CAble Management System

Christopher Lindridge
Christopher.lindridge@newdur.ac.uk
Contents

An overview of cable management systems.........................................................................................2

Fixings in cable management................................................................................................................2
What is a cable tray system?.................................................................................................................2
What types of cable management systems are there?.........................................................................3
What is a conduit system?.....................................................................................................................4
What is a running coupling?..................................................................................................................4
What is a trunking system?...................................................................................................................5
What is mini-trunking?..........................................................................................................................5
What is Dado trunking?.........................................................................................................................5
What trunking regulations are there?...................................................................................................6
What is an IP rating?..............................................................................................................................6

1
An overview of cable management systems

There are a wide variety of containment systems available to organise and store cables within an
installation. They tend not to be used exclusively for a particular type of wiring system, and the
containment system chosen is often as much decided by the budget and practical considerations of
the building it is being installed in as the cabling type itself.

Fixings in cable management

With such a range of cable management options available, ranging from lightweight cable trays
through to heavy trunking, the choice of fixings for an installation needs to factor in both the weight
of the cable management solution and the cables that it is carrying. Specialist advice must be taken
from structural engineers on site, or the fixings manufacturers themselves on the weight the fixings
can carry. In cases of heavy loads, anchor bolts or brackets may be used to secure things safely.

What is a cable tray system?

A cable tray system is a unit or set of units and fittings which form a rigid structure to secure or
support electrical cables and raceways. It allows the safe transport of wires across open spaces and
is effectively the structural component, or skeleton, of a building’s electrical system.

2
What types of cable management systems are there?
There are lots of different options for containment systems, depending on the types of cables and
the building or area where the system is being installed. Some of the most common include:

Cable baskets
Lightweight and easily connected, these usually clip together making them quickly installed. They are
often used for Category 5A and Category 6 TCP/IP data cabling, but can be used for many types of
cable that have more than basic insulation. This includes PVC / PVC 6242Y, MICC, fireproof or steel
wire armoured cables.

Ladder racking and tray work

Mostly used in industrial installations, as well as for MICC and other small soft-skinned cables.
Ladder racking is for heavier cables, including armoured cables, because it is strong enough to
withstand more weight than a cable basket.

3
What is a conduit system?

Electrical conduits are tubes used to protect and route wiring and come in a range of materials
depending on the conditions of the installation – for example if it is situated somewhere damp, PVC
or galvanised metal should be used. Conduits can be used for entire systems or single thermoplastic
or XLPE cables with basic insulation, when they protect the cable’s insulation from damage and
reduce the risk of faults.

Conduits are secured using saddles. As standard these tend to be spacer bar saddles, but distance
saddles can be used to fix conduit to uneven surfaces, while hospital saddles – which have a thicker
base – allow for easier cleaning around the conduit in places where hygiene is a concern.

Conduit systems also allow for wiring system ‘drops’ to yet-to-be-installed electrical equipment,
meaning building work can be completed and the cables pulled into place later.

Lengths of conduit are connected by couplings. Where a conduit enters a box with no thread entry it
is terminated by a coupling and a brass bush to complete the connection.

What is a running coupling?

If two systems can’t be screwed together a running coupling can be improvised, using two standard
couplings, a nipple, a locknut and a length of extra-long threaded conduit. These are a potential area
of weakness in the conduit and ideally avoided.

What is a trunking system?

4
Mostly used for single insulated cable, trunking can be bent and jointed into complex configurations,
making it a versatile way to carry many different types of cables. Systems are available in a range of
shapes and sizes. Conduit and trunking systems effectively act as parallel conductors, so standard
earth fault loop impedance in trunking systems often ends up being less than calculated.

What is mini-trunking?
In installations with minimal amounts of cable (for example, smaller offices), mini-trunking can be
used in place of larger PVC trunking. It often comes with a self-adhesive backing so can be fixed
easily to a wall.

What is Dado trunking?

Dado trunking tends to be used in offices or buildings with a lot of data and power outlets. The
trunking has multiple compartments, allowing telephone, power and data cables to be trunked
together nearly but kept separate from each other. It is very versatile, allowing positions of outlets
to be changed after installation if necessary.

What trunking regulations are there?

BS 7671 contains regulations relating to the use of trunking in electrical installations. These rules are
that:

Non-sheathed cables can be installed in a trunking system if it provides a protection level of at least
IPXXD or IP4X and if the cover can only be removed by means of a wool or deliberate action.

In the case of systems that include site-fabricated joints, the installer must confirm that these too,
meet at least protection level IPXXD.

The introduction of these regulations had far-reaching consequences for the industry because
traditionally IP30-rated trunking was used with single insulated cables.

5
What is an IP rating?

All trunking is given an Internal Protection (IP) rating. This denotes the degree of protection an
enclosure provides against a range of external agents.

IP codes come in a format of up to four digits:

 First number: 0 to 6 or the letter X – this denotes the protection level of persons against
access to hazardous parts inside enclosures.
 Second number: 0 to 8 or the letter X – this denotes the protection level of equipment
against ingress, or access, by solid foreign objects.
 Optional additional letter 1: A, B, C or D – this denotes the protection of equipment
against penetration by water.
 Optional supplementary letter 2: H, M, S or W – this denotes the level of protection
against access to hazardous parts.

The additional letter is only used if the protection against access to hazardous parts is greater than
that indicated by the first number.

P4X and IPXXD rated trunking systems offer a high degree of protection. IP4X systems must have an
enclosure that offers full protection against solid foreign objects larger than 1mm. IPXXD enclosures
have a similar level of protection, although the probe is allowed to enter the product as long as it
does not touch any hazardous parts