfactory? It simply requires some simple maintenance by small improvements. Compare it to a plug where the cord grip has failed or become loose, does this make the appliance unsatisfactory, and is it dangerous to touch. No, it may be dangerous if you pull the cord hard enough to disconnect the CPC, but with proper plug fitting that cannot happen without the live already having been broken, so not very dangerous.