Some Advice Please

[switch10]

Ok guys called to a industrial estate over Xmas holiday as reports of hot black stuff dripping from bunch of cables approx 40ft up.

Got to site to find a a lot of black tar like stuff has dripped down a roller shutter door and few marks on the wall. This cable is after the cut out fuse that is approx 30 metres in length . I'm looking at cable thinking bitumen leaking from cable. No joint present so purely leaking from approx 20 metres after cut out .

Does this sound like overloading of what could be a very weak old cable? Unfortunately due to height I could not get high enough so will be back there today to take a look with cherry picker a roofer has on site.

Would you say to clamp cable and see what load is on cable?

This isn't supply company cable but the cable after cutout that then goes into a industrial unit that was locked up for Xmas.

Any advice appreciated

 

[apprentice87]

If the cable was overloaded then its OCPD would have operated presumably. Cable would not have bitumen unless it was 80 years old and it would have dried up by now. How you going to clamp a multicore presumably armored cable?? Just get the cherry picker, have a look, and see where it goes. If it is that over loaded i doubt you would be able to touch it.... What size is the cable?? What size is the supply, is it feeding a cannabis factory??

john....

 

[switch10]

Western power have said it is definitely bitumen leaking from the cable but as is a private cable and not one of there supply cables there basically not interested which is fair enough. Will hopefully be able to look today of cherry picker turns up

 

[NozSpark]

Is the meter at the cutout or at the other end of this cable?

 

[switch10]

Meter is at the other end of the cable . It goes cut out then 30 metres then Meter.

 

[NozSpark]

It sounds like it might have been adopted then....

 

[switch10]

Yeah true, hopefully get access today and take a look

 

[binky]

not aware of anyone other than dno who use this type of cable, problem to day is the demarcation dispute between cut-out and meter, by the time you've sorted that out, it's probably easier to replace cable. Once these cables dry out, they tend to go bang as i understand it, so i would advise customer to replace asap. WP tend to be helpful, so you may get away with them supplying cable for you to fit and them to connect up - done that a few times.

 

[apprentice87]

If it is before the meter, then the cable is the property of the supplier that owns the meter i would think... I know the DNO only own as far as the cutout.. after that, up as far as the meter is the supplier, after the meter, is you!!

john...

 

[loonytoon]

Just a thought, you say you have roofers on site. Are they using bitumen in this area? And could it possibly have leaked through?

 

[switch10]

Hi and thanks for all advice. No roofers simply cleaning guttering and this was only going to be started yesterday but cherry picker never turned up. Unable to get access to unit as of yet to see where cable definitely goes .

 

[SLIPSHOD & SLAPDASH]

Any updates  ?