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BSS electrical wiring requirements for ferrule


Clodi

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I'm trying to find the regulation that demands ferrules are fitted to the ends of wires when 'screw-down' chock-box type connections are used. Please can someone point me to the correct, upto-date section or better still is there a searchable BSS guide applicable to narrowboats?

Thanks in advance ?

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There is nothing in the bss about this however it is something you should do as it prevents strands being crushed and broken by the screw.

In fact I don't think its in any regulations per-se but it has always been good practice. 

Oh and  before someone says soldering is ok that causes the cable to fracture at the join......

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3 minutes ago, Loddon said:

There is nothing in the bss about this however it is something you should do as it prevents strands being crushed and broken by the screw.

In fact I don't think its in any regulations per-se but it has always been good practice. 

Oh and  before someone says soldering is ok that causes the cable to fracture at the join......

 

Agreed.

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3.4.2 "Are all electrical circuit cable connections effective and in good condition?" is the closest, but doesn't specifically mention ferrules. 

 

https://www.boatsafetyscheme.org/media/268789/ecp-private-boats-ed3_rev2_apr2015_public_final.pdf

 

I believe ferrules ARE mentioned in the RCD guidelines, but these are not freely accessible online, ie you have to pay for the documentation.

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6 minutes ago, Paul C said:

3.4.2 "Are all electrical circuit cable connections effective and in good condition?" is the closest, but doesn't specifically mention ferrules. 

 

https://www.boatsafetyscheme.org/media/268789/ecp-private-boats-ed3_rev2_apr2015_public_final.pdf

 

I believe ferrules ARE mentioned in the RCD guidelines, but these are not freely accessible online, ie you have to pay for the documentation.

I think there is a subsequent issue but here is the spec for DC wiring:

 

The RCD states that wiring must be compliant with :

ISO 10133 "Wiring In Small Boats"

 

10 Wiring connections and terminals
10.1 Conductor connections shall be in locations protected from the weather or in IP 55 enclosures, in accordance
with IEC 60529 as a minimum. Connections above deck exposed to intermittent immersion shall be in IP 67
enclosures, in accordance with IEC 60529 as a minimum.


10.2 Metals used for terminal studs, nuts and washers shall be corrosion resistant and galvanically compatible
with the conductor and terminal. Aluminium and unplated steel shall not be used for studs, nuts or washers in
electrical circuits.


10.3 All conductors shall have suitable terminals installed, i.e. no bare wires attached to stud or screw
connections.

 

 

Attached

 

 

ISO 10133 Wiring In Small Boats.pdf

Edited by Alan de Enfield
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2 minutes ago, Paul C said:

I don't think that's relevant.

What's not relevant ?

23 minutes ago, Clodi said:

is there a searchable BSS guide applicable to narrowboats?

No.

 

The BSS covers the requirements of all boat operating on waters that require a BSSC.

There are no separate documents for a narrowboat, or, a widebeam, or a GRP cruiser.

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20 minutes ago, Paul C said:

Ferrules are not required on 12V DC (what is officially termed "Extra Low Voltage") but are required on 230V AC in the RCD. Your linked document only refers to ELV DC.

Whist it might not being required it is still good practice to use them.

Edited by Loddon
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17 minutes ago, Paul C said:

Ferrules are not required on 12V DC (what is officially termed "Extra Low Voltage") but are required on 230V AC in the RCD. Your linked document only refers to ELV DC.

According to the International Electrotechnical Commission, ELV (Extra Low Voltage) is defined as any system operating in a voltage not exceeding 35V AC or 60V DC

 

The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) defines supply system low voltage as voltage in the range 50 to 1000 V AC or 120 to 1500 V DC. In electrical power systems low voltage most commonly refers to the mains voltages as used by domestic and light industrial and commercial consumers.

 

ISO 10133 covers 12v electrics in small boats and requires terminals to be used on 'screw' connectors as per the section I quoted in post #5

 

Small craft — Electrical systems — Extra-low-voltage d.c. installations
1 Scope

This International Standard specifies the requirements for the design, construction and installation of extra-low voltage
direct current (d.c.) electrical systems which operate at nominal potentials of 50 V d.c. or less on small craft
of hull length up to 24 m
. Engine wiring as supplied by the engine manufacturer is not covered by this International
Standard.

 

 

 

 

The specification for Ac is 
 

ISO 13297 Small Craft — Electrical systems — Alternating current installations

 

(I can post a copy of that one if you wish)

Edited by Alan de Enfield
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20 minutes ago, Paul C said:

Ferrules are not required on 12V DC (what is officially termed "Extra Low Voltage") but are required on 230V AC in the RCD. Your linked document only refers to ELV DC.

Maybe you would be kind enough to edit / correct your post to avoid misleading any one in the future asking the same question.

Edited by Alan de Enfield
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I would point out if using these for a new craft to be careful as that the link above is for the ISO10133:2000 version, the current version is 2012, which is soon to be replaced by ISO/DIS 13297 which looks like it will combine ISO13297 & ISO10133.  For interest, the current version of ISO13297:2014.

Edited by Chewbacka
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Afaik for the BSS the only place where stranded 12V cable cannot be secured directly by a screw clamp is on the battery terminals. If the terminal clamp has screws then either there must be a spreader plate, or the cable end must have a fat pin ferrule (or the strands must be soldered, but this is as bad as no spreader plate in my opinion). 

 

Obviously, as others have stated, ferrules would be best practice for all screwed connections. 

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1 hour ago, Alan de Enfield said:


10.3 All conductors shall have suitable terminals installed, i.e. no bare wires attached to stud or screw
connections.

 

ISO 10133 Wiring In Small Boats.pdf 102.99 kB · 10 downloads

When I read this, I take it to mean that rather than wrap wires around a stud and tighten down with a nut or wrap around a screw, one should crimp the wire in a tag and screw this down with the screw or nut (as you would on a battery terminal).

This is different to shoving a wire in a hole and tightening a screw down on the wire or ferrule (like you would do with a 3-pin plug or chocolate block).

 

I don't see the latter as being anywhere near as dodgy or error prone as the former. The wording is vague but in my opinion refers to wrapping wires around screws or studs. Otherwise nearly every 3-pin plug on your boat is non-compliant.

 

Stephen

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42 minutes ago, Stephen Jeavons said:

When I read this, I take it to mean that rather than wrap wires around a stud and tighten down with a nut or wrap around a screw, one should crimp the wire in a tag and screw this down with the screw or nut (as you would on a battery terminal).

This is different to shoving a wire in a hole and tightening a screw down on the wire or ferrule (like you would do with a 3-pin plug or chocolate block).

 

I don't see the latter as being anywhere near as dodgy or error prone as the former. The wording is vague but in my opinion refers to wrapping wires around screws or studs. Otherwise nearly every 3-pin plug on your boat is non-compliant.

 

Stephen

Just for clarification, para 10.3 is from the iso and not bss.  

 

Whilst it may not be clear if a screw clamp is ok or not, para 10.4 covers this.  It states -

10.4 Screw-clamp or screwless terminal blocks shall conform to IEC 60947-7-1. Other terminals shall be of the ring or self-locking captive-spade type, not dependent on screw or nut tightness alone for retention on the stud or screw.

 

so taking both paragraphs together, I think it is clear.

 

Your comment concerning 3 pin plugs is interesting as I would argue that these appliances are in the main ‘temporary’ and/or portable and therefore not part of the craft installation, though there could be exceptions, in which case paras 10.3&4 would apply to those.

 

 

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17 minutes ago, Chewbacka said:

 

Your comment concerning 3 pin plugs is interesting as I would argue that these appliances are in the main ‘temporary’ and/or portable and therefore not part of the craft installation, though there could be exceptions, in which case paras 10.3&4 would apply to those.

Fair enough.

I have to confess, all my arctic-blue ring main cable terminates without ferrules at each double socket as well as the MCCB. Has anyone actually failed a BSS test for this omission? Do they check?

 

Stephen 

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Thanks everyone, my reason for asking was that I was told by a chap fitting out his sailaway, (whilst we were comparing notes) that his BSS 'consultant had told him that all 'ends' had to be crimped into a ferrule. When I questioned this he told me to 'look it up in the Reg's', hence my question.

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10 minutes ago, Stephen Jeavons said:

Fair enough.

I have to confess, all my arctic-blue ring main cable terminates without ferrules at each double socket as well as the MCCB. Has anyone actually failed a BSS test for this omission? Do they check?

 

Stephen 

IT IS NOT A BSS REQUIREMENT - IT IS AN RCD REQUIREMENT.

 

No - no one has failed their BSS because of not using ferrules.

9 minutes ago, Clodi said:

Thanks everyone, my reason for asking was that I was told by a chap fitting out his sailaway, (whilst we were comparing notes) that his BSS 'consultant had told him that all 'ends' had to be crimped into a ferrule. When I questioned this he told me to 'look it up in the Reg's', hence my question.

If he was building it / fitting out to be in compliance with the RCD, then his 'consultant' was totally correct.

If he is not compliant, then, as the Law stands, he cannot sell the boat for 5 years after completion / putting it on the market.

Edited by Alan de Enfield
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13 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

If he was building it to comply with the RCD, then his 'consultant' was totally correct.

Sorry to be dim but what is RCD? I always think it stands for residual-current device

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8 minutes ago, Clodi said:

Sorry to be dim but what is RCD? I always think it stands for residual-current device

Recreational Craft Directive. 

 

An EU initiative setting out the minimum standards with which all new boats must comply. 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recreational_Craft_Directive

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39 minutes ago, Stephen Jeavons said:

I have to confess, all my arctic-blue ring main cable terminates without ferrules at each double socket as well as the MCCB. Has anyone actually failed a BSS test for this omission? Do they check?

No they don’t check and no, no-one has ever failed their BSS because of it. 

 

13A mains socket outlets are designed for solid cable as used in buildings. Hence the reason for ferrules on flex - it turns it into a solid cable. 

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