Regulations for wiring under thatched roof (grade II listed)

[kharris]

Does anyone know if there are special regulations/restrictions for the wiring directly beneath a thatched roof (i.e. in the roof void) in a Grade II listed cottage?

We have had two sets of advice (contradictory) with one company saying that we need to protect the wiring from rodent (e.g. Squirrel) problems. They have suggested we need to use a kind of armoured trunking at considerable cost

Many thanks for your help.

 

[Lime]

Do you have problems with rodents?
If you do then the cables need to be protected.

The usual danger of wiring in a thatched roof is that of fire.

 

[Mark]

but isnt rodent damage to cables a major contributor to fires ?

 

[Lime]

but isnt rodent damage to cables a major contributor to fires ?

Did I say rodent damage couldn't cause fire?

However there are many other ways wiring can cause a fire other than rodent damage.

 

[tony]

thatched roof, big metal pins holding down thatch, increased fire risk,

i will look up the regs later and post

regards

tony

 

[tony]

The increased risk of ignition largely to the more combustible material used- Reg 130-03-01& 482-01-01
However putting out a fire in a thatched property is made more difficult of the inherent property of the thatch to repel water.

Guidance can be obtained from Dorset Building Control Technical Committee, gives requirements and recommendations using the 'Dorset Model'

dont know how to post link.

http://www.dorset-technical-committee.org.uk

regards

tony

 

[NT]

MICC, also known as pyro, has excellent resistance to both fire and rodents. To keep cost down it could be used only for traversing the roof.


NT

 

[tony]

how would the pyro change to T&E.

 

[NT]

how would the pyro change to T&E.

Yes, I was thinking about that. Presumably one could fit T&E into MICC junction boxes.

I dont recall the OP saying whether it runs across the roof to supply lighting points on ceilings, or whether it runs across uninterrupted to provide a feed on the other side.

I'd put the MICC circuit on its own RCBO.


NT

 

[Penners]

Gents - I'm sure I speak for everyone when I say that we really appreciate electrical advice from you experts. But please could you try to use fewer acronyms and initials? It makes the thread so much more useful to everyone if we can all understand what you're suggesting.

Please don't regard that as a moan - it's just a polite request.

Many thanks.

 

[Lime]

pyro..... abbreviation for a cable manufacturer, Pyrotenax Ltd., and refers to their mineral insulated cable.
T&E.....twin and earth cable
MICC...mineral insulated copper covered cable
OP...original poster
RCBO....residual current circuit breaker with overload protection used in consumer units (modern fuseboxes)

 

[Penners]

Much appreciated, Lime.

 

[NT]

MICC is the name of it, so its what to ask for when discussing it with the spark or buying. What it is is microbore copper tube, which acts as the earth / CPC, and it contains 2 L&N wires inside. The filling insulation is entirely mineral oxide, no pvc or anything, so its able to withstand extreme temperatures. Its used for fire alarm systems that need to continue to work in a fire.

Its one weakpoint is that the oxide fill is hygroscopic, so ends must be sealed properly, and having it on its own rcbo is always the best option.


NT

 

[NT]

http://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php?title=Glossary

 

[Penners]

acts as the earth / CPC, and it contains 2 L&N wires

Now you see you're doing it again, NT! I imagine most people will know that L & N are live and neutral, but what's CPC, please?

 

[MdB]

Its in the Wiki...

CPC Circuit Protective Conductor, earth conductor, earth wire.

 

[Penners]

Thanks MdB. The only reason I've brought this up is that it takes so long to understand a thread if we non-experts have to keep looking up acronyms!

 

[NT]

acts as the earth / CPC, and it contains 2 L&N wires

Now you see you're doing it again, NT! I imagine most people will know that L & N are live and neutral, but what's CPC, please?

Its the urf wire innit, thats why I wrote earth/cpc, for clarity. So much for that plan!

Thanks MdB. The only reason I've brought this up is that it takes so long to understand a thread if we non-experts have to keep looking up acronyms!

Yes... I know how annoying it is to be overacronymmed. Snot intentional, its just these details tend to get overlooked, plus for some of the items discussed the acronyms are really the only names to know. Especially true with MICC and RCBO. There arent always better names available.


NT