# Forum More Stuff Debate & Technical Discussion  Mains Cable

## Bedford

Just thought I'd post a couple of pics of the end of a mains cable that was removed recently. 
It's 25mm square cable and ran from the pit at the boundary to the main switch board. 
It was running two houses but was removed and replaced with three phase when the third house was built.

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## cyclic

> Just thought I'd post a couple of pics of the end of a mains cable that was removed recently. 
> It's 25mm square cable and ran from the pit at the boundary to the main switch board. 
> It was running two houses but was removed and replaced with three phase when the third house was built.

  In Qld, a connection to the mains is carried out by the Authorities Electrician, and if it is the same in Vic, then you are showing us that the Vic Authority electrician, or Contractor, has not seen fit to remove the insulation, and the result is that the cable has obviously been getting hot from arching, am I correct ?

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## ringtail

Should chuck that one in the she'll be right thread

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## Bedford

> In Qld, a connection to the mains is carried out by the Authorities Electrician, and if it is the same in Vic, then you are showing us that the Vic Authority electrician, or Contractor, has not seen fit to remove the insulation, and the result is that the cable has obviously been getting hot from arching, am I correct ?

   Correct, well done, 1600 bucks to connect and 600 to disconnect. :Cry:

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## soundman

Um....it depends on what type of termination was used. 
A lot of terminations are now done with insulation displacement or piercing connectors and no stripping or only stripping of the outer jacket is required. 
Without seeing what terminal that cable came out of, one realy cant apply judgment. 
As for arcing....I do not see much in the way of burnt material. 
Arcing connections are nothing new in mainssupply connections, the old bolt up brass clamps where great for it particularly once they had been the the weahther for 20 or 30 years. 
remember 25mm2 cable should be "good for" 250 amps, and small households may have a supply fuse as small as 80 amps. 
SO...how bad is this. 
cheers

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