Valid COC?

**bergie** · 13-Feb-12, 03:36 PM

Originally Posted by Leecatt

I was researching for another question and have become aware of some rules I have overlooked previously.
I have started another thread regarding this

However flexible cable may not form part of an installation because of the following clause:

6.3.2 Construction
6.3.2.1 Conductors of nominal cross-sectional area exceeding 2,5 mm2
shall be stranded,

I believe this to mean that conductors less than, and including 2.5mm, shall not be stranded.
All conductors in an installation must be annealed copper and i believe that cabtyre is not annealed copper.
I may be missing something here, any takers?

it doesnt mean cables 2,5 and below must be solid .that would rule out house wire. surfix and twin +earth is stranded from 4mm up in any case.
flexible cables and cords have their own set of rules.

**Leecatt** · 13-Feb-12, 08:46 PM

Originally Posted by bergie

it doesnt mean cables 2,5 and below must be solid .that would rule out house wire. surfix and twin +earth is stranded from 4mm up in any case.
flexible cables and cords have their own set of rules.

I agree, above 2.5mm they may not be solid, 2.5mm and below they may be solid or stranded.

House wire, which is a single core cable or GP wire, has strands greater in size than 0.5mm.
I hope that is correct, as then it would differentiate between single core cable and flexible cable, the strands of which are between 0.5mm and 0.3mm.
Smaller than 0.3mm and that is classified as a flexible cord.

Trying to get this right in my head as I once saw a house wires with "single core cables" in conjutes, but the strands of the cable were very fine and less than 0.5mm, much less. I see this as illegal

**AndyD** · 13-Feb-12, 10:32 PM

Annealed copper is just the heating process it goes through to make it flexible. A busbar for example isn't annealed, it's what's referred to as hard-drawn copper. Cabtyre is made from stranded annealed copper.

6.3.2.1 Conductors of nominal cross-sectional area exceeding 2,5 mm2
shall be stranded,

I believe this to mean that conductors less than, and including 2.5mm, shall not be stranded.

I would disagree. I don't think that because the rule states Conductors of nominal cross-sectional area exceeding 2,5 mm2 shall be stranded, you can infer from it that conductors less than the size stated must not be stranded.

**Leecatt** · 14-Feb-12, 04:21 AM

Originally Posted by AndyD

I would disagree. I don't think that because the rule states Conductors of nominal cross-sectional area exceeding 2,5 mm2 shall be stranded, you can infer from it that conductors less than the size stated must not be stranded.

Thanks Andy, yes I see that. I was trying to find a reason why cabtyre, and what I call panel wire, cannot be used to wire a house and I have pinned it down to the size of the core. Both would be classed as a cord.

**bergie** · 14-Feb-12, 08:07 AM

Originally Posted by Leecatt

Thanks Andy, yes I see that. I was trying to find a reason why cabtyre, and what I call panel wire, cannot be used to wire a house and I have pinned it down to the size of the core. Both would be classed as a cord.

lee, i see in 6.1.11 flexible cords (c) can be used as single cores in conduits.

**murdock** · 14-Feb-12, 01:43 PM

seems like they dont anneal the new cables...have you tried to bend one recently.

**Leecatt** · 14-Feb-12, 03:19 PM

Originally Posted by bergie

lee, i see in 6.1.11 flexible cords (c) can be used as single cores in conduits.

Thats interesting, The beginning of the phrae tell one that flexible cords may not be used in an electrical installation and then part 'c' goes onto say they can

**AndyD** · 14-Feb-12, 11:07 PM

I would say the only reason you can't use cabtyre as installation cabling is that being fine stranded it's not suitable for the terminations in sockets, switches and circuit breakers. I suppose if you bootlace ferrule all terminations I don't see where there's a rule that would exclude it for any other reason.