Electric Cables
Electric Cables – What is Legal
We get a lot of questions about which electric cables are legal and how they must be installed. So here is a brief rundown of the different types of legal cabling available and the way an installation could be done. There are various accepted methods and we illustrate a general one here. When a builder has to wire a home, he will first lay conduits, which are plastic or metal pipes fixed in place above the plastic damp-proof underlay and the steel reinforcing. (See the picture above.)
These pipes are laid out according to the house plans and extend upwards from the floor and will be built into the walls later when the bricklayers start their work. The concrete for the floors will then be placed, and the conduits will run within the floor slab. From there they can be chased, or cut, into the walls so that they can be routed to various outlet points where plug points and lights are required.
Surfix and Flat-Twin-and-Earth cables
The electrician will later pull the wires through these tubes. There are classes of cable that do not need to be encased in conduit and can be chased into, and laid directly under the plaster. Two examples of these are Surfix and Flat-Twin-and-Earth cables. A full specification can be found in the Aberdare brochure below. When the roof is on and waterproof the cables can also be laid in the roof space for overhead lighting and other fittings.
Be Guided by What the Law Says about Electricity and Electric Cables
By law, a fully qualified and registered electrician must be responsible for the wiring. It is a good idea for all homeowners to familiarise themselves with and be able to identify, different types of cable and flex to ensure that all materials used in the installation are up to standard (literally – they need to meet the relevant South African National Standard). The National Building Regulations and Building Standards Act does not cover electricity and nor does SANS 10400. Electricians must comply with SANS 10142: The Wiring of Premises.
Insulation Material
Depending on the class of cable the non-conductive insulation material around the wires inside cables and flex are different colours to make it easy to identify them. Green, or green and yellow, is the earth; live wires are brown or red; and neutral is either light blue or black. Once the wiring in a building is complete the entire system must be checked by an accredited person (from Eskom or the municipality/ local authority) who will issue a certificate of compliance.
A Registered Professional Is Needed When Installing Electric Cables in the Home
When it comes to electrical installations, it is always recommended to use a registered professional. Electrical work in the home can be complex and potentially dangerous if not done properly, which is why it is essential to hire a qualified electrician to install electric cables. In this article, we will discuss why a registered professional is needed when installing electric cables in the home.
Safety
The primary reason to hire a registered professional for electrical installations is safety. Electricity can be dangerous if not handled correctly, and a licensed electrician has the knowledge and expertise to install electric cables safely. They understand the correct procedures for grounding and bonding, and they know how to work with live wires without putting themselves or anyone else in danger. They also have the proper tools and equipment to do the job safely and efficiently, reducing the risk of accidents or injuries.
Code Compliance
Another reason to hire a registered professional when installing electric cables in the home is to ensure compliance with electrical codes and regulations. These codes are designed to ensure the safety of the electrical system and prevent hazards such as electrical shocks, fires, and other dangerous situations. A licensed electrician has a thorough understanding of these codes and regulations and will install electric cables in compliance with them. This ensures that the electrical system is safe and up to code, reducing the risk of accidents and injuries.
Quality Workmanship
A registered professional electrician has the knowledge and experience to do the job right the first time. They understand the correct methods and techniques for installing electric cables, and they have the necessary tools and equipment to do the job correctly. This results in high-quality workmanship that is reliable and long-lasting, reducing the risk of future electrical problems or failures.
Insurance
Another reason to hire a registered professional electrician when installing electric cables is insurance. If an unlicensed person does electrical work in your home and something goes wrong, you may not be covered by your insurance policy. This means that any damage or injuries resulting from the electrical work will be your responsibility. However, if a licensed electrician does the work, they are typically insured, and any damages or injuries resulting from the work will be covered by their insurance policy.
Warranty
Finally, a registered professional electrician typically offers a warranty for their work. This means that if anything goes wrong with the electrical installation within a certain period of time, they will come back and fix it at no extra cost. This provides peace of mind and ensures that the electrical work is done correctly the first time. In conclusion, when it comes to electrical installations, it is always best to hire a registered professional. They have the knowledge, expertise, and experience to install electric cables safely and correctly, ensuring compliance with electrical codes and regulations. They also provide quality workmanship, insurance, and a warranty, giving you peace of mind and protecting you from potential hazards and liabilities.
Aberdare Cables have an excellent brochure (see below) that should help to identify the various cables associated with the electrical installation in a house.
[Note that we have no affiliation with this company and reference to their brochure does not imply any particular recommendation.]
no you must have some sort of protection, warning tape etc, best is to place it in conduit, be sure to check your load
it is not legal, each addition should have a new feeder cable installed as the existing feeder cables are be
designed for a specific load, and should not be used for an extension, of any sort.
SABS is the answer, it is legal, as long as you get the result requested
no, you must do a proper load flow, staring from the flat, make sure what exact load are reuired, and do a load flow from there, also a armor cable must be used, check your volt drop and amps regarding buried in soil, air, or ducted system, then check your feeder cable and ensure that it can handle the load together with the breaker
no, check youe SABS i my years it was a max of 1,5 meter, a plumber wil not know this, but and electrician, it have changed in the years as you can have a cupboard dividing the exact length, and also some water appliances require you a connection within 30 cm from the the unit,
The wiring in a roof of a house, must that be in conduite or will the flex kind off kable enought?
Is it compliant to have flat twin and earth running surface on my walls as it was compliant before
Hi, is a separate earth wire needed even when a 3-core armoured cable is laid in a sleeve between a kiosk and a house in a complex?
Exactly. All this the work must be done by a registered electrician is complete nonsense. The same applies to plumbing. You can do it yourself.
Yes it is league. The complex is probably paying for your garage
You will find that the garages are fed from a DB within the complex. That’s fine as the governing body will be paying the elec bill . You will find the complex will have it’s own meter.
Good day
Before continuing with my plan to install a build in oven and hob in a new area in my kitchen, I would like to know, can the current point where the stove connects in the box (where the wire from the DB is), be extended to another junction box to connect my new stove? Is it legal to do this extension?
Thank you
Jacques
Are there any regulation that regulate the laying of fibre internet cable through one’s garden and through the house?
Must it be laid at a certain depth? Must it be laid away from fireplace flues to prevent a fire risk in a roof etc?
Refering to reg. 6.3.6 cables may be install then twin plus earth is not covered inthisb reg.?
You should use swa 10 mm or 16 mm for the supply
Hello I am moving lights In my house
There is condute piping in roof and walls with cab tie in it
Is this illigale or must I replace it with house wire or surfix
We want to sell out house The electrician came to inspect our house and said we need to replace the DB Board because the switches must say “Made in South Africa” Costing me allot of money
Is this true? Please help?
Hi there
I Bought a home cash form a person advertising to sell his house. I appointed my own lawyer to handle the transaction. There was no question of a Compliance certificate. 1 year later I decided to sell my home and the property group founded a buyer for my new home. We were asked for a compliance certificate but did not get one certificate of the previous owner.
Why is it that it only works like that when it’s a cash transaction? or is the certificate of compliance required by your bank to comply to get your loan?
I also did find a company for this Electrical certificate of compliance but now I’m stuck with a bill. who is responsible for this bill? Me or the previous owner?
Hi, is it legal to run electricity supply cables to an outbuilding through conduate instead of using armoured cable given the cable run will be under a concrete slab ?
I want to fit new downlights in my lounge. Currently there is one ulgly old fitting in the centre of the room. I want to replace it with six smaller energy efficient spot slights.
Can I run Cabtire two-core white PVC cables from the single light fitting to the new fittings by simply laying the new wires across the ceiling inside the roof space?
Only a qualified, registered electrician can do this work! If you do it the connection will be illegal.
This is not specified in the Building Regs
A registered plumber will know the answer to this question – and only a qualified, registered plumber should do the work.
Hello, what are the legal requirements when it comes to how far copper Waterpipes should be layed from electrical sockets and or TV outputs. Thanks, TK
I am busy converting my garage into a flat. What I like to know is what cable do I have to use to be used to connect the power from the main house to the flat? I running the cable underground and I want to know if I use a 4 mm thick. White insulated 3 core cable if it’s going to be thick enough. Is there a certain type of cable I have to use
Hullo,
what is the minimum distance from a power line that a house can be constructed?
I don’t know what you are talking about. What are “compliancestors regulations”? and what sort of wiring?
Daniel the NBR govern new construction work and not maintenance. If you are leasing the property, what does the agreement say about maintenance? The norm would be that the owner is liable to fix this kind of damage.
Hi, I want to find out something. There is a business in town that needs some electrical repairs on lights came plugs. The plugs are external wall plugs. There is however a problem. The roof leaks and the walls have got water damage and the plaster is busy falling off. The owner doesn’t want to fix the roof or the walls but insist to just fix the electrical problems. Is there a law that regulates repairs as this?
Dear Robert
is it illegal to use a earth incorporated in the cable or must it always have a separate earth(bare)
What are the compliancestors regulations regarding black wiring and white wiring running outside the house?
Yes… that is why you have three phases!
The National Building Regulations do not include electric regs so I really can’t help you.
Philo electrics are not covered by the National Building Regulations. You need to contact a registered electrician for advice.
Thanks for the compliment, but if you want to use our pix there will be a fee. Let us know what it is that you want to use.
Hi.
Thanks for a well presented site.
I am busy writing a textbook for school learners in the field Electrical Technology.
My I use some of the photo’s on your site, it is very clear and show exactly some fundamentals that we look at.
Regards
C.Marais
What are the rules regarding extending a 15 amp socket without chasing the wall. (Surface wiring). Eg.. how does electrician couple in to the existing socket?
I have a house with a 3 phase supply. I’d like to know whether it is legal, when wiring plug points, to have more than one phase per room, e.g. can I distribute my appliance load in my kitchen across all three phases?
You have not answered his question
You dont need to be registered to wire a house but you would need a registered electrician to do the coc on the house that you have wired.
Well you can’t do the work unless you are registered … so get a job with a registered electrician, save up, and get registered.
Hi i am a gualified electrician but not registered and i want to wire a house ,what is yo advice dere coz i want mone to get registerd
First of all you need approved plans; secondly only a qualified and registered electrician can do the electrics.
Hi, I’m in the process of extending my home. This includes the kitchen. Placing electrical outlets (plugs) is my biggest concern. I need to add a number of outlets to the kitchen. Must all outlet points be routed from the floor or can they be extended from the ceiling in the walls (as with lighting) to the wall sockets?
You have to be registered to be able to call yourself an electrician. Contact the ecasa Electrical Contractors Ass. They do training and will give you advice.
I m n electrician but I have no certificate to prove that i m qualified and i would like to have it but i dont have cash to go to college, how can i get it?
Hi Francois, This sounds as though the HOA is paying for the lighting in the garages. This could be a security consideration. This cost will then be shared by all the home owners in the complex through the estates/complex fees/rates and will be quite legal. I suggest that you have a look at your deed of sale. If you do not find anything then you can query this at the next HOA meeting.
Subject:
electricity
Message:
Hi i bought a duplex home in a complexs. My garage is freestanding from my home. I have noticed that the power supply for the garage does not come from my DB inside the house. The power for the garage come
from a central point in the complexs. But the supply for the garage is supplying another 3 garages. Is this installation legal?
Moloto you don’t. You get an electrician to do it for you. Furthermore that person must be qualified and registered.
How do i connect the surge protector on to a single phase DB connected box?
Hi Jan, I guess that you mean the “Flat Twin & Earth” cable. This is widely used under plaster internally nowadays but I doubt if it is ok for external underground use. The normal surfix cable must be run inside conduiting. I suggest you contact either Aberdare Cables— +27 11 396 8000 or the ECASA— 011 392 0000 They will have the specs you are looking for.
can you lay 2.5 flat surfix direct in the ground to supply a led pool light