Cable & Cable Management Supplement 2018

August 2018

Cable & cable management

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FLEXICON

DETA

Meeting signalling and infrastructure needs for Network Rail

What to look for when identifying high-quality electrical cable

An ECN Supplement

LEGRAND Reducing cable management installation times

27/07/2018 11:07

TOTAL CABLE MANAGEMENT SOLUTIONS

Reduce Prime Cost Enviromental Benefits Gain Tendering Advantage Control Site Programmes Improve Profit Manage Site Labour Guaranteed Quality Unrivalled Service RAPID INSTALLATION SYSTEMS

WWW.UNITRUNK.CO.UK

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INTRODUCTION

CABLING MATTERS Cabling: often hidden out of sight but always vital, it underpins the electrical industry.

Cabling forms the foundation of an installation, determining the project’s ultimate success, safety and efficiency. And yet, it can often be overlooked, ignored in place of other, ‘more exciting’ elements of a project.

This is exactly why it’s so important to give cabling its proper dues and get it right first time. Often, saving the odd penny by using cheaper cabling can cost more in the longrun, and it’s important to ensure the safety and reliability of cabling by ensuring a quality product is used.

Welcome to the penultimate ECN supplement for 2018, which takes a look at exactly why cabling deserves our full attention.

From how to ensure cabling is high quality, safe and compliant, to how to make the most out of cabling accessories and baskets, this supplement is designed to give tips and advice from leading players within the industry.

The editor and publishers do not necessarily agree with the views expressed by contributors nor do they accept responsibility for any errors in the transmission of the subject matter in this publication. In all matters the editor’s decision is final. Editorial contributions to ECN are welcomed, and the editor reserves the right to alter or abridge text prior to the publication.

Published monthly by All Things Media Ltd., Suite 14, 6-8 Revenge Road, Lordswood, Kent ME5 8UD. Tel: 01634 673163 Fax: 01634 673173 Overseas Subscription Rates: Europe £60.00; Rest of World £70.00 Copyright © 2018. All rights reserved. Printed by Pensord, Tram Road, Pontilanfraith, Blackwood, NP12 2YA

CONTENTS… management specialist, 4 Cable Unitrunk, explains how its products

can contractors be sure that the 12 How electrical cables they use conform

are helping to drive fast and effective simplicity at Southampton Docks’ car storage facilities.

Flexicon outlines how its PADS-approved 6 system for signalling and infrastructure installation met Network Rail’s requirement for safety and reliability.

Legrand’s new Swiftclip has been 14 designed to significantly reduce cable management installation times. Here, Nigel Leaver, cable management specialist for Legrand, demonstrates an installation in just five simple steps.

Greenbrook’s sales director, Peter 8 Ratcliffe, issues a word of caution against budget conduit fittings, and claims that if things seem too good to be true, they probably are.

10

to standards and are up to the task? Doncaster Cables outlines its checklist to reducing the risk of using substandard cables.

Electrical cable may well all look the same, but does all of the electrical cable currently available in the UK market perform the same? Andrew Pegrum, technical manager, Deta Electrical Company Ltd, takes a closer look at the issue.

Halsey from MK Electric answers 16 aMark Q&A on the most important factors to bear in mind when specifying a cable management system.

Alan Darlow, commercial director at 18 Pemsa UK, looks at cable tray finishes and how to address the issue of zinc whiskers in data centre environments.

EDITOR KAYLEIGH HUTCHINS E: kayleigh@allthingsmedialtd.com

EDITORIAL COORDINATOR: JORDAN O’BRIEN E: jordan@allthingsmedialtd.com

GROUP ADVERTISEMENT MANAGER KELLY BYNE T: 01634 673163 E: kelly@allthingsmedialtd.com

BUSINESS SUPPORT ADMINISTRATOR CAROL GYLBY T: 01634 673163 E: carol@allthingsmedialtd.com

STUDIO MANAGER BEN BRISTOW T: 01634 673163 E: ben@allthingsmedialtd.com

MANAGING DIRECTOR DAVID KITCHENER T: 01634 673163 E: david@allthingsmedialtd.com

DESIGNER JON APPLETON E: jon@allthingsmedialtd.com

ACCOUNTS T: 01634 673163 E: susan@allthingsmedialtd.com

Cable & Cable Management

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UNITRUNK

MULTI-DECK MANAGEMENT Cable management specialist, Unitrunk, explains how its products are helping to drive fast and effective simplicity at Southampton Docks car storage facilities.

T

he city of Southampton has developed a £450 million ‘Renaissance’ masterplan, designed to create a city and waterfront environment that can compete with its European rivals as a place to live, visit and do business. Improvements to the docks will form a critical component in the overall strategy and one of the recently completed elements that will help Southampton reiterate its status as a major port, is the construction of multideck car parks for use as vehicle holding bays for import and export cars.

Currently worth around £71 billion1, the UK car industry is driven by imports from mainland Europe for distribution to dealerships across Great Britain, along

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Cable basket can be used for a wide variety of applications

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UNITRUNK with exports from UK car manufacturing plants to buyers on the continent. Many of those vehicles leave our shores or arrive via Southampton and the new multi-deck car parks will provide short-term storage on the dockside while they await onward transportation to the retail point of sale.

The most recently completed multidecks are numbers six and seven, each with six parking floors (ground – level five) with a vehicle capacity of 3,214 and 4,200 respectively. While the large but simple steel frame structures with concrete slab decks have been designed as utilitarian commercial stock holding units, the cable management infrastructure they require is considerable. Each multi-deck car park has required the installation of more than 10km of Unitrunk EasyConnect cable basket in an electrical fit out that highlights the flexibility of cable basket across power, data, control and lighting cabling and the ease and speed of installation benefits offered by Unitrunk’s RIS (Rapid Installation Systems) approach.

James Gunning from Unitrunk comments, “Many specifiers still underestimate the variety of applications for which cable basket can be used, but this installation clearly demonstrates that, providing the right size and weight and finish are specified and that data and power cables are separated, either in dedicated runs or by using a divider, cable basket can be used throughout a project to simplify specification, procurement and installation.”

The car parks have been designed to maximise capacity for a wide range of vehicles

Scale and simplicity

Speed and ease of installation

The car parks have been designed to prioritise space, maximising capacity and enabling use for the widest possible range of vehicles. At ground floor level, each multi-deck features a 5m floor to ceiling height, with 3m ceiling heights for levels one to four. This involved significant working at height challenges for electrical contractor, Rigfone Electrics, when installing the 10km of cable basket and 1000 IP65-rated, LED light fittings for each structure.

John Hubbard from Rigfone Electrics explains, “With a project involving such high ceilings, simplicity of design and installation are critical. For this project, that had to be combined with a robust and hardwearing installation, capable of meeting the client’s stipulation of a 10year minimum service life.

“Unitrunk’s specification support, on-site training and simple to use EasyConnect cable basket not only helped us to meet project requirements within the designated programme but also enabled us to save a couple of minutes and a couple of pence on every 3m length of tray – considerable savings on a project totalling 20km.”

Just one riser and four runs of EasyConnect cable basket per storey have been installed to cover the needs of the building. To protect the installation against the elements, the system was specified in hot dip galvanised steel with stainless steel fixings. Due to the high ceilings on each level, the Rigfone team suspended the cable management system from the concrete slab using metal rods, which were inserted into holes drilled into the slab at 1.5m intervals and fixed in place with resin; a system that has been guaranteed by Unitrunk for a minimum of ten years.

Speed of installation was not only facilitated by the 1.5m fixing intervals, but also by the design of the EasyConnect system itself. With their integral couplers, the lengths of cable basket simply push together to form a secure joint. The system’s design also means that no screws or bolts can be worked loose over time by the vibration caused by vehicle movements, ensuring that the electrical installation at the car parks meets its full design life.

The EasyConnect cable basket system has been used to take the submains cabling into the building via external risers, which provide the supply to each level. Four rows of basket then run across the ceiling of each deck at 12m intervals to carry small power, fire alarm and fibre optic cabling for the Wi-Fi networks. The fibre optic cabling connects to an RF transmitter at the top of each multi-deck to provide connectivity between each building.

The cable management infrastructure for the DALI lighting control system is also provided by EasyConnect. Each building has been divided into three lighting control zones with daylight harvesting to ensure automated switch off of lights around the perimeter of each building when there is sufficient natural light for these areas. This, combined with PIR presence detection and time out on each staircase, maximises the energy efficiency of the installation.

John Hubbard adds, “Not only was the EasyConnect system fast and simple to install, but the use of basket throughout the multi-decks ensures ease of access to cabling for maintenance, delivering a facility that offers true operational efficiency.” *Society of Motor Manufacturers & Traders (SMMT)

Unitrunk, unitrunk.co.uk

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26/07/2018 17:53

FLEXICON

THE RIGHT TRACKS Flexicon outlines how its PADS-approved system for signalling and infrastructure installation met Network Rail’s requirement for safety and reliability.

C

Fire performance

able protection for infrastructure and rolling stock is a vital safety requirement for the rail industry. Flexible conduit is an effective and proven method of protecting critical power and data cables from damage in both indoor and outdoor applications. This includes protection from damage caused by mechanical, electrical or environmental influences.

There are various challenges involved in achieving compliance to the latest legislation, managing and controlling risk, making procurement more efficient whilst striving for continuous improvement across the entire railway system. With Network Rail for example, its product acceptance process (PADS) offers assurances that products are safe, compatible, reliable, fit for purpose and do not export unacceptable risk to its rail infrastructure.

Low fire hazard systems are required to protect the public, personnel and property in the event of a fire, and are demanded by specifiers, industry bodies, train and network operators, fire services and even insurers.

EN45545 is the latest European standard, and is rapidly replacing national standards across Europe. Conduit performance is quoted to EN45545-2, R22 is for interior parts and R23 is for exterior parts. There are three defined levels of performance related to the reaction of fire: HL1, HL2 and HL3, with HL3 being the highest level of performance.

Flexicon products are independently tested to extremes to offer customers assurance that our products will perform as expected, including EN 45545-2 to HL3 level.

Handy contractor and installer guide

Network Rail approval Network Rail has recently enhanced its PADS requirements to include a provision for areas prone to flooding or prolonged immersion under water. Crucially, if an area is prone to flooding and/or there is a risk of cabling being immersed, currently only Flexicon can provide a PADS-approved system for Network Rail signalling and infrastructure installations.

Sales and marketing director for Flexicon, Tim Creedon explains: “Network Rail recognised the need to update its PADS approval for infrastructure and signalling cable protection, adapting it to cope with the enhanced hazards likely to be faced by a flexible conduit system.

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Existing solutions did not offer sufficient protection against potential flooding and/ or prolonged immersion underwater.”

Of course, flooding is just one potential hazard that cabling may face in infrastructure applications.

Customers are looking for reliability and simplicity. High performance conduit fittings typically consist of multiple or separate parts which can add complexity during installation. Ingress protection and dynamic performance are critical factors and are often a common reason for cable protection failures. Vibration, constant movement and sudden inertia are also elements which can compromise system performance.

Flexicon’s range can offer protection against other hazards such as temperature variations, UV light, attack from rodents, vibration and impact, to name but a few. We have a number of different PADS approved conduit systems available, enabling specifiers to effectively protect safety critical cabling from different hazards over its lifetime.

Flexicon launched its new UK Rail Brochure, which is a handy contractor and installer guide to cable protection for companies working on UK rail infrastructure projects. It lists all the Network Rail PADS catalogue numbers and features Flexicon’s range of 14 approved conduit systems compliant with Transport for London standard – TFL S1085 for London Underground and Crossrail.

“Our flexible conduit systems have been designed to ensure continuous operation and maximum safety for the rail industry,” adds Creedon. “We have utilised our many years of experience within this global industry to create our new UK rail infrastructure brochure.”

This brochure will give contractors and installers the best possible guidance to provide innovative and reliable cable protection solutions.

Flexicon, flexicon.uk.com

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Cable Protection for

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www.flexicon.uk.com Untitled-1 1

THE POWER IN CABLE PROTECTION

+44 (0) 1675 466 900 23/07/2018 09:49

GREENBROOK ELECTRICAL

NOT ALWAYS CHEAP AND CHEERFUL Greenbrook’s sales director, Peter Ratcliffe, issues a word of caution against budget conduit fittings, and claims that if things seem too good to be true, they probably are.

T

he quality of electrical products used is vital to the safety and reliability of any electrical installation.

However, despite a tradition of loyalty and a routine of buying products from a name they can trust, too many specifiers and contractors are starting to prioritise cost over quality as the industry battles to offer better value to its customers.

Most manufacturers are working hard to serve their customers by keeping prices as low as possible, but if a product is significantly cheaper, it is for a reason.

It may be made using lower quality materials or follow an unproven design and, in some cases, it will not have undergone the kind of rigorous health and safety testing that the UK market expects.

Therefore, the product could potentially fail or even more seriously, be hazardous to the end-user.

Quality standards such as CE marking and the European WEEE, REACH and RoHS directives are designed to safeguard against faulty or sub-standard products, and they certainly have their value.

However, no one polices them and, as a result, they have no teeth. CE marking relies entirely on self-certification with absolutely no requirement for third-party checks, which leaves suppliers free to safety test their products as rigorously, or

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“Buying decisions made based entirely on price are risky and short sighted.”

as unrigorously as they see fit. In addition, as Trading Standards lacks the manpower to act in the rare event that concerns are raised over European standards not being met, these ostensibly third-party endorsements are also little more than a logo on the packaging.

The case of conduit The humble cast iron conduit fitting provides an excellent example of why buying decisions made based entirely on price are risky and short-sighted.

Conduit fittings can vary significantly in quality because there are varying grades available on the market.

Malleable cast iron fittings can be bent, shaped or drawn by hammers or rollers because they undergo a lengthy annealing heat treatments process when manufactured, which gives them their unique properties and, as a result they cost a little more.

Non-malleable fittings, on the other hand, may look the same but they are far cheaper to produce because they don’t go through this process. As a result, they often shatter when being installed because the different process and completely inferior grade of material used to produce them results in a product that is simply too brittle.

Typically, an electrical contractor may install hundreds or even thousands of conduit boxes in a single installation, so opting for non-malleable conduit boxes is not a cheap and cheerful option – it’s a costly mistake. It’s just one example of how the costs of the simplest installation can increase dramatically because of an attempt to save money on electrical products.

The focus is now so clearly directed towards cost saving that contractors may feel pressurised into looking for a bargain, and some wholesalers have become complicit in their single-track strategy for reducing costs. Often, contractors will spend valuable time shopping around to save a penny per unit on a simple commodity product. However, surely these modest cost savings are not worth the additional time, effort and cost of replacing the sub-standard products, not to mention the increased time on-site or all that time researching and negotiating the best price deal.

The value strategy Instead of looking for cost savings, it pays to trust a reputable brand with years of experience of developing products that are truly fit for purpose and a clear commitment to customer service, after sales support and a reliable supply chain with plentiful availability.

It’s not surprising during these tough economic times that cost has become the number one priority right across the supply chain. However, safety and reliability should always come first, otherwise how can the industry expect to hold on to the professional reputation it deserves? It’s a principle that needs to be held sacred by all manufacturers and, unfortunately, it’s the isolated few that make it difficult to be sure which brands to trust. Only by concentrating on delivering quality and being prepared to pay for it can the industry stem the tide of sub-standard products, otherwise it will end up counting the cost of its complacency.

Greenbrook Electrical, greenbrook.co.uk

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19/07/2018 12:59

DETA ELECTRICAL

COMPLIANCY CONCERNS Electrical cable may well all look the same, but does all of the electrical cable currently available in the UK market perform the same? Andrew Pegrum, technical manager, Deta Electrical Company Ltd, takes a closer look at the issue.

A

ccording to the latest government fire statistics collated by the Home Office, there are over 29,000 accidental fires per year in England alone, of which over 5,241 (c. 18%) can be attributed to wiring or cabling.

2,693 (51%) of these were down to faulty electrical supplies and 1,728 (33%) due to faulty appliances and leads. Not only fires, but sub-standard cabling can result in short circuits and blackouts, posing hassle for homeowners, or, in more extreme circumstances, a reduction in a cable’s insulating properties can lead to circuit malfunction and possible electrocution.

PR compliancy As a result, the focus on fire safety with electrical installations and cabling has never been greater, especially given that nearly a fifth of all accidental electrical fires in England are caused by wiring and cabling issues. It is now one year since the introduction of the new European Construction Product Regulation (CPR) that, in respect to cables, was introduced to address the fire risks associated with power cables used for installation into building and construction works. CPR further extends to the performance of data and communication cables under fire conditions.

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“The focus on fire safety with electrical installations and cabling has never been greater.”

With CPR comes certain responsibilities for manufacturers to include: appropriate testing and classification of cable, making available a Declaration of Performance and ensuring cable carries the appropriate CE-Mark.

cable products to go with the source that enables a price point to be achieved. But how do specifiers, installers and buyers know they are getting the cable they are expecting and that it will meet the specific requirements they have?

Sharing responsibility

Checklist: what to look out for

Responsibility for conforming to the updated CPR regulations (effective July 1 2017) extends beyond manufacturers to distributors, specifiers and installers, all of whom have a role to play in ensuring fully CPR-compliant cable to an appropriate class of performance is supplied and installed. Whilst the specification of a cable system can and should set out the exact performance requirements, the safety of the installation relies on the cable being fit for purpose and aligned with the performance set out in the system’s specification.

Cable standards not only specify the dimensions and materials of a cable, they also require that a range of specific tests are undertaken to prove the construction and performance.

Given the competitive nature of market pricing, it is all too easy when sourcing

• Cable marking – check the cable is marked correctly • CE marking – check the CE mark is in place • Cable reel labelling – check the cable reel has a Declaration of Performance label • Traceability – check the product labelling or documentation has the manufacturer’s details, year of manufacture and reaction to fire classification.

Partnering with a reputable, high quality brand like Deta Electrical gives contractors, wholesalers, specifiers and installers the security of knowing products are fully compliant, rigorously tested and suitable for the intended application.

Deta Electrical, detaelectrical.co.uk

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Co-Axial

Bell Wire

Alarm

Telephone

Speaker

Data

Cable for your everyday needs CPR compliant Broad range of cables Extensive stock holding Unrivalled service and support

t: 01582 544 544

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DONCASTER CABLES

ASSURING QUALITY How can contractors be sure that the electrical cables they use conform to standards and are up to the task? Doncaster Cables outlines its checklist to reducing the risk of using substandard cables.

E

lectrical cables are found in every aspect of modern life. Without them, hardly anything would work.

Everything from a mobile phone to a battery-powered car needs to be charged using a cable.

In fact, without cables, life as we know it would be extremely difficult.

Despite this, we seldom think about electrical cables. They are usually hidden from view – under flooring, behind walls or in the ceiling void. Inside your average commercial building, there is probably just as much data cable as there is cable supplying the power. Miles and miles of cable switching on and off central heating systems, air conditioning units, security systems and powering our everyday appliances and usually we do not give them a second thought.

What if these cables were not manufactured correctly in accordance with British, European or International Standards? How dangerous would that be?

Maintaining standards Due to the demise of the British cable industry, a large proportion of the cable available for sale in the UK is manufactured abroad. Provided the cable conforms to relevant standards, there is nothing wrong with this. However, the policing of products coming into the UK is not satisfactory. This has led to faulty, substandard and counterfeit cables regularly being detected and used in the UK. For example, faulty flexible cords with high conductor resistance sold through DIY outlets; defective steel wire armoured cables with undersized armour wire, reducing its mechanical protection; and insufficient zinc coating on wire, reducing its resistance to rusting are just some examples of substandard cables found recently, manufactured in China, India, Turkey and in some instances in other parts of Europe.

Unfortunately, many of these faults are not immediately apparent and it may be many years before the problem is uncovered. In the more extreme cases, some manufacturers intentionally cut costs by reducing the copper content or even

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using alternatives to fill copper conductors, such as copper coated aluminium. In this case, the cable may overheat and the risk of fire increases significantly.

Reducing risk check-list In this time-pressed and cost-conscious world, the end-user, usually a contractor, is relying on the wholesaler or distributor to ensure that the cables supplied are fit for purpose and are safe. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. However, a few simple checks will reduce the risks.

•T he customer should check that the cable is third party approved by an appropriate test house, such as BASEC •T he cable legend should be checked to make sure it meets the appropriate standard and carries the manufacturers name or logo •E xamine the label and confirm that it is CPR compliant and carries the correct DoP information •A lways buy a well-known, reputable, quality brand that you can trust.

Experienced brand Doncaster Cables is the largest British owned general wiring manufacturer in the UK and provides the level of reassurance that customers want. We provide a superior quality product and ensure every reel we supply

“Doncaster Cables is the largest British owned general wiring manufacturer in the UK.”

undergoes stringent quality control checks and thorough test procedures that go above and beyond the minimum requirements of the relevant standards.

We have been manufacturing cables since 1984, and our current staff alone have over 1,000 years of direct cable manufacturing experience. During this period, we have continued to develop in to an internationally recognised brand throughout the cable industry. Our company has experienced and dedicated staff, committed to developing and improving customer service. In addition, we also have trained specialist technical staff who provide support and valuable help to answer customer questions.

We are proud to say that all of our general wiring cables are manufactured in the UK and we believe that this commitment to UK manufacturing and British quality is the reason why wholesalers, contractors and, increasingly, overseas customers are turning to us.

Doncaster Cables is proud to manufacture our cables to the highest standards and to continue to invest to ensure we remain at the forefront of cable manufacture. In the last four years, we have invested over £2 million in new wiredrawing equipment, double twist stranding, extrusion, winding and coiling machines and online dimensional and concentricity control and recording systems, with a further £1.5 million earmarked for future investment.

Our passion for speed and operational excellence enables us to deliver products at an industry best on time delivery basis.

Our continual commitment to be best in class is underlined by our ongoing investment programme.

We are committed to meeting the market demand for fire survival, and low smoke and fumes types, whilst continuing to produce competitive, high quality, traditional cables for the construction industry.

Whether our customer is in Europe, or further afield, they know that they can rely on Doncaster Cables to deliver quality cable on time and third party certified to some of the toughest of international standards.

Doncaster Cables, doncastercables.com

Cable & Cable Management

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YOU CAN TRUST Made in Britain for over 30 years

Established in 1984, Doncaster Cables is the largest British owned general wiring manufacturer in the UK. An internationally recognised brand in the cable industry, proud to display the CE mark of quality and safety on all it’s products.

t: 01302 821700 f: 01302 821701 e: sales@doncastercables.com doncastercables.com

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24/07/2018 17/05/2018 09:35 13:39

LEGRAND

SWIFT AND SURE Legrand’s new Swiftclip has been designed to significantly reduce cable management installation times. Here, Nigel Leaver, cable management specialist for Legrand, demonstrates an installation in just five simple steps.

L

eading manufacturer of cable management systems, Legrand, has recently launched a new, innovative cable management component, developed to offer a fast-fit alternative to the traditional nut and bolt.

The new Swiftclip, which forms part of the UK’s market leading Swifts cable tray range, has been designed with speed in mind. Requiring no tools during installation, the Swiftclip not only significantly reduces the number of components required, but also ensures installation times of at least four times faster than a nut and bolt solution.

Connecting the Swiftclip couldn’t be easier.

Step one: initial set-up Ensure the cable tray supports are placed in the relevant location before you begin.

Top tip: When designing a cable management installation, cable ladders, cable trays and their supports should be strong enough to meet the total load requirements of the cable management system.

Ancillary items such as light fittings or junction boxes should be taken into consideration as well as the cables and any predicted future additions.

1 “Swiftclip ensures installation times of at least four times faster than a nut and bolt solution.”

Step two Place a straight length of cable tray across the supports; ideally the joint should be a quarter of the span of the cable tray from the support for maximum strength.

Place the next straight length of cable tray across the next supports and position the coupler centrally over the tray joint.

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2

3

4

Step three

Swiftclip installation is complete

Place the Swiftclip between your thumb and index finger and insert the joggled head through the aligned tray and coupler slots.

The Swiftclip is compatible with the existing Swifts medium (MRF) and heavy duty (SRF) cable tray systems, is load tested to BS EN 61537, and provides earth continuity without the need for additional components.

In addition, the innovative cable management component is available for internal pre-galvanised and external post-galvanised applications.

Step four Pass each leg of the Swiftclip through the tray and coupler slots, starting with the leg nearest to the tray wall.

Repeat the process on the other side of the tray, fitting the clip in the opposite direction. Ensure the head and feet of the Swiftclip are clamping through tray and coupler, and that the Swiftclip spans across the joint.

Legrand, legrand.co.uk

Top tip: Swiftclip can be used to not only connect length-to-length, or length-to-fitting, but can also be used to secure the bed of the tray to the supports (trapeze hangers/cantilever arms etc.)

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THE BEST

GOT EVEN BETTER

Three simple steps to better cable management

At Legrand we continually look for ways to improve our product ranges. In the case of cable management, every improvement we make has the installer in mind and is based around the three areas that make up our ‘Faster by Design’ ethos:

1

2

3

EASIER TO INSTALL

FASTER TO INSTALL

FEWER COMPONENTS

Our products are not only faster to install, they’re also easier to handle and require fewer components - reducing the total installed cost of your project. In the UK we manufacture approximately 85% of everything we sell, which means we have local expertise in research and development, design, production and technical support. Swifts cable ladder and tray, two of our most recognised names in cable management, have been designed and manufactured in the UK at our Scarborough site since the 1960s.

For more ways to ensure faster fitting, visit www.legrand.co.uk

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24/07/2018 09:32 08:59 24/07/2018

MK ELECTRIC

FINDING THE RIGHT SOLUTION Mark Halsey from MK Electric answers a Q&A on the most important factors to bear in mind when specifying a cable management system.

Where’s the starting point when planning a cable management installation?

The first priority should be to assess the environment which is being worked on, and determine what is needed from its cable management installation. It might seem like cable management considerations would stay relatively consistent across projects, but the fact is that spaces like schools, hospitals and corporate buildings all have very different requirements.

Consider who will be occupying the building and what their needs will be.

In an office environment, for example,

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there is likely to be a high demand for data outlets in order to support the PCs, laptops, printers, screens and other technology which is used on a daily basis, and this of course requires more cables to service them. This example illustrates how cable capacity and associated bend radii to support structured cabling compliance can become critical to any cable management specification.

Once these parameters have been taken into consideration, they will provide a much clearer understanding of what product solution is required, with products such as multi-compartment wall trunking or minitrunking and conduits for local distribution all representing popular options.

What should a contractor consider before final specification?

Before making any decisions on cable management or ordering parts, it’s vital to understand how the cable management solution of a building will be pieced together. The whole scheme needs to be mapped out, including where the cables will need the run, how many outlets are required, and where these will ultimately be installed.

For electricians, it is important to examine exactly how the products cater for the specific installation needs of the

Cable & Cable Management

27/07/2018 10:23

MK ELECTRIC building. Common issues include the requirement to run trunking around corners, as well as fitting trunking to uneven walls – whilst ensuring continuous cable capacity and supporting Cat 6a or 7 compliance.

Does the material of a cable management product make a difference?

The material used can make an enormous difference – especially when it comes to the installation process.

PVCu-based products are most popular, as they are cost effective and can be easily transported due to PVCu’s lightness. They can also be easily cut to size on-site, offering easy installation and good aesthetics for the client.

It is also important to look at the origin of the product, with manufacturers now offering greener solutions incorporating the use of recycled materials to minimise the impact on the environment. MK Electric’s Prestige 3D main carrier extrusion and its conduit and mini trunking extrusions are, for example, all manufactured from 100% recycled PVCu.

What’s your biggest piece of cable management advice?

Don’t skimp on cost! It’s tempting to specify the cheapest option in order to bring down project costs, but actually, this doesn’t help anyone in the long run.

Cheaper products can often offer a lower quality or less flexible solution, which does not meet up to the expectations of the client.

“It’s important that electricians look beyond price and recommend the best product for the job.”

It’s important, therefore, that electricians look beyond price and recommend the best product for the job. Cable management products that have been engineered for ease and speed of installation can dramatically improve turnaround time, which enables electricians to quickly and efficiently deliver the job at hand and move to the next. MK Electric’s Prestige 3D, for example, features benefits such as pre-drilled trunking bases, which eliminate the need to measure and drill fixing holes on-site, and open top/bottom back boxes which allow unhindered, tool-free cable entry through divider knockouts. Trunking hinge lids, meanwhile, enable cables to be supported by the trunking cover.

Finally, do looks count when it comes to cable management?

More than you’d think. It may not be the most glamorous product category, but cable management has to blend seamlessly with the rest of an interior scheme. In recent years, manufacturers have worked hard to ensure these products are both aesthetically pleasing and practical. This is particularly important in the case of perimeter systems which can make a big impact on the décor of a room.

Dado and skirting products are generally available with curved profiles, which means they can easily blend into the wall. The addition of single-piece covers and styling lines means they look modern, while pairing them with matching wiring devices from the same manufacturer allows for one common design aesthetic to run throughout the space.

MK Electric’s Prestige 3D family of three compartment trunking offers a flexible and high-quality cable management solution. Supporting Cat 5e, 6, 6a and 7 compliance, it includes numerous well-engineered design features, including flat angle and tee curved divider walls that allow data cables to lay in with no loss of capacity, and a patented Data Sweep which maintains cable capacity while eliminating the need for bulky corner covers.

Easy to install, the Prestige 3D family comes with features such as open box mounting frames and divider knockouts to allow for tool-free cable entry. Predrilled trunking bases make it easy to fix the product in place, whilst hinged lids enable the cables to be supported during installation.

MK Electric, mkelectric.co.uk

Cable & Cable Management

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PEMSA UK

ZINC CAREFULLY Alan Darlow, commercial director at Pemsa UK, looks at cable tray finishes and how to address the issue of zinc whiskers in data centre environments.

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any years ago, conduits were one of the most popular forms of cable management systems (CMS), although they are also the most limited in their cable accommodation capacity, both at the time of initial installation and in future modifications.

Due to this, at present and in general, they are used only for a very small number of cables, where cables could be accessible to people or the installation must be protected against mechanical risks.

Cable trays, on the other hand, are the CMS that have the greatest capacity for cable housing and support. They are generally used in any installation containing a large number of cables, or where future expansions are required and can then be easily made.

In recent years, the use of wire mesh trays has been definitively extended, and they have become one of the most used in medium-duty facilities for any installation, including data centres and IT data facilities. This is due to the fact that they have proved to be significantly easier and faster to install than the conventional perforated or plain sheet cable trays.

Wire mesh tray features The main feature of wire mesh trays is that they are manufactured with steel wires that create a grid, therefore leaving an open mesh pattern. This allows perfect visibility of the cables throughout its length and facilitates the organisation of maintenance.

Improved cable ventilation adds to the overall efficiency of the facility, which is also made cleaner through the avoidance of the accumulation of dust and deposits.

The strength and flexibility of the steel wires allows maximum use of the capacity of the tray while it maintains a good adaptation to the installation path.

This allows for any subsequent changes or alterations to be easily made which can then result in labour and cost savings.

In the case of fire, steel wires do not present any risk since they are noncombustible and do not cause any toxic fumes or propagate the fire, unlike PVC or plastic systems which can collapse

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Zinc whiskers

and destroy the installation whilst generating a large amount of corrosive and opaque smoke.

Corrosion resistance As you can read in the Best Practice Guide to Cable Ladder and Cable Tray Systems from BEAMA: ‘In planning any cable ladder or cable tray installation, the choice of an appropriate corrosion resistant material and finish is always a key issue at the specification stage. The correct choice has long-term implications and is crucial for ensuring the longevity and the aesthetics of the complete installation.’

This is why manufacturers continue to improve the characteristics of their finishes or coatings.

BS EN 61537:2007 Cable management (cable tray and cable ladder systems) classifies the resistance against corrosion from C0, for non-declared or non-tested material, up to C8 for components made of steel with metallic coating and C9 for stainless steel.

For example, a steel component with a zinc coating, such as hot dip galvanising, is one of the most popular choices for humid or exterior installations. With a mean coating thickness of 70μm of zinc, this would be classified as C7.

The future edition of BS EN 61537:2007 will probably include a new classification table to consider other metallic coatings, such as the ones based on alloys of zinc-aluminium (similar to Aluzinc or Galfan) and zinc-aluminium-magnesium (similar to ZAM), and new high resistance protections such as the Black C8.

These new finishes have excellent aesthetics and high resistance, so they are perfect for environments with high humidity, as they improve both the barrier effect against the humidity and the ability of self-healing in any damaged areas.

With the current edition of BS EN 61537:2007 they can be tested by carrying out a neutral salt spray (NSS) test.

Providing that the corrosion of the surface of the sample has not been exceeded, according to the duration, after passing 850 hours they can be classified only as a maximum of C8.

“Zinc whiskers can be a serious problem within the electronics of clean rooms of data processing centres.”

Mesh trays have proved to be significantly easier and faster to install than the conventional perforated or plain sheet cable trays

Pemsa’s Black C8 coating avoids the emergence of the phenomenon of ‘zinc whiskers’, or loosening of filaments of zinc, which can be a serious problem within the electronics of clean rooms of data processing centres.

In data centre installations or IT data facilities hosting microelectronic devices, especially sensitive to impurities, it has been shown that the use of electroplated zinc access floor tiles may be the origin of zinc whiskers or microscopic filaments of zinc.

These zinc whiskers would be formed from the electroplated zinc finish covering the large surface of the tile, due to intergranular stresses generated in the material surface. It seems that with the hot dip galvanised finish, due to the different metallurgical composition of the surface layers, this process would be different. The zinc filaments, in time, could eventually break off and move into the environmental atmosphere and, finally, enter into the equipment. Due to their electrical conductivity they could cause electrical shorts within the circuit boards or microelectronic equipment.

From this fact, there is no adequate technical justification to generalise the exclusion in these rooms of all items or accessories with any galvanised protection, such as electroplated or galvanised trays. Wire mesh trays have much lower surface area and they are not experiencing the same stresses generated in the face of the access floor tiles.

A sealant coating will avoid the emergence of the possible zinc whiskers if they were to grow, and therefore this finish does not contribute to the effects on the electronic equipment within the data centres.

Pemsa, pemsa-rejiband.com/en/

Cable & Cable Management

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Prestige 3D Cable Management

A fast and easy installation every time, thanks to features including, pre-punched bases, multiple divider knockouts, open mounting frames and flexible corners. Whilst supporting data compliance with maximum cable capacity, it’s main carrier extrusions are made in North Wales from 100% recycled material.

Quality, reliability and safety come as standard.

For more information visit:

www.mkelectric.co.uk

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