# 25mm tails in garage



## theedge147 (May 6, 2011)

hi all, cannot get to the bottom of this so some expert help would be appreciated. i am moving a consumer unit from a garage into the house for an elderly lady. the debate is all about the 25mm tails. from the meter to the consumer unit is around 15m. i thought these tails could be run in YT3 along the garage wall. now another electrician is saying it must be armoured cable. what are the rules for this as i appreciate my method would mean the 15m run would not be protected by RCD. but supply cables are never protected by RCD , right??


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## Dennis Alwon (May 9, 2009)

I moved this thread to the UK forum so hopefully someone from there can help.


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## Specialist (Nov 18, 2011)

theedge147 said:


> hi all, cannot get to the bottom of this so some expert help would be appreciated. i am moving a consumer unit from a garage into the house for an elderly lady. the debate is all about the 25mm tails. from the meter to the consumer unit is around 15m. i thought these tails could be run in YT3 along the garage wall. now another electrician is saying it must be armoured cable. what are the rules for this as i appreciate my method would mean the 15m run would not be protected by RCD. but supply cables are never protected by RCD , right??


Hi: Before anything else, are you Part P & 17th edition qualified ? also if you look in the regs or On Site Guide all information you require should be in there.


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## webelec (Dec 9, 2010)

Specialist, I wouldn't be worried if he's 17th edition qualified more that he's a qualified or approved electrician generally.

theedge147: I would say SWA is a good idea, but you will also need to install a switch fuse in the garage. The DNO will only allow between 2 and 3mtrs of tails to be run from their meter to a consumer unit on their own fuse. Tails will only need to be RCD protected if they are part of a TT system or if they are buried less than 50mm. I take it you want to run the cables in trunking inside the garage?


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## Specialist (Nov 18, 2011)

webelec said:


> Specialist, I wouldn't be worried if he's 17th edition qualified more that he's a qualified or approved electrician generally.


Sorry to tell you mate but it does worry me, if he's replacing a CU the he should know the Regs & should be part P registered or get it checked by the LABC at least. I see the results of people who don't really understand what they're doing, altering Electrics too regularly for it not to worry me.


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## webelec (Dec 9, 2010)

So you think that having just a 17th edition qualification is enough then eh? Sorry but it takes far more than that in my opinion. I guess you'll try to counter that with being part p registered? Again, not enough and this is why the rules for membership are changing in January, because the two things you mention are not enough.


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## Specialist (Nov 18, 2011)

No i'm not going to try & counter that with Part P for 2 reasons: 1) Part P is a load of C**P & 2) After 40 years in the Trade I don't care any more.
After the Initial question posted I was trying to assess if he had any level of knowledge about the Regulations that Govern Electrical work in the UK, or 1 of the 5 / 15 day wonders who have'nt got a clue.


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## webelec (Dec 9, 2010)

LOL! Specialist, we're on the same page.


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## Mattman (Jan 6, 2012)

If your having probs call a NICEIC registered electrician, if they don't know then they can call the NIC and find out, the NIC know everything! Don't do it yourself because it will need testing afterwards on the appropriate documents


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## Mattman (Jan 6, 2012)

If your having problems then get a NICEIC registered sparks, if they don't know then they can call the NIC because they know everything n I mean absolutely everything without even turning the front cover of the regs book! Don't do it your self because it will have tobe tested after giving u the proper documents to handover


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## Specialist (Nov 18, 2011)

Hi Mattman: Sorry to Dissilusion you but the NIC don't know everything, far from it.
As for getting an NICEIC registered Electrician in to do something, your just as likely to pick an incompetent Electrician doing that as you are using an Unregistered 1. Take it from someone who knows, after spending years clearing up the mess after both types, Registration with the NIC is not guaranteed to mean your a good Electrician.


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## Mattman (Jan 6, 2012)

Ur right, I'm just speaking from the experience I've had with them. On the occasions that ive dealt with the NIC they have known absolutely everything I throw at them. I ring them maybe once or twice a month, I'm not NIC registered yet but plan tobe only because clients tend to trust sparkys that are registered with them. I agree also that even registered sparks can mess up a job, it drives me insane going to a job where a NIC spark has done work and its like a child has done it. I love being an electrician, I really do, nothing makes me happier then lookin back at my work knowing that what I've done is perfect. Sayin that, I would always recommend a spark that is NIC registered because If they have the ability to sign off a job with the paper work then they can be held accountable. There's a lot of good sparks out there, but the bad ones are giving us a bad name with over pricing, bad work and generally being useless!


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## pep-electric.co.uk (Jan 20, 2012)

*Always armour if You have a doubt*

In my opinion You should always do better what is the plan. If You have a doubt this is sign should be armored etc...

Regards

http://pep-electric.co.uk


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## peterkenney (Mar 2, 2012)

i gotta put a dedicated cu on henley blocks for a pv system ,its a 16a breaker what rating does it have to be , and what size tails anybody


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