Our 20 year old wooden decking having past its use by date (and it was Tanalised) we decided to go for porcelain planks.
The designer's contractor who has done this work previously has run 32mm drainage pipe as a conduit beneath the edging setts through which he drilled 30mm diameter holes for the lighting units. He also ran the cable that "they always use" through the conduit and left loops above the surface.
I was somewhat concerned to see that the cable is marked, "8-core Alarm Wire TCCA" which I take to mean Tinned Copper Covered Aluminium. Alarm wire is usually 7 x 0.2mm which is 0.22 mm2 so admittedly 4 cores in parallel would give 0.88 mm2 but using TCCA to me sounds like built in unreliability. (OK I admit to having a bit of a reputation when I was at sea of over-engineering transmitting aerials, mainly not using galvanised shackles, eyes/thimbles, u-bolts etc, but instead stainless steel. Despite being exposed to engine combustion products and sea-water spray, nothing I had constructed ever fell down,)
I would have preferred as a minimum, 2-core 2192Y 0.75 mm2
Anyway, have had no contact with the appointed electrician at all. Job started in July and the designer suggesting that I look for a suitable electrician. Not a good idea. I am thinking that anyone else presented with the job, will for starters take a dislike to that cable. What do you think? Also, whilst 12 & 24 volt LED light units seem to be available, I have yet to see any with terminals. Instead they invariably come with an attached cable. So the option there appears to be to cut off the cable leaving a couple of inches and then trying to make a waterproof joint which can be pushed beneath the light fitting. Adhesive lined heat-shrink sleeving? The available depth might only be 50 - 60 mm from the surface and that also to accommodate the light unit.
Any suggestions appreciated. Thanks.
Clive
