How deep should SWA be?

A minimum installation depth of 450mm underground is typically recommended for best practice. This increases to 600mm in locations where there is a higher possibility for potential disturbance.

Should Armoured cable be buried?

Armoured cables and cables having an earthed metal sheath suitable for use as a protective conductor may be buried directly in the ground without further protection, except against corrosion, which may be negated by the provision of a plastic covering.

Does a buried SWA cable need RCD protection?

swa's steel armour is NOT accepted as sufficient protection for the cable when buried. there is no requirement to afford rcd protection to cables buried outside. socket circuits that COULD be used outdoors MUST have RCD protection, when this is a domestic installation.

How deep should you bury electrical cable?

In general, bury metal conduits at least 6 inches below the soil surface. You may also run them at a depth of 4 inches under a 4-inch concrete slab. Under your driveway, the conduits must be below a depth of 18 inches, and under a public road or alleyway, they must be buried below 24 inches.

How deep should Armoured cable be?

A minimum installation depth of 450mm underground is typically recommended for best practice. This increases to 600mm in locations where there is a higher possibility for potential disturbance.

How to bury an SWA cable the right way - A Day in the life

Does SWA need earthing?

Multi core swa cable, is a cable with two or more cores: 2-Core SWA Armoured Cable is live and neutral for Class II and Double Insulated appliances which do not need earth connection.

Does Armoured cable need to be earthed at both ends?

Yes, the armour should be earthed at least at the "supply" end. This ensures that anything that penetrates the cable (saw, drill, etc) will be earthed before the live cores are reached, and is therefore less likely to become energised.

What size SWA do I need for a shed?

For a 40amp supply a 6mm or if a longer run 10mm SWA cable would be required. If the incoming house supply is PME (TNCS) then a 2core SWA cable should be used with a local earth electrode driven into the ground at the shed end making the shed submain a TT supply.

Can you run SWA cable above ground?

The cable can be run above ground, so long as it is kept away from anything that may damage the wire. You must also ensure it isn't a tripping hazard. To achieve this, and stop rodents from destroying the wire, install it at height with cleats.

Does SWA need ducting?

There is no need for ducting when installing Steel Wire Armoured (SWA) Cable. It can be buried directly in the ground with no further protection at sufficient depth as to prevent damage!

Can my Neighbour pass a power cable over my land?

A It is a principle of property law that, subject to exceptions, the owner of land also owns the air space above it. Therefore a third party is not entitled to install a wire or cable over someone else's land without first having the owner's permission; there are, however, exceptions to this.

Does SWA need to be in conduit?

If you are using SWA, you shouldn't normally need to use conduit as well.

Can you clip SWA to a fence?

Yep, they sometimes do. But the point of clipping the cable to the fence (if it happens to be going the right way) rather than, say, shallow dig it is to make it visible and keep it away from potential sources of damage such as digging. The cable would ideally be fixed to, say, the top of the gravel board - ie.

How deep should a cable trench be?

All ducting must be laid with electrical cable warning tape, which should be installed at a depth of 240mm below gardens and paths, 100mm below roads and 650mm below agricultural land. Note: all cables and ducts for LV mains and 11kV circuits are to be installed by Central Networks or its agents.

Can I use plastic glands on armoured cable?

Plastic glands can be used – however, it is advisable at least to ensure that the braiding is secured to earth on at least one end of the cable run if using a TN earthing system.

Can you use 2 core SWA?

If you are putting the workshop on its own earth (TT'ing it) then 2 core is fine, as the armour will only be connected at the source end, and is only there for protection of the cable.

Is SWA an exposed conductive part?

Who is correct? Answer: The armour of a SWA cable should always be earthed where fault protection is provided by the measure Automatic Disconnection of Supply. Where the SWA is not employed as a circuit protective conductor, it should be considered as an exposed-conductive-part.

Can you paint SWA cable?

The quick answer is “yes,” but let's cover some of what you'll need to know first. Painting the armor does not violate the National Electric Code (NEC), however, this process can be time consuming and also create more cleanup on the job-site utilizing pre-painted armor saves time and labor.

How many amps can a 6mm SWA cable carry?

Consequently, there is no definitive amount of amperes that a 6mm SWA cable can take. The 6mm SWA cable current rating may vary depending on the ambient temperature and the conductor number. For instance, a 3 core SWA cable has a current rating of 53 amperes.

How often should SWA be clipped?

When fixing cables to exposed horizontal surfaces, the spacing of metal fixings should be approximately every 300mm. For vertical running cables that are exposed, a metal clip every 400mm is recommended.