Connecting Mains Cable

Discussion in 'Electricians' Talk' started by luffo, Nov 3, 2003.

  1. luffo

    luffo New Member

    Is it acceptable to use something like "item 94652" to join 240v mains cable together or do you always have to use terminal blocks?
     
  2. chtechie

    chtechie Member

    Hi luffo
    You ask some interesting questions! There's no simple answer - There's a number of citeria it must meet - The connection has to be suitable for the application - I guess that means it must be rated for the voltage and current you intend to pass through the joint - It has to be protected to prevent both direct & indirect contact - It has to be mechanical strong enough in the event of movement of the joint - It has to meet the Electro mechanical requirement, a fault current possibly in excess of 300A in a ring main .............
    So in the case of connections in enclosed equipment, CH boilers, washing machines etc the connectors suggested meet the regs but I'm not convinced they would in a fixed cabling installation like the lighting or power circuits in a house. What's the problem with using a junction box?
     
  3. supersparky

    supersparky New Member

    no, you may use butt crimps but they will have to be protected in an enclosure to protect it, it cant just be layed on the insulation, so you might aswell use a jn box in this situation.

    BR
     
  4. luffo

    luffo New Member

    I can't use a junction box as there isn't enough room.

    What I want to achieve is to split a two gang switch to two individual ones (dimmer and security switch).
    However, to do this I have to cut another mounting box hole but the cables are too short to reach to the second new switch 10cm away!

    However you would think that I could just use terminal blocks but there isn't room in the box to extend the cables so I am looking for a neat inline solution like crimps but I ain't got a clue how to use or what to use them for.

    And yes I am trying to be lazy by avoiding a ring main rewire!

    P.s. It's for a 6amp 230V lighting circuit
     
  5. supersparky

    supersparky New Member

    well why not pull the cables back up in to the voin then surface mount some trunking down to a box then pull the cables down into this(mount it higher) then you will have enough slack(cover the old hole with a blank plate)
    when you re decorate you can cut the cable into the wall and cover with capping
    sorry if ive missed the point here

    BR
     
  6. ban-all-sheds

    ban-all-sheds New Member

    What about sinking the holes deeper? If you used a 47mm box, could you get a choc-block connector in there?
     
  7. sparky (Original)

    sparky (Original) New Member

    if you are going to use crimps then use butt crimps and use a ratchet crimper as the cheap ones don't work properly and the crimps will just pull off.
     
  8. @AnjumSpark.

    @AnjumSpark. New Member

    Well it also depends on the refernce for example if its clipped direct or in conduit.
     
  9. MGW

    MGW Screwfix Select

    Look at the date.
     

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