There’s debate about exposed basic insulation in meter cupboards being satisfactory or not? Industry guidance (WRAG) say it’s satisfactory if the door’s in good shape, what’s people views on this ?
There’s debate about exposed basic insulation in meter cupboards being satisfactory or not? Industry guidance (WRAG) say it’s satisfactory if the door’s in good shape, what’s people views on this ?
A key (or tool) implies that access should be restricted to a particular person or class of persons. If not ordinary/skilled or instructed, is the distinction between adults and children?
BS 7671 doesn't say that ... it just implies "make it harder" ... there are also requirements to provide warnings.
At the end of the day, most people (skilled, instructed, or otherwise) have access to tools that can open up their domestic appliances ... is that a problem?
On the other hand "key or tool" goes back to the time when we had open switchboards in industrial sites ... controlled access as you say ... but it's hardly an "open switchboard".
Conversely, my home has access only by a key ... can I post a warning notice and wire the whole installation indoors with singles with no containment ?
Hmmm ... "double standards" ??
If anyone has suggestions as to how to "square the circle" as it were, I'm sure the industry would be grateful, but I don't think there's an easy answer.
It's like saying bare conductors are satisfactory in an office, or broom cupboard, if the door needs a key to open it.
I completely agree. If we find single insulated cables in a cupboard we can't just lock the door and put a label on the door. It's bonkers. Do the job properly and not cut corners.
Gary
Conversely, my home has access only by a key ... can I post a warning notice and wire the whole installation indoors with singles with no containment ?
You can wire it with bare conductors on dainty porcelain insulators, if you wish. You would be safe, but I doubt that Donoghue v Stevenson would let you get away with it should anybody else be injured.
Back to the OP: does any significant risk arise from short lengths of exposed inner insulation?
Back to the OP: does any significant risk arise from short lengths of exposed inner insulation?
In a meter cabinet where the conductor insulation is not generally exposed to UV, the only issues we might have are the result of mechanical damage, or the possible external influences of flora & fauna (although the latter could apply if the sheath were present).
In my example of "whole house" or, more widely, in general, conductor insulation might not be protected against UV, but a sheath might.
So, in the general case, yes potentially a problem ... in the case of a meter cabinet, probably not (most of the time) if the door is intact and usually left closed.
It appears that SWA cables are being used, with their basic insulated exposed conductors terminated into a REC isolator.
I think perhaps a bigger question in some of the pictures we've seen on social media and other sites, is whether the SWA cable is terminated correctly, and in accordance with manufacturer's instructions?
It worries me that there appears to be a widespread issue with not terminating SWA correctly so that the armour is effectively connected at both ends, and is appropriately protected against corrosion by selecting the correct gland for the external influences. So much so, in fact, that some in the industry are unhappy to rely on the armour as cpc ... when in reality, the armour itself is generally an exposed-conductive-part, at least at terminations, so it just has to be earthed correctly.
In the particular case of meter cupboards, the key issue, I wouldn't mind betting, is that there's no bend radius for the SWA ... which means it's not the correct solution to select for that application?
It worries me that this is satisfactory practice now. I still will not consider it as acceptable.
Although, given the scale of current global issues, this feels like trivial escapism. Personally, I find it underwhelming and poorly executed. It’s low-quality and should be dismissed outright
It appears that SWA cables are being used
Hang on, where does that come from?
Are you suggesting that SWA is being used for consumer's tails?
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