Cut through external BT wire with spade

Peter Crosland

> Just beside my mother`s front door (external) you can see the wire
> from the master socket come through the wall and down into the ground.
> Unfortunately, it doesn`t go straight down, as our spade recently
> found out - it goes directly down, then at an angle. This is 5 or 6
> inches into the mud that anyone would consider `gardening area`
>
> Here is a link to a picture:
>
> http://tinyurl.com/228tgr
>
> Direct link:
>
> http://img106.imageshack.us/img106/7282/wirevz8.jpg
>
> In all the years that she`s lived there we haven`t had paving slabs
> cover that area, I can`t speak for previous owners. Otherwise, since
> this isn`t our fault and it`s a damn crazy way to send the wiring, we
> shouldn`t be charged for fixed this? That`s the hope, anyway.
>
> Wires are currently ended off with tape - you can see the bottom wire
> is clearly a few inches from the house and a few from the left paving
> slab.

An article in the Telegraph dated April 7th states that if the cable was
buried less that 15 inches deep then the company are probably liable.

Peter Crosland

Peter Crosland

> Just beside my mother`s front door (external) you can see the wire
> from the master socket come through the wall and down into the ground.
> Unfortunately, it doesn`t go straight down, as our spade recently
> found out - it goes directly down, then at an angle. This is 5 or 6
> inches into the mud that anyone would consider `gardening area`
>
> Here is a link to a picture:
>
> http://tinyurl.com/228tgr
>
> Direct link:
>
> http://img106.imageshack.us/img106/7282/wirevz8.jpg
>
> In all the years that she`s lived there we haven`t had paving slabs
> cover that area, I can`t speak for previous owners. Otherwise, since
> this isn`t our fault and it`s a damn crazy way to send the wiring, we
> shouldn`t be charged for fixed this? That`s the hope, anyway.
>
> Wires are currently ended off with tape - you can see the bottom wire
> is clearly a few inches from the house and a few from the left paving
> slab.

An article in the Telegraph dated April 7th states that if the cable was
buried less that 15 inches deep then the company are probably liable.

Peter Crosland

Mark Evans

Stickems. <Stickems.@last.invalid> wrote:
> If there is a few inches to play with, the wires can easily be reconnected.
> You will need some connectors, the name of which someone on this site will
> come up with. You poke the two ends of each broken wire into the connector
> and then squeeze it with your pliers. The connectors are filled with grease.
> Then put loads of plastic tape around the joint.

But only it the tape is specifically rated as "outdoor" regular
electrical insulation tape is not really suitable. You'd want something
like either self amalgemating tape of adhesive lined heat shrink.

--
Mark Evans
St. Peter's CofE Aided School
Phone: +44 1392 204764 X109
Fax: +44 1392 204763

Mark Evans

Peter Crosland <g6jns@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
> Brian wrote:
> > Also over a period of time the cable could migrate upwards or
> > downwards so how can you prove what depth it had been originally laid

> Would it not have been in a duct?

Virgin Media tend to use corregated ducts for their cables. But these
don't provide much additional protection against spades. About the only
thing which will is steel wire armoured multicore. Which you do
sometimes find used.

--
Mark Evans
St. Peter's CofE Aided School
Phone: +44 1392 204764 X109
Fax: +44 1392 204763

Mark Evans

Lurch <usenet@sjwelectrical.co.uk> wrote:
> On 06 Apr 2007 20:17:31 GMT, andrew@cucumber.demon.co.uk (Andrew
> Gabriel) mused:

> I think the fact the OP has taped up the end fro the house shows they
> haven't a clue about what to do with telephone cables.

This is one of these situations where people who knew what they were
doing would quietly fix the problem leaving nobody (including BT) any
the wiser.

> Call BT and don't dig it up again. If they charge you, complain to
> them, but I'd be surprised if they take any notice.

Checking your insurance policy might be a good idea, if BT want to
charge a substantial amount of money.

--
Mark Evans
St. Peter's CofE Aided School
Phone: +44 1392 204764 X109
Fax: +44 1392 204763

Mark Evans

Peter <usenetINVALID@nidum.plus.com> wrote:

> Interstingly, there was an item in Saturdays Telegraph (Property
> section) where someone asked a question similar to this - about a
> cable he had cut while gardening - the reply suggested that a service
> such as a telephone cable must be buried to a depth of 15 inches.

> The question and the answer is here:

> http://www.telegraph.co.uk/property/...pclinic107.xml

It may not be fully relevent because
a) the cable which was damaged does not feed the property where it was
damaged.
b) access to property to install cables by statute is different between
BT and the cable companies (it may even be differences between cable
areas, even though they are all one company now.)

--
Mark Evans
St. Peter's CofE Aided School
Phone: +44 1392 204764 X109
Fax: +44 1392 204763

Mark Evans

Stickems. <Stickems.@last.invalid> wrote:
> If there is a few inches to play with, the wires can easily be reconnected.
> You will need some connectors, the name of which someone on this site will
> come up with. You poke the two ends of each broken wire into the connector
> and then squeeze it with your pliers. The connectors are filled with grease.
> Then put loads of plastic tape around the joint.

But only it the tape is specifically rated as "outdoor" regular
electrical insulation tape is not really suitable. You'd want something
like either self amalgemating tape of adhesive lined heat shrink.

--
Mark Evans
St. Peter's CofE Aided School
Phone: +44 1392 204764 X109
Fax: +44 1392 204763

Mark Evans

Peter Crosland <g6jns@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
> Brian wrote:
> > Also over a period of time the cable could migrate upwards or
> > downwards so how can you prove what depth it had been originally laid

> Would it not have been in a duct?

Virgin Media tend to use corregated ducts for their cables. But these
don't provide much additional protection against spades. About the only
thing which will is steel wire armoured multicore. Which you do
sometimes find used.

--
Mark Evans
St. Peter's CofE Aided School
Phone: +44 1392 204764 X109
Fax: +44 1392 204763

Mark Evans

Lurch <usenet@sjwelectrical.co.uk> wrote:
> On 06 Apr 2007 20:17:31 GMT, andrew@cucumber.demon.co.uk (Andrew
> Gabriel) mused:

> I think the fact the OP has taped up the end fro the house shows they
> haven't a clue about what to do with telephone cables.

This is one of these situations where people who knew what they were
doing would quietly fix the problem leaving nobody (including BT) any
the wiser.

> Call BT and don't dig it up again. If they charge you, complain to
> them, but I'd be surprised if they take any notice.

Checking your insurance policy might be a good idea, if BT want to
charge a substantial amount of money.

--
Mark Evans
St. Peter's CofE Aided School
Phone: +44 1392 204764 X109
Fax: +44 1392 204763

Mark Evans

Peter <usenetINVALID@nidum.plus.com> wrote:

> Interstingly, there was an item in Saturdays Telegraph (Property
> section) where someone asked a question similar to this - about a
> cable he had cut while gardening - the reply suggested that a service
> such as a telephone cable must be buried to a depth of 15 inches.

> The question and the answer is here:

> http://www.telegraph.co.uk/property/...pclinic107.xml

It may not be fully relevent because
a) the cable which was damaged does not feed the property where it was
damaged.
b) access to property to install cables by statute is different between
BT and the cable companies (it may even be differences between cable
areas, even though they are all one company now.)

--
Mark Evans
St. Peter's CofE Aided School
Phone: +44 1392 204764 X109
Fax: +44 1392 204763