Your opinions please
A client, of the non paying kind, is refusing to pay because she said "her electrician" told her there are to many cables in the conduits going down to the DB board. When we started the job we were asked just to do the kitchen wiring which went in the existing conduits easy, then she added some extra sockets, the cables still go in easy enough, then a supply to the alarm, getting tight. The walls are now plastered and painted. A 6mm sub is then required for the cottage.
Now the conduits are tight so i pull out a some cables and rearrange so that the 6mm can fit. All the cables are flat twin and earth. The conduits are now very tight now but because the run is only about 60cm and the cables are not even close to being fully loaded so there is no problem with cables getting heated, so there is no heat to dissipate, I decide not to smash open the freshly pained wall to put in more conduits. Not one of the cables will ever been run at even half capacity. The 6mm stove cable only has to hand 16 amps.
I'm aware of conduit capacity, supposed to be 45% space etc, but because the cables are not loaded, I made a judgement call and consider it ok, I admit its not ideal but had I know at the start of the job that so much would be added I would have made provisions but because there there is no chance of the cables ever getting even close to capacity I don't consider it a problem. That coupled with the fact that if every building with over full conduits was considered unacceptable then we would have to condemn every building in South Africa
I went to the ECA and asked them to come and inspect the place and I told the customer I would abide by there decision.
She won't let them in.
What would you think, I don't believe that those conduits are a problem. I mean, if I was doing a COC on the house, I'd assess the load, are the cables loaded to the point where its a problem, no. OK I can pass it. If it was long run I'd be more picky.
What do you think, would you sign it off or chase into the wall?
Did you like this article? Share it with your favourite social network.