Marking Cables

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RussellR

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Sorry guys

I am full of questions this evening, being doing too many three phase boards !!

On single phase circuits within a three phase board as well as marking the earths and neutrals with the number of the circuit they relate too, I also put a small piece of heat shrink of the relevent phase colour on them. My rational being that it makes it easy for anyone following on to tie up the neutrals and earths and avoid mistakes.

However thinking about it could it be argued that you shouldn't have phase colours on an earth or neutral ?

It is a small bit and no one would mistake the earths or neutrals for phase wires, but just wondered what you thught.

 
Silly point but why waste your effort? You are doing it for the benefit of someone else in 10 years time! They should take care before ripping off the old board!

If it helps you carry on, but if it's just your good-heartedness than I'd save me time and go home half an hour earlier!

 
Silly point but why waste your effort? You are doing it for the benefit of someone else in 10 years time! They should take care before ripping off the old board! If it helps you carry on, but if it's just your good-heartedness than I'd save me time and go home half an hour earlier!
You are probably correct Apache :)

 
So when you mark a neutral with a phase colour are you saying that it's a phase conductor and not a neutral?????
Not what I am saying, and I am sure our NIC inspector will either love it or hate it, to me it is handy as you can tie up the phase with the correct neutral and earth quickly.

I put them in the correct positions so maybe it is over kill, but was just wondering if some one might object on the grounds a phase colour should not be on a neutral.

I'm not sure

 
I understand that you were not saying that,,

but if you sleeve a blue conductor with brown sleeving at a light switch or fitting then you would assume that it's actually a switched live....

Personally I'd just keep to number tags!

 
I understand that you were not saying that,,but if you sleeve a blue conductor with brown sleeving at a light switch or fitting then you would assume that it's actually a switched live....

Personally I'd just keep to number tags!
Your right, but in the switch case I would sleeve the wire completely, I am just talking about a small ring of the phase colour, so the dominant colour is still the blue for the neutral, but with a small ring of say grey for the grey phase.

 
I can see your reason behind marking as you do, however it could lead to confusion.

I always mark with cable markers so that each circuit has its own unique number.

There is then no confusion.The phase wire can be identified at the connection so it is easy to see which phase it is connected to.

 
You could always cable tie them together if its singles, that way each circuit is identified. I have used that and also numbered them. I think it also depends a lot on how many circuits are in board and type of cable.

Batty

 
Hi batty

The identifications problems are definately more related to singles, think I will go with green hornets system and number each circuit in futrure that way no confusion. I am a bit adverse to cable tying mains cables as I worry it effects there cooling.

 
Hi battyThe identifications problems are definately more related to singles, think I will go with green hornets system and number each circuit in futrure that way no confusion. I am a bit adverse to cable tying mains cables as I worry it effects there cooling.
Fare enough, it just a case of making sure what you use will be permanent. I brought some markers from TLC they were not very good. Sure there are better things on the market. I don't do much 3ph stuff and if I do its usually swa.

Batty

 
I tend to use panel wire numbers mainly cause I do a lot of controls stuff, so they are around and the colours are easy to read.

 
yeah personally I would leave them without the heat shrink, people may confuse them at a later date.

I usually mark them 1/L1 on live neutral and earth conductors. Therefore you know they are a set. 1 being the way, L1 being the phase.

 
I think there is enough colour confusion , Russ, with black and blue neutrals etc, without you starting another trend , no offence meant !! :) :) :)
Non taken :) Don't get me started on the phase and neutral colours, I have been moaning since 2006 ]:)

 
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