I have a pyro cable supplying electricity to my flat and I want to
hide the cable behind some plasterboard. Is this allowed or must it
remain visible at all times? just thinking that if someone puts a nail
through this then there is no RCD to trip.

Rednadnerb
wibbled on Wednesday 17 February 2010 20:35

I have a pyro cable supplying electricity to my flat and I want to
hide the cable behind some plasterboard. Is this allowed or must it
remain visible at all times? just thinking that if someone puts a nail
through this then there is no RCD to trip.

1st question - are you sure it's real pyro, ie copper tube containing
powered insulation and bare copper wires? Or does it just look like pyro
(there are other cable formats)?



--
Tim Watts

Managers, politicians and environmentalists: Nature's carbon buffer.

Now I'm not sure. I called it pyro because that's what the man from
the electricity board called it when he came round to do a survey for
moving the meter (which is not going ahead because we need our
neighbours permisson).
It is a bright orange cable about 10mm thick. I assumed it was plastic
coated because it is shiny but I don't know and I have no idea what is
inside.

Rednadnerb
wibbled on Wednesday 17 February 2010 22:53

Now I'm not sure. I called it pyro because that's what the man from
the electricity board called it when he came round to do a survey for
moving the meter (which is not going ahead because we need our
neighbours permisson).
It is a bright orange cable about 10mm thick. I assumed it was plastic
coated because it is shiny but I don't know and I have no idea what is
inside.

It matches in description. Can you see the termination on either end? Does
it look anything like this:

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i6...ing/micc14.jpg
http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i6...ting/micc9.jpg

Allowing for yours apparantly having an orange plastic sheath which is the
norm these days (or red for fire alarm circuits)?

If it is, further to John Rumm's comment, treat it as you would armoured
cable - ie yes you can bury it without worrying.

In fact pyro is probably one of the best cables for transport of electricity
through a house structure - smaller than armoured, inherently safe if
penetrated with tool/nail and further, will not fail in a fire (unless the
fire gets hot enough to melt copper!).

It was mandated for that house that the woodman built of timber and straw
bales somewhere in Sussex (Grand Designs IIRC), being less at risk of
failure or starting a fire as it was being buried up against combustable
materials (the straw).

--
Tim Watts

Managers, politicians and environmentalists: Nature's carbon buffer.

snip

It was mandated for that house that the woodman built of timber and straw
bales somewhere in Sussex (Grand Designs IIRC), being less at risk of
failure or starting a fire as it was being buried up against combustable
materials (the straw).

snip

Pyro was used to stop animals nibbling it. And starting a fire.

Baz

Baz
wibbled on Thursday 18 February 2010 15:24


snip

It was mandated for that house that the woodman built of timber and straw
bales somewhere in Sussex (Grand Designs IIRC), being less at risk of
failure or starting a fire as it was being buried up against combustable
materials (the straw).

snip

Pyro was used to stop animals nibbling it. And starting a fire.

Baz

Good point - I bet straw bales are attractive to mice.

One of the best DIY projects ever - can't get much more DIY than grow and
season your own lumber! I did follow up on the web a while back - seems he's
married, got a sprog and is having a pretty nice life. Not bad for a woodman
He's damn well earnt it too.

--
Tim Watts

Managers, politicians and environmentalists: Nature's carbon buffer.

In article ,
Tim Watts writes:

It matches in description. Can you see the termination on either end? Does
it look anything like this:

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i6...ing/micc14.jpg
http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i6...ting/micc9.jpg

Allowing for yours apparantly having an orange plastic sheath which is the
norm these days (or red for fire alarm circuits)?

If it is, further to John Rumm's comment, treat it as you would armoured
cable - ie yes you can bury it without worrying.

In fact pyro is probably one of the best cables for transport of electricity
through a house structure - smaller than armoured, inherently safe if
penetrated with tool/nail and further, will not fail in a fire (unless the
fire gets hot enough to melt copper!).

You can also hammer it pretty flat before you get any problem,
as the copper and magnesium oxide insulator compress at about
the same rate and maintain separation (providing you don't burst
the sheath). Indeed, that's how it's made - they start with a
much thicker cable, and roll it down to the sizes required.

--
Andrew Gabriel
[email address is not usable -- followup in the newsgroup]

In article
,
Rednadnerb wrote:
I have a pyro cable supplying electricity to my flat and I want to
hide the cable behind some plasterboard. Is this allowed or must it
remain visible at all times?

No - that's fine.

just thinking that if someone puts a nail
through this then there is no RCD to trip.

The nail would pierce the outer copper first before touching the line and
flow the fuse, etc.

--
*I didn't fight my way to the top of the food chain to be a vegetarian.

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.