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7 STRAND TAILS V 19 STRAND

I changed a consumer unit a week ago and for the first time used 19 strand tails instead of 7 strand tails. I have to say they are much easier to use and manipulate in tight spaces. I think they are a much better for terminating in a cage clamp as they fill the space under the cage making more contact than 7 strand.

I purchased them from Tool Station and found they were made by Doncaster cables. A bit more expensive than 7 strand but worth the extra money.

0 gkenyon over 4 years ago
statter:

The Doncaster Cables Data sheet says that their 6181Y cables including the 19 strand 25mm2 cables are either class 1 or 2. As the smaller sizes are single strand the rest according to Doncaster are Class 2. "Plain Annealed Copper Class 1 or 2 to BS EN 60228 "

The data sheet is a bit awkward to find http://www.doncastercables.com/uploads/6181Y_Datasheet.pdf

Its described as a National Type. Does this give them some wiggle room. OFC no one would quibble with the termination of a 6mm2 6181Y cable in a consumer unit. This has 7 strands of small diameter than the 19 strand 25mm2 - perhaps there is a clue here.

I have used this cable too and I agree its much easier to use than the 7 strand. I did ask Wylex about it but am still awaiting a response.....

I am fairly sure that 19 strand meets the constructional requirements for 6181Y to BS 6004, and I have deleted my previous post accordingly.

To meet BS 6004, Table 3, 6181Y, conductors should either be:
Class I (solid) for sizes 1.0 to 2.5 mm²

Class 2 (rigid stranded) for sizes 4.0 to 35 mm²

BS EN 60228 is the standard for conductors referenced in Clause 6 of BS 6004.

BS EN 60228 in turn says that the number of conductors shall be not less than that in Table 2 (of BS EN 60228), which shows 7 strand copper for csa up to and included 35 mm2.

Therefore, 19 strand cable would comply with the constructional standard. It may, however, need preparation, as I indicated in an earlier post, for terminals in which the manufacturer expects only 7 strands.

It's worth noting that 19 strand cable is a long way off being classed as "flexible" as the maximum diameter of wires in Class 5 (flexible) for 25 and 35 mm² is 0.41 mm, which would be a heck of a lot more than 19 strands (200 and 280 strand respectively, in fact - handy table here: https://www.cse-distributors.co.uk/cable/technical-tables-useful-info/stranding-chart/).
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7 STRAND TAILS V 19 STRAND

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