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Installation & Consumables

Installation and consumables brings together the materials used up on a job and the hardware that fixes equipment in place. It includes insulation, gaffa and self amalgamating tape, lubricants and contact cleaners, solder and soldering supplies, silicone glue, rack cage nuts and shelves, B-Tech mounting poles and collars, junction and dry lining boxes, and template and bolt kits for camera columns. Examples include Ultra Tape insulation tape, the Action Can AC-90 and Mercury lead-free solder.

Choosing Installation & Consumables

Choose consumables by the job, whether insulating, cleaning, lubricating or soldering, and fixing hardware by what it has to hold.

Tapes

Ultra Tape insulation tape such as the 710.305UK is 19mm x 20m, flame retardant and approved to BS3924, BS3887 and IEC 60454. The 710.322UK self amalgamating tape, approved to BT spec M128, suits insulation, sealing, splicing and cable repair, and the 853.501UK gaffa tape is 48mm x 50m and water resistant.

Cleaners and lubricants

For electrical contacts, the Action Can EC-90 evaporates rapidly and leaves no residue, and the WD-40 701.321UK contact cleaner has a Smart Straw and a 360° valve. The Kontakt Chemie 701.228UK is 99.7% isopropanol for electronics, fine mechanics and optics. Among lubricants, the AC-90 displaces moisture and protects against corrosion, the RP-90 penetrating oil contains MoS2, the WD-40 701.325UK silicone lubricant is rated from -35°C to +200°C, and the 3-IN-ONE 701.343UK is a drip oil with an easy-to-use spout.

Soldering

The Mercury 703.003UK flux prevents dry joints and oxidisation, and the 703.054UK is a 48W replacement iron with a 5-pin DIN plug for soldering stations. Kontakt Chemie 701.225UK butane gas refills gas soldering irons.

Fixing and mounting

The All-Rack SHELF350600 is a 350mm deep shelf for 600mm deep cabinets with a 90kg loading capacity. B-Tech System 2 poles such as the BT7850-200/B are 50mm steel, 1.6mm thick, and take accessory collars such as the BT7052 to carry mounts. Altron template and bolt kits such as the T&B630 give the anchor bolts and template for ACC columns. Knightsbridge junction boxes include the 30A SN8430B and the 60A SN8470B, and the SN8381 is a 47mm dry lining box certified to BS 5733.

ItemExampleSize or packRating
Insulation tape710.305UK19mm x 20mBS3924
Self amalgamating tape710.322UK19mm x 10mBT M128
Contact cleaner701.443UK500mlNo residue
Silicone lubricant701.325UK400ml-35°C to +200°C
Lead-free solder703.456UK1.0mm, 250g99.3% Sn
Junction boxSN8470BPack of 560A
Rack shelfSHELF350600350mm deep90kg

Related categories

Shop by type in adhesives and sealants, electrical tapes and insulation, and lubricants and cleaning. See also tools and installation supplies, fixings and fasteners, and our Help & Support guides.

Brands we stock in Installation & Consumables

3-IN-ONE, Action Can, All-Rack, Altron, B-Tech, Haydon, Hikvision, Knightsbridge, Kontakt Chemie, LYYT, Mercury, RGL Electronics, Texecom, TOA, Ultra Tape and WD-40.

Frequently asked questions

What standards does the insulation tape meet?

The Ultra Tape 19mm x 20m insulation tapes are approved to BS3924, BS3887 and IEC 60454 and are flame retardant. Colours include white, black, grey, blue, red and brown, such as the 710.307UK in blue. For sealing, splicing and cable repair, the 710.322UK self amalgamating tape is approved to BT spec M128.

Which cleaner should I use on electrical contacts?

Use a contact cleaner that leaves no residue, or a lubricating one where contacts also need protecting. The Action Can EC-90 and the WD-40 701.321UK clean without leaving a residue, while the Kontakt Chemie 701.227UK Super 10 leaves a protective conductive lubricating film on switches and relays. For sensitive plastics such as polystyrene or polycarbonate, the 701.226UK Cleaner 601 is made for the job.

What will release a seized fixing?

A penetrating oil such as the Action Can RP-90, which is made to release seized and corroded threaded fasteners and fixings. It contains MoS2, leaves a lubricating film for easier reassembly and does not contain silicone. For general lubrication, the AC-90 multi-purpose lubricant also penetrates, displaces moisture and protects against corrosion.

What lead-free solder is there for electrical repairs?

Mercury lead-free solder is 99.3% tin and 0.7% copper with 2.2% flux, for maintenance and repairs to connectors. The 703.456UK is 250g of 1.0mm solder and the 703.459UK is 10g of 0.6mm, 5.0m long. For removing solder, the 703.004UK desolder braid is 1.0mm copper on a miniature pop-open reel, 1.5m long.

How do I fix a B-Tech pole to a roof purlin or girder?

Use a B-Tech purlin or girder mount made for 50mm poles. The BT7012/B purlin mount suspends pole-mounted solutions up to 140kg and adjusts up to 45 degrees, and the BT7017/B girder mount fits I-beams from 80mm to 250mm wide. The BT7850-100/B pole is 1.6mm thick steel and internally unobstructed for cables.

Which junction box do I need for a 30A or 60A circuit?

Match the junction box rating to the circuit. The Knightsbridge SN8430B is a 30A 3-terminal box in black urea, 89mm across and sold in packs of 10, and the SN8470B is a 60A 3-terminal box that takes cable up to 25mm², with built-in strain reliefs, sold in packs of 5. The SN8430B and SN8470B are certified to BS EN 60670.

  • Established 1975
  • Birmingham trade counter
  • UK-only supply

Written by the West Midlands Electrics technical team

Updated

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