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Seeking 3C-&-E cable in old colours
I decided to do my current rewiring project using the old colours on the
basis that (a) I had a fair amount of old stuff in stock and (b) the local sheds (B&Q/Wickes) don't stock any harmonised colours at all yet (still). However, I ran out of 3 core & earth cable for my 2-way lighting and smoke alarm circuits. A trip to B&Q and Wickes for a new reel was fruitless; I was advised that the cable (either 1.0 or 1.5 mm2) is now obsolete and they won't be getting any more in. But no sign of any harmonised-coloured cable in the forseeable future, either. God help us. So I'm in the middle of the project, run out of 3C&E red/black cable, and the regs forbid me to use harmonised cable. So before I rip the whole lot out and start again, does anybody know who still stocks this stuff (1.0mm ideally)? I think the online retailers are all now fully on to harmonised? (Actually TBH that isn't going to happen; I bought 3 very expensive 7m lengths in poly bags from Wickes, but would rather return them and buy a full reel.) Thanks David |
Dave wrote:
Lobster wrote: ... snipped So I'm in the middle of the project, run out of 3C&E red/black cable, and the regs forbid me to use harmonised cable. So before I rip the Why? All you need is a standard sticker on the CU saying that the installation uses both colour schemes. You're allowed to do that if you're adding to or extending an existing system but not if you're installing a new system from scratch (as I am). From BS7671: 2001 - Amendment No 2 : 2004 (AMD 14905): "Installations commencing on site after 31st March 2004 and before 1st April 2006 may be installed in accordance with Amendment No 2 : 2004 or Amendment No 1 : 2002; that is, they may use the harmonized colours or the old colours, but NOT both." "If wiring alterations or additions are made to an installation such that some of the wiring complies with Regulation 514-04 but there is also wiring to previous versions of these Regulations, a warning notice shall be affixed at or near the appropriate distribution board with the following wording: "CAUTION: This installation has wiring colours to two versions of BS 7671. Great care should be taken before undertaking extension, alteration or repair that all conductors are correctly identified." David |
Lobster wrote:
Dave wrote: Lobster wrote: ... snipped So I'm in the middle of the project, run out of 3C&E red/black cable, and the regs forbid me to use harmonised cable. So before I rip the Why? All you need is a standard sticker on the CU saying that the installation uses both colour schemes. You're allowed to do that if you're adding to or extending an existing system but not if you're installing a new system from scratch (as I am). From BS7671: 2001 - Amendment No 2 : 2004 (AMD 14905): "Installations commencing on site after 31st March 2004 and before 1st April 2006 may be installed in accordance with Amendment No 2 : 2004 or Amendment No 1 : 2002; that is, they may use the harmonized colours or the old colours, but NOT both." "If wiring alterations or additions are made to an installation such that some of the wiring complies with Regulation 514-04 but there is also wiring to previous versions of these Regulations, a warning notice shall be affixed at or near the appropriate distribution board with the following wording: "CAUTION: This installation has wiring colours to two versions of BS 7671. Great care should be taken before undertaking extension, alteration or repair that all conductors are correctly identified." David Ah, I hadn't realised that this was a new installation. I wonder if there's a definition of when alterations or additions become a new installation? Dave |
Lobster wrote:
Dave wrote: Lobster wrote: ... snipped So I'm in the middle of the project, run out of 3C&E red/black cable, and the regs forbid me to use harmonised cable. So before I rip the Why? All you need is a standard sticker on the CU saying that the installation uses both colour schemes. but then the bit with the old colours was obviously done long before part P, wsn't it. And that new bit is a replacement for something the mice found tasty. -- David Clark $message_body_include ="PLES RING IF AN RNSR IS REQIRD" |
Lobster wrote:
However, I ran out of 3 core & earth cable for my 2-way lighting and smoke alarm circuits. You can use a second length of T&E for the third wire. Cut back the unused core, ensure *all* the earths are connected, and the second T&E *must* run alongside the first at all times. You also used to be able to get sheathed single red, for the same purpose. This will be fine for 2-way switching, not sure about smoke alarms. Owain |
In message , Lobster
writes I decided to do my current rewiring project using the old colours on the basis that (a) I had a fair amount of old stuff in stock and (b) the local sheds (B&Q/Wickes) don't stock any harmonised colours at all yet (still). However, I ran out of 3 core & earth cable for my 2-way lighting and smoke alarm circuits. A trip to B&Q and Wickes for a new reel was fruitless; I was advised that the cable (either 1.0 or 1.5 mm2) is now obsolete and they won't be getting any more in. But no sign of any harmonised-coloured cable in the forseeable future, either. God help us. Go to a proper electrical shop I think (and hope ) that my local one still stocks real cable reels (Watford) -- geoff |
In article ,
raden writes: In message , Lobster However, I ran out of 3 core & earth cable for my 2-way lighting and smoke alarm circuits. A trip to B&Q and Wickes for a new reel was fruitless; I was advised that the cable (either 1.0 or 1.5 mm2) is now obsolete and they won't be getting any more in. But no sign of any harmonised-coloured cable in the forseeable future, either. God help us. Go to a proper electrical shop Electrical Wholesaler? When I was in one a couple of weeks ago, an electrician was trying to buy old colours as he was working in the local hospital, and they have banned the use of new colours throughout the whole premises. Wholesaler was saying they've had lots of requests for old colours as many large organisations have now done this, so they're looking to get old colours back as a stock item. They only had 1mm T&E in old colours left in stock at the time though. A work colleague also saw one of our customers had put notices up in all their wiring closets forbidding use of new colours, as ordered by their health and safety officer. -- Andrew Gabriel |
In message , Andrew Gabriel
writes In article , raden writes: In message , Lobster However, I ran out of 3 core & earth cable for my 2-way lighting and smoke alarm circuits. A trip to B&Q and Wickes for a new reel was fruitless; I was advised that the cable (either 1.0 or 1.5 mm2) is now obsolete and they won't be getting any more in. But no sign of any harmonised-coloured cable in the forseeable future, either. God help us. Go to a proper electrical shop Electrical Wholesaler? When I was in one a couple of weeks ago, an electrician was trying to buy old colours as he was working in the local hospital, and they have banned the use of new colours throughout the whole premises. Wholesaler was saying they've had lots of requests for old colours as many large organisations have now done this, so they're looking to get old colours back as a stock item. They only had 1mm T&E in old colours left in stock at the time though. A work colleague also saw one of our customers had put notices up in all their wiring closets forbidding use of new colours, as ordered by their health and safety officer. I will phone my local one tomorrow -- geoff |
In article , Andrew Gabriel
writes In article , raden writes: In message , Lobster However, I ran out of 3 core & earth cable for my 2-way lighting and smoke alarm circuits. A trip to B&Q and Wickes for a new reel was fruitless; I was advised that the cable (either 1.0 or 1.5 mm2) is now obsolete and they won't be getting any more in. But no sign of any harmonised-coloured cable in the forseeable future, either. God help us. Go to a proper electrical shop Electrical Wholesaler? When I was in one a couple of weeks ago, an electrician was trying to buy old colours as he was working in the local hospital, and they have banned the use of new colours throughout the whole premises. Wholesaler was saying they've had lots of requests for old colours as many large organisations have now done this, so they're looking to get old colours back as a stock item. They only had 1mm T&E in old colours left in stock at the time though. A work colleague also saw one of our customers had put notices up in all their wiring closets forbidding use of new colours, as ordered by their health and safety officer. That's a typical h&s officer reaction, what are they going to do when the new colours become mandatory? rewire the whole place? -- Tim Mitchell |
In article ,
Tim Mitchell writes: In article , Andrew Gabriel writes Electrical Wholesaler? When I was in one a couple of weeks ago, an electrician was trying to buy old colours as he was working in the local hospital, and they have banned the use of new colours throughout the whole premises. Wholesaler was saying they've had lots of requests for old colours as many large organisations have now done this, so they're looking to get old colours back as a stock item. They only had 1mm T&E in old colours left in stock at the time though. A work colleague also saw one of our customers had put notices up in all their wiring closets forbidding use of new colours, as ordered by their health and safety officer. That's a typical h&s officer reaction, what are they going to do when the new colours become mandatory? rewire the whole place? The new colours don't become mandatory for them. In some of the circumstances, it may be that the new colours have been in use for many years with a different meaning. -- Andrew Gabriel |
Tim Mitchell wrote:
That's a typical h&s officer reaction, what are they going to do when the new colours become mandatory? rewire the whole place? Almost certainly. Its not their money, but it IS their jobs on the line if someone dies from touching the wrong colour... Go figure... |
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In article ,
Lobster wrote: I decided to do my current rewiring project using the old colours on the basis that (a) I had a fair amount of old stuff in stock and (b) the local sheds (B&Q/Wickes) don't stock any harmonised colours at all yet (still). However, I ran out of 3 core & earth cable for my 2-way lighting and smoke alarm circuits. A trip to B&Q and Wickes for a new reel was fruitless; I was advised that the cable (either 1.0 or 1.5 mm2) is now obsolete and they won't be getting any more in. But no sign of any harmonised-coloured cable in the forseeable future, either. God help us. Take a trip round your local wholesalers since you want a full reel. One may well have the old colours still in stock. -- *Hang in there, retirement is only thirty years away! * Dave Plowman London SW To e-mail, change noise into sound. |
However, I ran out of 3 core & earth cable for my 2-way lighting and smoke alarm circuits. A trip to B&Q and Wickes for a new reel was fruitless; I was advised that the cable (either 1.0 or 1.5 mm2) is now obsolete and they won't be getting any more in. But no sign of any harmonised-coloured cable in the forseeable future, either. God help us. Loads of it for sale on E-Bay, most of it 100m reels of 1.0mm and 2.5mm at £4 and £8 per reel (P+p £8 + 2.50 for every extra reel) from a proper firm in East Anglia. I've purchased 200m of each. (I have no connection with the seller) See http://search.ebay.co.uk/_W0QQsassZ55ken55 -- Mark Please replace invalid and invalid with gmx and net to reply |
"Mark Carver" wrote in message ... However, I ran out of 3 core & earth cable for my 2-way lighting and smoke alarm circuits. A trip to B&Q and Wickes for a new reel was fruitless; I was advised that the cable (either 1.0 or 1.5 mm2) is now obsolete and they won't be getting any more in. But no sign of any harmonised-coloured cable in the forseeable future, either. God help us. Loads of it for sale on E-Bay, most of it 100m reels of 1.0mm and 2.5mm at £4 and £8 per reel (P+p £8 + 2.50 for every extra reel) from a proper firm in East Anglia. I've purchased 200m of each. (I have no connection with the seller) See http://search.ebay.co.uk/_W0QQsassZ55ken55 They all seem to be twin and earth as far as I could see - the OP was after 3-core and earth (as he said). -- Bob Mannix (anti-spam is as easy as 1-2-3 - not) |
Bob Mannix wrote:
"Mark Carver" wrote in message ... However, I ran out of 3 core & earth cable for my 2-way lighting and smoke alarm circuits. A trip to B&Q and Wickes for a new reel was fruitless; I was advised that the cable (either 1.0 or 1.5 mm2) is now obsolete and they won't be getting any more in. But no sign of any harmonised-coloured cable in the forseeable future, either. God help us. Loads of it for sale on E-Bay, most of it 100m reels of 1.0mm and 2.5mm at £4 and £8 per reel (P+p £8 + 2.50 for every extra reel) from a proper firm in East Anglia. I've purchased 200m of each. (I have no connection with the seller) See http://search.ebay.co.uk/_W0QQsassZ55ken55 They all seem to be twin and earth as far as I could see - the OP was after 3-core and earth (as he said). You're right, my apologies. Worth giving them a ring instead, they might well have some. Headley and Ellis Ltd 01733 345250 http://www.gfd54.dial.pipex.com/ -- Mark Please replace invalid and invalid with gmx and net to reply |
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