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#1
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Colour flagging of wires
One of my pet hates is lighting positions (or any other place where
wires are used in non obvious ways that differ from their colouring) where the original installer obviously could not be arsed to flag the wires with coloured tape or sleeving when required (e.g. the wire carrying switched live from the switch). So when changing a fitting or lamp etc I will normally correct this as a matter of routine. Now traditionally one would flag the black wire with red, or these days the blue with brown. It just occurred to me that now the new colours are mandatory, what is the correct procedure in a mixed colour installation? Should one still flag black wires with red, or should one now use brown? Appendix 7 of BS7671 does not seem to give an answer. -- Cheers, John. /================================================== ===============\ | Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk | |-----------------------------------------------------------------| | John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk | \================================================= ================/ |
#2
Posted to uk.d-i-y
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Colour flagging of wires
"John Rumm" wrote in message et... One of my pet hates is lighting positions (or any other place where wires are used in non obvious ways that differ from their colouring) where the original installer obviously could not be arsed to flag the wires with coloured tape or sleeving when required (e.g. the wire carrying switched live from the switch). So when changing a fitting or lamp etc I will normally correct this as a matter of routine. Now traditionally one would flag the black wire with red, or these days the blue with brown. It just occurred to me that now the new colours are mandatory, what is the correct procedure in a mixed colour installation? Should one still flag black wires with red, or should one now use brown? Appendix 7 of BS7671 does not seem to give an answer. John. You would flag a switched live as brown, being the new adopted colour scheme, even if you leave the original live as red, the different distinction between red and brown is acceptable. In cases of multiple conductor systems used for remote switching etc, you could actually leave the switched live as black. |
#3
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Colour flagging of wires
John Rumm wrote:
One of my pet hates is lighting positions (or any other place where wires are used in non obvious ways that differ from their colouring) where the original installer obviously could not be arsed to flag the wires with coloured tape or sleeving when required (e.g. the wire carrying switched live from the switch). So when changing a fitting or lamp etc I will normally correct this as a matter of routine. You would be amazed at how many times I change light fittings where the switch live isnt marked, prolly 90%. The earth wire actually being sleeved is an extreemly rare thing to find. Several times I've come across the 'I've wired the new light in & it doesn't work' syndrome to find all three blacks joined. Now traditionally one would flag the black wire with red, or these days the blue with brown. It just occurred to me that now the new colours are mandatory, what is the correct procedure in a mixed colour installation? Should one still flag black wires with red, or should one now use brown? Appendix 7 of BS7671 does not seem to give an answer. Good point, I tag the cable & the black wire with red tape just to be sure. Brown just isn't right for a live IMO. Electrickery is 'red' for nasty or 'blue' for lightning. Brown instictively means 'neutral' or 'brown earth' to me. IMO cables should be red for 'live' or 'danger', or blue for 'lightning'. Neutrals should be a neutral colour like brown or black. Who decided on the colours anyway? -- Dave - The Medway Handyman www.medwayhandyman.co.uk -- Dave - The Medway Handyman www.medwayhandyman.co.uk |
#4
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Colour flagging of wires
The Medway Handyman wrote:
John Rumm wrote: One of my pet hates is lighting positions (or any other place where wires are used in non obvious ways that differ from their colouring) where the original installer obviously could not be arsed to flag the wires with coloured tape or sleeving when required (e.g. the wire carrying switched live from the switch). So when changing a fitting or lamp etc I will normally correct this as a matter of routine. You would be amazed at how many times I change light fittings where the switch live isnt marked, prolly 90%. The earth wire actually being sleeved is an extreemly rare thing to find. Don't find 90% amazing really - seems to concur with my experience... Earth sleeving is certainly more common, although by no means universal. Several times I've come across the 'I've wired the new light in & it doesn't work' syndrome to find all three blacks joined. Now traditionally one would flag the black wire with red, or these days the blue with brown. It just occurred to me that now the new colours are mandatory, what is the correct procedure in a mixed colour installation? Should one still flag black wires with red, or should one now use brown? Appendix 7 of BS7671 does not seem to give an answer. Good point, I tag the cable & the black wire with red tape just to be sure. Brown just isn't right for a live IMO. Electrickery is 'red' for nasty or 'blue' for lightning. Brown instictively means 'neutral' or 'brown earth' to me. IMO cables should be red for 'live' or 'danger', or blue for 'lightning'. Neutrals should be a neutral colour like brown or black. Who decided on the colours anyway? One of the big difficulties with any harmonised system - different colours traditionally mean different things to different cultures and nations. The US use Black and White for Live and Neutral... (and for that matter we use black for live now in some cases). -- Cheers, John. /================================================== ===============\ | Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk | |-----------------------------------------------------------------| | John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk | \================================================= ================/ |
#5
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Colour flagging of wires
In article ,
"The Medway Handyman" writes: John Rumm wrote: One of my pet hates is lighting positions (or any other place where wires are used in non obvious ways that differ from their colouring) where the original installer obviously could not be arsed to flag the wires with coloured tape or sleeving when required (e.g. the wire carrying switched live from the switch). So when changing a fitting or lamp etc I will normally correct this as a matter of routine. You would be amazed at how many times I change light fittings where the switch live isnt marked, prolly 90%. I find it on the wrong wires often enough that it's worse than useless, and it's thus much better/safer not to be there at all. -- Andrew Gabriel [email address is not usable -- followup in the newsgroup] |
#6
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Colour flagging of wires
"Andrew Gabriel" wrote in message ... I find it on the wrong wires often enough that it's worse than useless, and it's thus much better/safer not to be there at all. -- Andrew Gabriel [email address is not usable -- followup in the newsgroup] I suggest sleeving wires in light switches is a complete and utter waste of time. I do it because I know what the rules say. But it tells someone who knows little about electricity nothing and it tells someone who does know something about alectricity nothing that was not staring them in the face anyway. Regards BruceB |
#7
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Colour flagging of wires
In article ,
John Rumm wrote: Now traditionally one would flag the black wire with red, or these days the blue with brown. It just occurred to me that now the new colours are mandatory, what is the correct procedure in a mixed colour installation? Should one still flag black wires with red, or should one now use brown? Appendix 7 of BS7671 does not seem to give an answer. I'd say you use the colour appropriate to the wiring colour. Although just why you'd use the old wiring in a new installation using the new colours mainly I'm not sure. -- *Errors have been made. Others will be blamed. Dave Plowman London SW To e-mail, change noise into sound. |
#8
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Colour flagging of wires
BigWallop coughed up some electrons that declared:
"John Rumm" wrote in message et... One of my pet hates is lighting positions (or any other place where wires are used in non obvious ways that differ from their colouring) where the original installer obviously could not be arsed to flag the wires with coloured tape or sleeving when required (e.g. the wire carrying switched live from the switch). So when changing a fitting or lamp etc I will normally correct this as a matter of routine. Now traditionally one would flag the black wire with red, or these days the blue with brown. It just occurred to me that now the new colours are mandatory, what is the correct procedure in a mixed colour installation? Should one still flag black wires with red, or should one now use brown? Appendix 7 of BS7671 does not seem to give an answer. John. You would flag a switched live as brown, being the new adopted colour scheme, even if you leave the original live as red, the different distinction between red and brown is acceptable. In cases of multiple conductor systems used for remote switching etc, you could actually leave the switched live as black. This precise question came up on the EAL course I attended a few weeks back. The answer according to our instructor was: New colour cables should be flagged in new colours; Old colour cables should be flagged according to old colours, even if the flagging is done post-harmonisation. To me it makes sense to maintain the colours within a section of cable to suit that cable, even on a mixed installation. Cheers Tim |
#9
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Colour flagging of wires
"Tim S" wrote in message ... BigWallop coughed up some electrons that declared: "John Rumm" wrote in message et... One of my pet hates is lighting positions (or any other place where wires are used in non obvious ways that differ from their colouring) where the original installer obviously could not be arsed to flag the wires with coloured tape or sleeving when required (e.g. the wire carrying switched live from the switch). So when changing a fitting or lamp etc I will normally correct this as a matter of routine. Now traditionally one would flag the black wire with red, or these days the blue with brown. It just occurred to me that now the new colours are mandatory, what is the correct procedure in a mixed colour installation? Should one still flag black wires with red, or should one now use brown? Appendix 7 of BS7671 does not seem to give an answer. John. You would flag a switched live as brown, being the new adopted colour scheme, even if you leave the original live as red, the different distinction between red and brown is acceptable. In cases of multiple conductor systems used for remote switching etc, you could actually leave the switched live as black. This precise question came up on the EAL course I attended a few weeks back. The answer according to our instructor was: New colour cables should be flagged in new colours; Old colour cables should be flagged according to old colours, even if the flagging is done post-harmonisation. To me it makes sense to maintain the colours within a section of cable to suit that cable, even on a mixed installation. Cheers Tim Tell your instructor that, if I have to carry any more coloured sleeving about with me, I'm gonna' come down there and bosh him in the face. I'm goin' for crayons next time. See how they like that. :-) I loved it when I could carry a roll of green/yellow over sleeve and that was that. :-) |
#10
Posted to uk.d-i-y
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Colour flagging of wires
"John Rumm" wrote in message et... One of my pet hates is lighting positions (or any other place where wires are used in non obvious ways that differ from their colouring) where the original installer obviously could not be arsed to flag the wires with coloured tape or sleeving when required (e.g. the wire carrying switched live from the switch). So when changing a fitting or lamp etc I will normally correct this as a matter of routine. Now traditionally one would flag the black wire with red, or these days the blue with brown. It just occurred to me that now the new colours are mandatory, what is the correct procedure in a mixed colour installation? Should one still flag black wires with red, or should one now use brown? Appendix 7 of BS7671 does not seem to give an answer. -- Cheers, John. An electrician I sometimes work with asked the NICEIC support desk this. In his case it was when he was 2 waying a light. There was no red sleeving on the existing switch wire and the 3 core and earth he was installing for the two way was in the new colours. He was told to use brown on the new wires (a bit obvious) and red on the existing black wire. I know that is not a reg and only the NICEICs interpretation of the regs. It seems a logical enough approach though. Adam |
#11
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Colour flagging of wires
"ARWadsworth" wrote in message om... "John Rumm" wrote in message et... One of my pet hates is lighting positions (or any other place where wires are used in non obvious ways that differ from their colouring) where the original installer obviously could not be arsed to flag the wires with coloured tape or sleeving when required (e.g. the wire carrying switched live from the switch). So when changing a fitting or lamp etc I will normally correct this as a matter of routine. Now traditionally one would flag the black wire with red, or these days the blue with brown. It just occurred to me that now the new colours are mandatory, what is the correct procedure in a mixed colour installation? Should one still flag black wires with red, or should one now use brown? Appendix 7 of BS7671 does not seem to give an answer. -- Cheers, John. An electrician I sometimes work with asked the NICEIC support desk this. In his case it was when he was 2 waying a light. There was no red sleeving on the existing switch wire and the 3 core and earth he was installing for the two way was in the new colours. He was told to use brown on the new wires (a bit obvious) and red on the existing black wire. I know that is not a reg and only the NICEICs interpretation of the regs. It seems a logical enough approach though. Adam But brown does just as well. As the colour brown has now been chosen to signify a live conductor in the new harmonised scheme. But, also, the colour red can be used in a none mixed scheme to signify a switched live conductor, which gives no reference to black or blue on the switched live to any fitting, making it easier to distinguish all the switched live conductors. Brown supply. Red Switched supply. Blue Neutral. |
#12
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Colour flagging of wires
"BigWallop" wrote in message om... "ARWadsworth" wrote in message om... An electrician I sometimes work with asked the NICEIC support desk this. In his case it was when he was 2 waying a light. There was no red sleeving on the existing switch wire and the 3 core and earth he was installing for the two way was in the new colours. He was told to use brown on the new wires (a bit obvious) and red on the existing black wire. I know that is not a reg and only the NICEICs interpretation of the regs. It seems a logical enough approach though. Adam But brown does just as well. As the colour brown has now been chosen to signify a live conductor in the new harmonised scheme. But, also, the colour red can be used in a none mixed scheme to signify a switched live conductor, which gives no reference to black or blue on the switched live to any fitting, making it easier to distinguish all the switched live conductors. Brown supply. Red Switched supply. Blue Neutral. Make your mind up. If you have red in a non mixed scheme then you are using the old colours and only the old colours. Brown is not one of the old colours. By adding brown you have a mixed scheme. Adam |
#13
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Colour flagging of wires - your lighting in the bungalow
I see Big Wallop is talking ******** again further down the thread. The man
has no shame. Hi Tim Have you given any thoughts as to the way you are going to wire your lights in the bungalow? Loop in loop out Singles Take LN&E to each switch in turn with just a single 1.5 t&E to each fitting I was just curious. I have a few tips, either self learnt, shamelesly pinched off someone else that is very good at their job or read about on groups like this. Adam |
#14
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Colour flagging of wires
"ARWadsworth" wrote in message om... "BigWallop" wrote in message om... "ARWadsworth" wrote in message om... An electrician I sometimes work with asked the NICEIC support desk this. In his case it was when he was 2 waying a light. There was no red sleeving on the existing switch wire and the 3 core and earth he was installing for the two way was in the new colours. He was told to use brown on the new wires (a bit obvious) and red on the existing black wire. I know that is not a reg and only the NICEICs interpretation of the regs. It seems a logical enough approach though. Adam But brown does just as well. As the colour brown has now been chosen to signify a live conductor in the new harmonised scheme. But, also, the colour red can be used in a none mixed scheme to signify a switched live conductor, which gives no reference to black or blue on the switched live to any fitting, making it easier to distinguish all the switched live conductors. Brown supply. Red Switched supply. Blue Neutral. Make your mind up. If you have red in a non mixed scheme then you are using the old colours and only the old colours. Brown is not one of the old colours. By adding brown you have a mixed scheme. Adam I didn't word that properly, did I? I didn't mean to use the phrase "a none mixed scheme" in there. What I meant was, even in an installation which uses the new harmonised colours, you can also use red to distinguish your switched live conductors. So giving Brown as the supply. Red as the switched live to the appliance and Blue as the neutral conductors. Is that clearer? Let me read through that again. Yeah. That makes more sense. (Note to self: (Must put brain in gear before typing what comes into head for the split second before fingers move across keyboard.)) lol |
#15
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Colour flagging of wires
In article ,
ARWadsworth scribeth thus "BigWallop" wrote in message . com... "ARWadsworth" wrote in message om... An electrician I sometimes work with asked the NICEIC support desk this. In his case it was when he was 2 waying a light. There was no red sleeving on the existing switch wire and the 3 core and earth he was installing for the two way was in the new colours. He was told to use brown on the new wires (a bit obvious) and red on the existing black wire. I know that is not a reg and only the NICEICs interpretation of the regs. It seems a logical enough approach though. Adam But brown does just as well. As the colour brown has now been chosen to signify a live conductor in the new harmonised scheme. But, also, the colour red can be used in a none mixed scheme to signify a switched live conductor, which gives no reference to black or blue on the switched live to any fitting, making it easier to distinguish all the switched live conductors. Brown supply. Red Switched supply. Blue Neutral. Make your mind up. If you have red in a non mixed scheme then you are using the old colours and only the old colours. Brown is not one of the old colours. By adding brown you have a mixed scheme. Adam Its a pity for things like switched live cables there couldn't have been a Brown/Red or some other colour stripe.. Like Green/Yellow.. So Brown is a live then the stripe signifies something you do with it//.. -- Tony Sayer |
#16
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Colour flagging of wires
On Sun, 16 Nov 2008 12:42:39 GMT, "BigWallop"
wrote: Old colour cables should be flagged according to old colours, even if the flagging is done post-harmonisation. To me it makes sense to maintain the colours within a section of cable to suit that cable, even on a mixed installation. Cheers Tim Tell your instructor that, if I have to carry any more coloured sleeving about with me, I'm gonna' come down there and bosh him in the face. I'm goin' for crayons next time. See how they like that. :-) I loved it when I could carry a roll of green/yellow over sleeve and that was that. :-) White sleeve and indelible marking pens. |
#17
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Colour flagging of wires
Tim S wrote:
This precise question came up on the EAL course I attended a few weeks back. The answer according to our instructor was: New colour cables should be flagged in new colours; Old colour cables should be flagged according to old colours, even if the flagging is done post-harmonisation. Jolly good. It is what made sense to me, and is what I do, but it did occur to me that there might be alternative options. -- Cheers, John. /================================================== ===============\ | Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk | |-----------------------------------------------------------------| | John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk | \================================================= ================/ |
#18
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Colour flagging of wires
BruceB wrote:
"Andrew Gabriel" wrote in message ... I find it on the wrong wires often enough that it's worse than useless, and it's thus much better/safer not to be there at all. -- Andrew Gabriel [email address is not usable -- followup in the newsgroup] I suggest sleeving wires in light switches is a complete and utter waste of time. I do it because I know what the rules say. But it tells someone who knows little about electricity nothing and it tells someone who does know something about alectricity nothing that was not staring them in the face anyway. Its not in the switch where it matters particularly, but in the ceiling rose. Just think of how many times you have read here posts that start out something like: "I took down the old light and now I have all these wires and I don't know what to do with them" -- Cheers, John. /================================================== ===============\ | Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk | |-----------------------------------------------------------------| | John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk | \================================================= ================/ |
#19
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Colour flagging of wires
"tony sayer" wrote in message ... In article , ARWadsworth scribeth thus "BigWallop" wrote in message . com... "ARWadsworth" wrote in message om... An electrician I sometimes work with asked the NICEIC support desk this. In his case it was when he was 2 waying a light. There was no red sleeving on the existing switch wire and the 3 core and earth he was installing for the two way was in the new colours. He was told to use brown on the new wires (a bit obvious) and red on the existing black wire. I know that is not a reg and only the NICEICs interpretation of the regs. It seems a logical enough approach though. Adam But brown does just as well. As the colour brown has now been chosen to signify a live conductor in the new harmonised scheme. But, also, the colour red can be used in a none mixed scheme to signify a switched live conductor, which gives no reference to black or blue on the switched live to any fitting, making it easier to distinguish all the switched live conductors. Brown supply. Red Switched supply. Blue Neutral. Make your mind up. If you have red in a non mixed scheme then you are using the old colours and only the old colours. Brown is not one of the old colours. By adding brown you have a mixed scheme. Adam Its a pity for things like switched live cables there couldn't have been a Brown/Red or some other colour stripe.. Like Green/Yellow.. So Brown is a live then the stripe signifies something you do with it//.. Tony Sayer FFS don't confuse us any more. :-) LOL |
#20
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Colour flagging of wires
"John Rumm" wrote in message et... BruceB wrote: I suggest sleeving wires in light switches is a complete and utter waste of time. I do it because I know what the rules say. But it tells someone who knows little about electricity nothing and it tells someone who does know something about alectricity nothing that was not staring them in the face anyway. Its not in the switch where it matters particularly, but in the ceiling rose. Just think of how many times you have read here posts that start out something like: "I took down the old light and now I have all these wires and I don't know what to do with them" Accepted! Although it only helps with one cable out of perhaps 3 or 4 at a rose. |
#21
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Colour flagging of wires
"BruceB" wrote in message ... "John Rumm" wrote in message et... BruceB wrote: I suggest sleeving wires in light switches is a complete and utter waste of time. I do it because I know what the rules say. But it tells someone who knows little about electricity nothing and it tells someone who does know something about alectricity nothing that was not staring them in the face anyway. Its not in the switch where it matters particularly, but in the ceiling rose. Just think of how many times you have read here posts that start out something like: "I took down the old light and now I have all these wires and I don't know what to do with them" Accepted! Although it only helps with one cable out of perhaps 3 or 4 at a rose. As long as the switched supply is marked, I think it is easier to find out what the other wires do. |
#22
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Colour flagging of wires
In article ,
tony sayer writes: Its a pity for things like switched live cables there couldn't have been a Brown/Red or some other colour stripe.. There was a T&E with both colours red for switch drops. Not seen a brown version. -- Andrew Gabriel [email address is not usable -- followup in the newsgroup] |
#23
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Colour flagging of wires
"Andrew Gabriel" wrote in message ... There was a T&E with both colours red for switch drops. Not seen a brown version. -- Andrew Gabriel [email address is not usable -- followup in the newsgroup] Twin brown http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Main_Index/Cable_Index/Twin_and_Earth_Brown/index.html Regards BruceB |
#24
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Colour flagging of wires
BigWallop coughed up some electrons that declared:
"Tim S" wrote in message ... BigWallop coughed up some electrons that declared: "John Rumm" wrote in message et... One of my pet hates is lighting positions (or any other place where wires are used in non obvious ways that differ from their colouring) where the original installer obviously could not be arsed to flag the wires with coloured tape or sleeving when required (e.g. the wire carrying switched live from the switch). So when changing a fitting or lamp etc I will normally correct this as a matter of routine. Now traditionally one would flag the black wire with red, or these days the blue with brown. It just occurred to me that now the new colours are mandatory, what is the correct procedure in a mixed colour installation? Should one still flag black wires with red, or should one now use brown? Appendix 7 of BS7671 does not seem to give an answer. John. You would flag a switched live as brown, being the new adopted colour scheme, even if you leave the original live as red, the different distinction between red and brown is acceptable. In cases of multiple conductor systems used for remote switching etc, you could actually leave the switched live as black. This precise question came up on the EAL course I attended a few weeks back. The answer according to our instructor was: New colour cables should be flagged in new colours; Old colour cables should be flagged according to old colours, even if the flagging is done post-harmonisation. To me it makes sense to maintain the colours within a section of cable to suit that cable, even on a mixed installation. Cheers Tim Tell your instructor that, if I have to carry any more coloured sleeving about with me, I'm gonna' come down there and bosh him in the face. I'm goin' for crayons next time. See how they like that. :-) You tell him - I've passed my exams and I'll never see him again. I loved it when I could carry a roll of green/yellow over sleeve and that was that. :-) Personally, I think it's not much help from a safety POV as we're all taught now that neutral is live (ie potentially dangerous). It's useful in lighting though, to see the intent that a black or blue wire is supposed to be a phase (or line). Problem is, half the time you take a rose or light switch to bits, the sleeves fall off anyway... Cheers Tim |
#25
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Colour flagging of wires - your lighting in the bungalow
Hi Adam,
ARWadsworth coughed up some electrons that declared: I see Big Wallop is talking ******** again further down the thread. The man has no shame. Hi Tim Have you given any thoughts as to the way you are going to wire your lights in the bungalow? Loop in loop out Singles Take LN&E to each switch in turn with just a single 1.5 t&E to each fitting Well... I haven't honestly decided. A lot of the lighting circuits are likely to be 2-way 'cos of the layout of the house and some may be 3 or 4 gang, so it might get messy having say upto 7-9 cables coming into a double plate. Ceiling rose bases are OK for pendant drops but, IMLE not very good when SWMBO wants a euro-made lamp (IKEA *cough*) with no room to fit over a rose, so that's probably killed loop-in loop-out, unless one uses junction boxes over the light drop [see end] To be honest, I'm strongly considering to put each room into a junction box (DIN box and DIN terminals, not lots of round jobbies) and star out from there. There's an accessible roof void at the end of each room, so I'd stick them there with a loop round for the supply. I was just curious. I have a few tips, either self learnt, shamelesly pinched off someone else that is very good at their job or read about on groups like this. I welcome them BTW - I'm trying these out as TLC have a special offer: http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Images/P...3/TLCT100C.JPG for my temporary lighting, which will consist of: One DP pull switch by front door (not very Part-L, one switch for the house ;- 10 batten lamp bases one (or two) per room (dirt cheap) 10 30W "daylight" spiral Prolight CFLs (found them cheap-ish and 4.90+VAT and I get to use them again afterwards, unlike loads of strip fittings). The whole lot will be linked with T+E cable-clipped to face of ceilings because it's out of the way of all the holes I'm cutting into the walls and means all temporary circuits are visible, not buried. This seemed the cheapest and quickest way for a lash up while I'm getting all the proper electrics in... The TLC widget will make it easy to yank one lamp feed if I'm working on the ceiling in that area - and well, I was curious. Cheers Tim |
#26
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Colour flagging of wires
Tim S wrote:
BigWallop coughed up some electrons that declared: "Tim S" wrote in message ... BigWallop coughed up some electrons that declared: "John Rumm" wrote in message et... One of my pet hates is lighting positions (or any other place where wires are used in non obvious ways that differ from their colouring) where the original installer obviously could not be arsed to flag the wires with coloured tape or sleeving when required (e.g. the wire carrying switched live from the switch). So when changing a fitting or lamp etc I will normally correct this as a matter of routine. Now traditionally one would flag the black wire with red, or these days the blue with brown. It just occurred to me that now the new colours are mandatory, what is the correct procedure in a mixed colour installation? Should one still flag black wires with red, or should one now use brown? Appendix 7 of BS7671 does not seem to give an answer. John. You would flag a switched live as brown, being the new adopted colour scheme, even if you leave the original live as red, the different distinction between red and brown is acceptable. In cases of multiple conductor systems used for remote switching etc, you could actually leave the switched live as black. This precise question came up on the EAL course I attended a few weeks back. The answer according to our instructor was: New colour cables should be flagged in new colours; Old colour cables should be flagged according to old colours, even if the flagging is done post-harmonisation. To me it makes sense to maintain the colours within a section of cable to suit that cable, even on a mixed installation. Cheers Tim Tell your instructor that, if I have to carry any more coloured sleeving about with me, I'm gonna' come down there and bosh him in the face. I'm goin' for crayons next time. See how they like that. :-) You tell him - I've passed my exams and I'll never see him again. I loved it when I could carry a roll of green/yellow over sleeve and that was that. :-) Personally, I think it's not much help from a safety POV as we're all taught now that neutral is live (ie potentially dangerous). It's useful in lighting though, to see the intent that a black or blue wire is supposed to be a phase (or line). Problem is, half the time you take a rose or light switch to bits, the sleeves fall off anyway... Exactly. I now always tape the outer of the cable containing the switch live before I touch anything else. -- Dave - The Medway Handyman www.medwayhandyman.co.uk |
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Colour flagging of wires - your lighting in the bungalow
Tim S wrote:
Hi Adam, ARWadsworth coughed up some electrons that declared: I see Big Wallop is talking ******** again further down the thread. The man has no shame. Hi Tim Have you given any thoughts as to the way you are going to wire your lights in the bungalow? Loop in loop out Singles Take LN&E to each switch in turn with just a single 1.5 t&E to each fitting Well... I haven't honestly decided. A lot of the lighting circuits are likely to be 2-way 'cos of the layout of the house and some may be 3 or 4 gang, so it might get messy having say upto 7-9 cables coming into a double plate. Ceiling rose bases are OK for pendant drops but, IMLE not very good when SWMBO wants a euro-made lamp (IKEA *cough*) with no room to fit over a rose, so that's probably killed loop-in loop-out, unless one uses junction boxes over the light drop [see end] To be honest, I'm strongly considering to put each room into a junction box (DIN box and DIN terminals, not lots of round jobbies) and star out from there. There's an accessible roof void at the end of each room, so I'd stick them there with a loop round for the supply. I was just curious. I have a few tips, either self learnt, shamelesly pinched off someone else that is very good at their job or read about on groups like this. I welcome them BTW - I'm trying these out as TLC have a special offer: http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Images/P...3/TLCT100C.JPG They look rather useful, I'll have to get some. -- Dave - The Medway Handyman www.medwayhandyman.co.uk |
#28
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Colour flagging of wires - your lighting in the bungalow
The Medway Handyman coughed up some electrons that declared:
Tim S wrote: BTW - I'm trying these out as TLC have a special offer: http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Images/P...3/TLCT100C.JPG They look rather useful, I'll have to get some. Word of warning Dave: as they have screw terminals, they must remain "accessible" so the terminals can be maintained, in the same way that other junction boxes must (*cough*). I noticed someone is starting to pedal some junction boxes with spring terminals and claiming that they can be hidden and remain reliable. Cheers Tim |
#29
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Colour flagging of wires - your lighting in the bungalow
Tim S wrote:
The Medway Handyman coughed up some electrons that declared: Tim S wrote: BTW - I'm trying these out as TLC have a special offer: http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Images/P...3/TLCT100C.JPG They look rather useful, I'll have to get some. Word of warning Dave: as they have screw terminals, they must remain "accessible" so the terminals can be maintained, in the same way that other junction boxes must (*cough*). I noticed someone is starting to pedal some junction boxes with spring terminals and claiming that they can be hidden and remain reliable. Cheers Tim http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/ASJ804.html ? -- Rod Hypothyroidism is a seriously debilitating condition with an insidious onset. Although common it frequently goes undiagnosed. www.thyromind.info www.thyroiduk.org www.altsupportthyroid.org |
#30
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Colour flagging of wires - your lighting in the bungalow
Rod coughed up some electrons that declared:
Tim S wrote: The Medway Handyman coughed up some electrons that declared: Tim S wrote: BTW - I'm trying these out as TLC have a special offer: http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Images/P...3/TLCT100C.JPG They look rather useful, I'll have to get some. Word of warning Dave: as they have screw terminals, they must remain "accessible" so the terminals can be maintained, in the same way that other junction boxes must (*cough*). I noticed someone is starting to pedal some junction boxes with spring terminals and claiming that they can be hidden and remain reliable. Cheers Tim http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/ASJ804.html ? That's one - saw another make down another wholesalers, but the manufacturer escapes me. Cheers Tim |
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Colour flagging of wires
John Rumm wrote:
Tim S wrote: This precise question came up on the EAL course I attended a few weeks back. The answer according to our instructor was: New colour cables should be flagged in new colours; Old colour cables should be flagged according to old colours, even if the flagging is done post-harmonisation. Jolly good. It is what made sense to me, and is what I do, but it did occur to me that there might be alternative options. Does not make total sense to me - because I have been using brown and blue sleeving when making good cable in old colours :-(( Is this likely to be more a matter of good practice (attracting at most a code 4) rather than a breach of a specific reg? I ask in part because it seems to me a bit odd to expect everyone working in the field to carry red sleeving for years to come - perhaps 30+ years. -- Robin |
#32
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Colour flagging of wires
"neverwas" wrote in message om... John Rumm wrote: Tim S wrote: This precise question came up on the EAL course I attended a few weeks back. The answer according to our instructor was: New colour cables should be flagged in new colours; Old colour cables should be flagged according to old colours, even if the flagging is done post-harmonisation. Jolly good. It is what made sense to me, and is what I do, but it did occur to me that there might be alternative options. Does not make total sense to me - because I have been using brown and blue sleeving when making good cable in old colours :-(( Is this likely to be more a matter of good practice (attracting at most a code 4) rather than a breach of a specific reg? I ask in part because it seems to me a bit odd to expect everyone working in the field to carry red sleeving for years to come - perhaps 30+ years. Robin I tell ya' Robin. If they make me carry any more bloody over sleeving, I won't have any room in the box for tools. No joke. :-) The new colour scheme is acceptable everywhere, without any comeback, as long as it is correctly identifying what it should be, of course. |
#33
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Colour flagging of wires
In article ,
Tim S wrote: It's useful in lighting though, to see the intent that a black or blue wire is supposed to be a phase (or line). Problem is, half the time you take a rose or light switch to bits, the sleeves fall off anyway... Hence my liking for Hellerman sleeving - made out of rubber. They normally need a special tool to apply - it expands it - but for this purpose the correct size can just be slid on and won't come off without a struggle. -- *No I haven't stolen it , I'm just a **** driver* Dave Plowman London SW To e-mail, change noise into sound. |
#34
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Colour flagging of wires - your lighting in the bungalow
In article ,
Tim S wrote: Ceiling rose bases are OK for pendant drops but, IMLE not very good when SWMBO wants a euro-made lamp (IKEA *cough*) with no room to fit over a rose, so that's probably killed loop-in loop-out, unless one uses junction boxes over the light drop [see end] To be honest, I'm strongly considering to put each room into a junction box (DIN box and DIN terminals, not lots of round jobbies) and star out from there. There's an accessible roof void at the end of each room, so I'd stick them there with a loop round for the supply. Just noticed in the latest TLC cat a rather nifty junction box designed for inaccessible places. http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/ASJ804.html Also ones designed for use with downlighters, etc http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/ASJ501.html -- *If at first you don't succeed, try management * Dave Plowman London SW To e-mail, change noise into sound. |
#35
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Colour flagging of wires
BruceB wrote:
"John Rumm" wrote in message et... BruceB wrote: I suggest sleeving wires in light switches is a complete and utter waste of time. I do it because I know what the rules say. But it tells someone who knows little about electricity nothing and it tells someone who does know something about alectricity nothing that was not staring them in the face anyway. Its not in the switch where it matters particularly, but in the ceiling rose. Just think of how many times you have read here posts that start out something like: "I took down the old light and now I have all these wires and I don't know what to do with them" Accepted! Although it only helps with one cable out of perhaps 3 or 4 at a rose. Indeed, and that is the one cable that needs to be treated differently from the others. -- Cheers, John. /================================================== ===============\ | Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk | |-----------------------------------------------------------------| | John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk | \================================================= ================/ |
#36
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Colour flagging of wires - your lighting in the bungalow
Tim S wrote:
The Medway Handyman coughed up some electrons that declared: Tim S wrote: BTW - I'm trying these out as TLC have a special offer: http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Images/P...3/TLCT100C.JPG They look rather useful, I'll have to get some. Word of warning Dave: as they have screw terminals, they must remain "accessible" so the terminals can be maintained, in the same way that other junction boxes must (*cough*). For most light fitting connections, one could argue the connection remains accessible by the expedient of removing the fitting. -- Cheers, John. /================================================== ===============\ | Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk | |-----------------------------------------------------------------| | John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk | \================================================= ================/ |
#37
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Colour flagging of wires
"Dave Plowman (News)" wrote in message ... In article , Tim S wrote: It's useful in lighting though, to see the intent that a black or blue wire is supposed to be a phase (or line). Problem is, half the time you take a rose or light switch to bits, the sleeves fall off anyway... Hence my liking for Hellerman sleeving - made out of rubber. They normally need a special tool to apply - it expands it - but for this purpose the correct size can just be slid on and won't come off without a struggle. Dave Plowman London SW We use Hellerman for heat protection sleeving. That's a galvanised rubbery stuff. It's bloody expensive to use on standard sleeving jobs though. Is that the kind of thing you're using? |
#38
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Colour flagging of wires
In article ,
BigWallop wrote: "Dave Plowman (News)" wrote in message ... In article , Tim S wrote: It's useful in lighting though, to see the intent that a black or blue wire is supposed to be a phase (or line). Problem is, half the time you take a rose or light switch to bits, the sleeves fall off anyway... Hence my liking for Hellerman sleeving - made out of rubber. They normally need a special tool to apply - it expands it - but for this purpose the correct size can just be slid on and won't come off without a struggle. We use Hellerman for heat protection sleeving. That's a galvanised rubbery stuff. It's bloody expensive to use on standard sleeving jobs though. Is that the kind of thing you're using? Yes. Not sure I'd use it if I were wiring houses for a living, but for DIY it's ideal. Costs about 2p per sleeve. -- *Fax is stronger than fiction * Dave Plowman London SW To e-mail, change noise into sound. |
#39
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Colour flagging of wires - your lighting in the bungalow
In article ,
"Dave Plowman (News)" writes: Just noticed in the latest TLC cat a rather nifty junction box designed for inaccessible places. http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/ASJ804.html That doesn't meet the requirements for the connections being crimped, soldered or brazed. Actually, it looks like the contact pressure is just down to a spring, which would make this much worse than any normal junction box connection, and most unsuitable for inaccessible places. Also ones designed for use with downlighters, etc http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/ASJ501.html That one's quite nice. -- Andrew Gabriel [email address is not usable -- followup in the newsgroup] |
#40
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Colour flagging of wires - your lighting in the bungalow
Andrew Gabriel wrote:
In article , "Dave Plowman (News)" writes: Just noticed in the latest TLC cat a rather nifty junction box designed for inaccessible places. http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/ASJ804.html That doesn't meet the requirements for the connections being crimped, soldered or brazed. Actually, it looks like the contact pressure is just down to a spring, which would make this much worse than any normal junction box connection, and most unsuitable for inaccessible places. Also ones designed for use with downlighters, etc http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/ASJ501.html That one's quite nice. If you follow the link from TLC to their 17th regs. summary (from Hager), it seems expressly to state that these *do* comply with the requirements of the regs. Not having a copy to hand (well, not having a copy at all!), I can't look up the wording. Do the regs state "crimped, soldered or brazed"? Or is that a previous version or standard interpretation? From that PDF (page 9): "Maintenance Free Connections Maintenance free terminals provide one solution where accessibility is an issue. Tests, including long term vibration, shock test, long term connection test, pull out, voltage drop, temperature rise and exposure to corrosive atmospheres validate the suitability of these terminals. Equally suitable are solutions such as a ‘joint made by a compression tool’." I can't help feeling that quite a few people here would like to be certain of the proper interpretation. Including me! -- Rod Hypothyroidism is a seriously debilitating condition with an insidious onset. Although common it frequently goes undiagnosed. www.thyromind.info www.thyroiduk.org www.altsupportthyroid.org |
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