DISCUSSION ON "THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE GAS-CUSHION CABLE SYSTEM FOR THE HIGHEST VOLTAGES" 705

The movement of compound in gas-cushion cables in service the routine tests applied to gas-cushion cables are similar to those
is similar to that in normal solid cables, and the bulk of the for solid-type cables, with the addition of gas-retention tests to
movement is in the comparatively large space outside the dielec- check the lead sheaths. Thermal tests can be applied only to
tric proper. Only slight reductions in impulse strength have been short samples, and no routine test so far formulated reveals the
observed on cable in which movement of the free compound has hot spot in a drum length of cable.
bxn noted.
I agree with Mr. Kidd that there is a limit to the reduction of
In answer to Mr. Holttum, the compound is retained in the factor of safety in order to reduce costs. The conductor
the joint by means of oil-resisting barriers, and a i-in bore gas- temperature of 80 C chosen for the gas-cushion cable is such
pipe connects the joint with the cable on either side.
that the user will in practice be safe in those local situations where
In the paper, limitation of space did not permit of more than extra depth of laying and high thermal resistance of the soil
a reference to the detailed work done on joints and terminations, would produce the most intense thermal conditions on any partibut Irving and Brazier have already indicated that the associated cular feeder.
problems are receiving full consideration. It is to be borne in
In reply to Mr. Strong, the d.c. test on laid feeders is an overmind that, in joint design, intensity of stress as well as distribution pressure test oniy, designed to reveal cable damage or defective
must be considered, and the application of a screen across the jointing on a new feeder, or to detect weak points on an old one.
core, while improving the stress distribution, increases the The test gives no assessment of quality. A.C. power-factor
intensity and reduces the breakdown voltage.
tests would be little better, as the measured power factor is an
Mr. Bates indicates the advantages of a second lead sheath overall value and cannot differentiate between individual cableand the difficulties in leak location. Gas-flow methods of drum lengths and joints. The value of laboratory testing on
location depend upon the uniformity of the cable and of the short samples is that subsequent dissection and examination
inter-sheath space. All methods depend upon the type of leak, help to explain the results obtained and to show how improveand it is unwise to be dogmatic at the present time, since practical ments can be made. When this practice is extended to include
experience has so far shown that the leaks which have occurred sections of cable from feeders which have given long and satishave been associated not with cable sheaths but with auxiliary factory service, the results obtained will be of immense value in
equipment. The aim of routine testing is not to establish explaining how the cable is behaving in service and in helping
quality, as has been emphasized in Section 3. For this reason, the designer to improve future cables.

DISCUSSION ON
"THE CONTROL OF ELECTRICAL INSTALLATION WORK"*
NORTH-WESTERN CENTRE, AT MANCHESTER, 15TH OCTOBER, 1946
Mr. F. Ainscow: 1 agree with the author as to the importance of in connection with electric-lighting and plug installations. They
technical advisers in the control of electrical installation work. do not altogether meet the many problems which confront the
But although most large industrial organizations have depart- consultant, the electrical contractor and the client in the large
ments of civil, mechanical and electrical engineering, which amount of installation work which is involved in the electrical
are responsible for maintenance and extension to plant and build- conversion in industry. For instance, it is commonplace to-day
ings, it is my experience on this class of work that the electrical to have small motors installed for the individual driving of
department is often embodied in or is subordinate to one of the machinery, particularly in the manufacturing side of the textile
other two engineering departments.
industry in loom drives. In general it is not practicable to wire
Where a client has no electrical maintenance organization and each unit from separate triple-pole fuse-ways, and although great
decides to engage a technical adviser, as the author mentions, stress is laid in the Wiring Regulations on the number of plug
very often the electrical contractor is called in as adviser and points, lighting points, etc., which may be wired per circuit way,
finds he is to act as designer as well as executor. In such cir- no reference is made to small-motor outlets, and the number
cumstances, and if the size of the job warrants it, the contractor which may be wired per triple-pole circuit way. I consider this
would no doubt provide the technical, administrative and super- warrants the consideration of The Institution.
vising stalf to carry out the installation.
With regard to estimates, the difference in the final cost of a
I want to stress the importance of the electrical contractor completed work compared with the estimated figure is perhaps
here, because, as the control of electrical installation work is so one of the most vexed points on most large installations, and
necessary, I suggest that some accepted status, given by com- this very often is due to the fact that requirements were not known
pulsory registration of electrical installation contractors, is in when estimates were submitted. Providing all requirements are
the best interests of all consumers of electrical energy.
known, in normal times when no continuous price changes take
In Section 3 the author says that the architect usually fills place, there should be no difficulty in the electrical adviser or
the position of co-ordinator. Where new building work is contractor giving an accurate estimate for the work involved.
involved this seems the natural choice for the client to make,
Another reason for the difference between the estimated and
and, providing the architect chooses reliable consultants in the final cost is the many alterations and additions that are requested
specialized trades, it may not be an unwise decision. Very often, during the progress of the work. I do not readily see how this
however, new electrical installation work is necessary where no state of affairs can be altered, as, after all, the client is the person
building work is required, and here the co-ordinator should be to be satisfied and in many cases he himself does not know the
v
the electrical consultant to deal direct with the client.
final layout, as not infrequently this is decided during the progress
In the same Section the author refers to compliance with the In- of the work.
stitution's Wiring Regulations, and, although this may not have
As regards the placing of contracts, I suggest that to invite open
direct bearing on the paper, I should like to mention that these competition and then to let the contract to the lowest tender is
Regulations in general refer only to electrical installation work definitely bad practice, and is not in the interests of the client.
Normally one finds that contractors specialize in different types
Paper by W. R. WATSON (see 1946, 93, Part II, p. 249).

706

DISCUSSION ON "THE CONTROL OF ELECTRICAL INSTALLATION WORK"

of work, e.g. houses, commercial buildings, cinemas, heavy

industrial work, etc. I agree with the author's suggestion that a
short list should be made and tenders invited from suitable contractors ; then the lowest tenderer might well be given the contract.
Moreover, as it is very rarely that all requirements are known
when a contract is placed, I consider the method of a priced bill
of quantities (Section 5.2.4) is the best basis for a contract.
Referring to the custom often adopted of placing the electrical
contractor as a sub-contractor to the main building contractor,
after many years of experience in carrying out site installation
work I consider this procedure to be unwise practice. It may
be claimed that the control of the site work should be vested
in one authority, and although certain services, such as the
lighting installation, may be bound up with the building work,
undoubtedly a lot of the electrical installation work has no connection at all with the main building contractor, and generally
he knows little about it. Particularly does this apply to the
electrical equipment of machine tools and general machinery
which is being installed in a factory. More often than not this
entails far greater expenditure than the actual electrical service
which may be allied with the building work. Furthermore, I
agree with the author that the specialized contractors should
obtain payment direct from the client on the authorization of the
electrical advisor or architect. It does seem an injustice, both to
the client and to the specialized contractor, that his accounts
should have to pass through the builder, who has no real control
or responsibility for the work that is carried out.
The programme and progressing of a large structural job is
naturally of vital importance and there are many means adopted,
particularly in the form of progress charts. I have found that the
progressing of large industrial jobs requires frequent site meetings
between all contractors, with a co-ordinator acting as chairman.
On all contracts of a reasonable size, where the client proposes
to employ a permanent electrical maintenance staff I have found
from experience that it is in the client's interest to employ a
qualified man to work and co-operate with the electrical contractor during the progress of the contract. This ensures that he
becomes very familiar with the actual installation, and conversant
with many points of which he would otherwise be unaware, and
the knowledge acquired assists in the maintenance programme
which he will be expected to develop and supervise subsequently.
Mr. F. J. Hutchinson: It would be very interesting to hear the
discussion which would arise should this paper be read before
either the Institution of Civil Engineers or the Royal Institute of
British Architects. As an electrical engineer I agree with all
that the author has said within the scope of the paper; but
electrical installations in buildings fall naturally into two main
categories. The first is when the cost of the electrical work is a
small portion of the cost of the total scheme, such as in the construction of cinemas, blocks of flats, etc.; the second is where
the electrical and plant installation is many times the cost of
the building housing the installation. In the former case the
consideration is pre-eminently one for the architect. The
buildings in the latter case are essentially functional; but even
here, the Town and Country Planning Authorities and the
Royal Fine Arts Commission* are keeping the architectural
consideration so much in mind that it is to be hoped that
engineering considerations of the plant, which should be of
major importance, will not be affected unduly in order to provide architectural features.
In examining Figs. 1 and 2, it is clear that the author has not
considered that method of administration which consists of the
client, the architect and/or civil engineer, and the consulting
engineer acting as an administrative body at the highest level,
under the chairmanship of the client. This method ensures that
the client's professional advisers have the full advantage of his

local knowledge and experience, and the client is enabled to

assure himself that the arrangements contemplated will not interfere with the running of any existing installation. This system
of control has functioned satisfactorily in connection with a
number of works with which I have been associated.
I agree with the author that in-the consideration of any large
works it is essential, in order to obtain the best results, that
professional advisers be called in at the inception of the idea
underlying the project, and not at a later date. Only thus can
the full benefits of past experience be obtained by the client.
Referring to the supervision of works on site, it is sometimes
necessary to employ both a clerk-of-works and a resident engineer,
each with his own staff. The difficulty of keeping the supervisors
on site completely up to date with information and drawings is
a problem in itself. The best solution is frequent interchange of
visits between the clerk-of-works and resident engineer on the one
hand and the responsible architect and engineer on the other.
The author's reference to progress charts is pertinent, but I
consider that these should be supplemented by progress meetings
held at regular intervals during the course of the work, for which
meetings detailed agenda are prepared. These meetings,
presided over by the client, should be attended from time to
time by all main contractors and by the more important subcontractors and other relevant parties, when all items affecting
the progress of the work are reviewed, and arrangements are
made for the anticipation and elimination of all contingencies
which may delay the completion of the work.
Mr. A. R. Milne: I am very much in agreement with the author,
particularly on the following points:
(a) The value of a competent and independent electrical adviser.
I fully agree that the service he renders to the client is well worth
the fees charged for his professional services.
(b) The importance of a clear understanding at the outset as
regards the relative responsibilities of the client, the architect or
general consultant and the electrical adviser. Figs. 1 and 2
indicate that the electrical consultant works to the instructions
of the architect. My experience has been to receive direct
instructions from the client and then to work in collaboration
with the architect.
(c) Experience has shown the value of a detailed specification
with schedules of quantities drawn up by the electrical consultant
and issued to a number of selected contractors, each of which,
in the opinion of the consultant, should be capable of undertaking
the work. No doubt one knows the client who wishes invitations
to tender issued to certain local contractors for business reasons.
But such invitations usually add to the consultant's difficulties
when advising on the acceptance of tenders, and, in general, are
to be deprecated.
(d) The necessity for adequate supervision of progress, workmanship and materials, both on site and in the maker's works.
This is simplified when the electrical advisers have resident
inspecting engineers in various parts of the country, who can
attend to witness tests at relatively short notice.
I should like to ask the author how the principles outlined in
the paper can best be brought to the notice of those who most
need to understand them, namely the clients or purchasers with
whom we, as electrical engineers, are to be associated.
Mr. J. P. Heslop: The author's recommendations in Section
2.2 do not refer to the consultation with the electricity supply
authority. It is considered that early consultation between the
technical adviser and the authority can settle the question of the
tariff and the costs of the supply, while it has some effect also on
the actual design of the installation where more than one rate of
charge is of advantage to the client.
The importance of estimates requires the contractor to visit
the site to obtain the correct information about the work, and

DISCUSSION ON "THE CONTROL OF ELECTRICAL INSTALLATION WORK"

failure to do so can result in errors unless a very full set of
drawings and lists of material are available in the first instance.
In Section 5.2, no reference is made to the "cost plus profit"
system. There is, howevep, a place for this method which makes
it possible to deal with charges unforeseen at the time of drawing
up the specification. Thus the specification can allow the contractor to charge for work not included in the tender on the cost
of material and labour with the addition of an agreed percentage
for profit.
Mr. G. V. Sadler: I fully agree with the author's remarks in
Section 5.1 regarding the submission of the proposals of one
contractor to several others. This practice often comes to the
knowledge of the original contractor, and I have known of several
instances where successful claims have been made for work done
in tendering where the original contractor has not ultimately
obtained an order.
Although the services of a consulting electrical engineer are
very desirable to deal with the technical aspects of the electrical
equipment ordered for an installation, the number of persons
handling the contract between the client and the supplier should
be limited. Otherwise it is difficult for the supplier to make
quite sure that the equipment being offered is the best possible
for the duty required of it by the client.
Fig. 4 does not appear to be sufficiently elastic to cover very
late delivery times of equipment, which are common in these
days, and I should be interested to know what provision is made
to cover these contingencies without reducing the usefulness of
such a programme.
Mr. D. H. Gray: I should like to ask the author if he has any
quick method of assessing the amount of work done on an electrical installation in order to estimate the progress of the contract.
It has been my experience that the foreman on the job usually has
difficulty in estimating the percentage of the work completed.
Usually he guesses rather optimistically at the beginning and,
being reluctant to show a subsequent decrease in the rate of
working, the final stages of the work seem to take an unduly long
time to complete. 1 have found that, with a reliable gang and
no unreasonable delays in material deliveries, the man-hours
shown on the weekly time sheets expressed as a fraction of the
initial estimate provide a sufficiently accurate estimate. In this
connection it is advisable that the foreman or engineer in charge
should know all the estimated times for each section of the work.
This gives him a target to work to, and he can also report on
any detail inaccuracies contained in the make-up, though the
overall figure is correct.
An objection has been made to the practice of employing a
works engineer trained in the manufacture of machines, rather
than one trained by a contractor in the installation work. One
must remember that the operation and maintenance of the
machines constitute the major portions of the duties of the works
electrical engineer, and, except for extensions, there is rarely any
real maintenance on a properly designed installation.
The reference, made in Section 5.1, to a selected list of electrical contractors cannot be too highly emphasized as the only
way of getting competitive quotations. It is important that all
the contractors invited to tender should want the work and have
the men to carry it out, otherwise his tender will be unduly high
and make the tender of other reputable contractors, able and
anxious to do the work, suspiciously low.
The amended chart shown in Fig. 4 is certainly comprehensive. 1 hope, however, that it is purely illustrative and not
taken from actual work. In Section 7.1, the author very properly
stresses the importance of proper planning, but the chart shows
that the lighting installations started before the roofs are erected,
and are in operation at the time floors are being laid. There is
also no reference to a temporary supply for the builders and the

707

steel-work erectors. This is important nowadays with the growing use of portable tools and welders as well as flood lighting
Sometimes when planned in advance such a temporary supply
can be used as a pilot supply or for outdoor road lighting.
Mr. W. E. Swale: In Section 1 the author makes mention of
"the steps to be taken to ensure proper maintenance and running"
and also refers to the startling facts revealed by the Efficiency
Committees of the Ministry of Fuel and Power. Too little
attention is yet paid to providing either electrical instruments for
permanent control or for providing test terminals by which brief
check tests can be made at regular intervals, and without the
rather laborious procedure which has to be adopted when such
provision is not made initially.
Mr. C. A. M. Thornton: I have found it to be advantageous if
each installation is divided into clearly defined portions, each of
comparatively small size. This may seem obvious, but very
often it is neglected. It is also advantageous if the steps "from
the inception of the scheme in the client's mind to the handing over
of the completed installation," referred to in the Summary, are
also clearly defined and the duties of all concerned in furthering
each step of the operation are clearly understood, perhaps even
recorded. There may be as many as 24 or more such steps, and
it may happen that the subsidiary work, such as estimating,
designing, ordering, recording, etc., exceeds the actual work
involved in carrying out the project. In any case, the subsidiary
work is very considerable and well worth doing well.
Progress sheets all too frequently classify all electrical work
together, as in Fig. 3, while recording all other trades in great
detail. I am strongly in favour of sub-division of electrical work
as stated, and at least as far as indicated in Fig. 4, but this can
be done only by an electrical engineer, and planning staffs do not
as a rule include one.
It is not by chance that the black line for electrical services in
Fig. 3 starts so late. I found that it is futile to start electrical
work at an earlier stage, because, being generally the lightest
of all, it is the electrical installation which has to be modified if
any alteration has to be made. It is, therefore, most economical
to start the electrical installation late and employ as many men as
possible simultaneously in order to complete it in minimum time.
I have also found it unsatisfactory to design and install the
final lighting installation at an early stage. Owing to all sorts of
unforeseeable circumstances, a lighting scheme installed in this
way may be disappointing and require extensive alteration.
In Fig. 4,1 should have included a short line late in September for
temporary lighting, and not commenced the main lighting until
mid-December, that is, if the work were engineering work and
not purely architectural, as it may be.
A hiatus is liable to arise between the end of erection and
the commencement of maintenance work, unless close liaison
between these two engineers is maintained. In my opinion
the handing over of sections of plant, however small, should be
taken seriously. We have not yet introduced an acceptance
certificate system, but such a system may have to be introduced
if the character of the job warrants it. These acceptance certificates should state clearly what gear is, and what is not, included,
and what tests have been carried out. There is generally a rush of
work at these times and this very necessary step is easily neglected.
Mr. H. C. Davies: The author makes no reference to the
British Standard Codes of Practice and the "Post-War Building
Studies" which are sponsored by the Government and were
formulated by the leading professional institutions, in conjunction
with eminent scientists and representatives of industry. The
adoption of these codes in the design, specification and installation of engineering work will greatly contribute to the elimination of controversial issues between the civil, mechanical and
electrical sections associated with the installation.

708

DISCUSSION ON "THE CONTROL OF ELECTRICAL INSTALLATION WORK"

Mr. F. W. Cox: The programmes and schedules prepared by

those in control of installations seldom seem to reach the manufacturer. Occasionally, manufacturers are hampered by toorigid specifications which entail unnecessary disturbance of their
production. More frequently, however, lack of information
causes the manufacturer to make assumptions or omissions, with
ensuing delays on correction. I know of instances where several
different sizes of motors, control equipment and accessories have

been ordered apparently indiscriminately without regard for the

progress or programme on site. The result has often been that
when erection took place on site, small items of equipment
which had been lying about for some* time could not be found
and had to be replaced, with consequent delays.
I suggest that in the early stages a programme should be
submitted for the manufacturers' approval, so that suitable
arrangements can be made to the benefit of all concerned.

THE AUTHOR'S REPLY TO

Mr. W. R. Watson (in reply): Mr. Ainscow's remarks on the
position and status of the contractor in installation and maintenance work are certainly to the point. If, as must sometimes
happen, clients prefer to employ contractors to solve all their
problems, rather than a combination of professional consultants
and experienced contractors, then contractors must take steps
to see that they are always competent to fill such a multiple role.
How such a status can be established is a vital question, but I
suggest that the onus is on the electrical contracting industry to
decide how best to put their house in order in this respect.
Nevertheless, whoever is responsible to the client for the successful design and execution of any work, it is certainly necessary
to provide a continuity of direction, including the establishment
of proper maintenance arrangements.
I am not sure that I agree with Mr. Ainscow's excuse for bad
estimating when he contends that the final requirements are
often not known until the later stages of the installation work.
The main object of my paper was to show that, provided the
client selects his electrical adviser at an early stage of the project,
the adviser himself can do much to assist his client in formulating
his requirements by bringing to his aid a varied and specialized
knowledge.
Mr. Hutchinson suggests that I have not taken into account
the feasibility of creating a committee comprising client and technical advisers for co-ordinating and controlling the work, but the
paper implies this very arrangement. The basis of a consulting
service is that, for the purpose of any specific job, the adviser
provides an extension to the client's facilities for the purpose of
giving effect to a project which is outside the client's normal
scope, and that in the performance of this service the adviser is,
in fact, the client. On this basis, the method of controlling the
work is the outcome of co-operation and mutual arrangement*.
As regards Mr. Milne's question, I can only suggest that every
electrical engineer dealing with the design and construction of
electrical installation work should employ these ideas in a way
which makes their value clear to clients, architects and other
users of electrical science, so that the desired improvement of
the general position will eventually be attained.
Reference has been made by Mr. Heslop to "cost plus" contracts. This form of contract certainly has its uses in particular
cases, but generally I am against "cost plus" contracts in principle. Unless expenditure is very carefully controlled, there is
no means of obtaining by this method the best job at the least
cost. The calculation of the profit is liable to cause difficulty
and, what is much more serious, there is a complete absence of
incentive to carry out the work economically and rapidly. The
building trade has developed a form of "cost plus" contract
which is designed to overcome some of these objections, but I
have no experience in its application to electrical installation
work, and I cannot visualize how it could be so applied effectively.
In answer to Mr. Sadler's question as to how to deal with
abnormally late deliveries when formulating programmes, I can
only suggest that, in such circumstances, more frequent revision
of programmes is required than I have suggested in the paper.
It is quite clear, however, that there is a limit to the value of any

THE ABOVE DISCUSSION

programme which is liable to be seriously upset by suppliers'
failure to implement delivery promises, such as we often experience to-day, and I am of the opinion that this limit has
already been reached in the case of most installation projects
under way. Present conditions in respect of material deliveries
emphasize, more clearly than ever before, the need for exceedingly
careful study and planning in any project before work commences, and the maintenance thereafter of constant attention to
all details. These objectives are most easily achieved in the
electrical field if the client employs an independent electrical
adviser to provide continuity of effort from beginning to end.
Mr. Gray asks how one can best estimate the percentage progress towards completion of any installation. I suggest that the
answer depends on what one is trying to find out. The assessment of progress achieved at any moment has no absolute value,
but must always be relative to something else. It may be expressed as a proportion of the total estimated expenditure, or of
the total estimated man-hours involved, or of the number of
days that someone originally expected the installation work
would require for completion. Any method of assessing the
progress of the work at any time must therefore depend on
which basis has been accepted for reference. There is no best
method as such, and it should be left to the judgment and experience of the man in charge to assess, to the satisfaction of
himself and his principals, the stage to which the work has really
progressed. To express this as a percentage of estimated manhours is probably good enough, if, in fact, the work is not likely
to take twice the man-hours originally estimated. The actual
basis of calculation employed to express this information is of
relatively little importance, provided it is agreed and understood
by all parties concerned, and is always capable of adjustment in
relation to any future modifications to the basis of calculation.
I agree with Mr. Davies's suggestion that a wider use of available
Codes of Practice and Building Studies would help to solve many
of the difficulties experienced by several technical experts when
working in collaboration. I do hope, however, that such codes
and studies are not taken by architects and civil engineers as
sufficiently detailed specifications upon which work can be
executed. They are not so intended and cannot replace the
detailed specifications which must be produced to cover each
particular installation project.
I like Mr. Cox's suggestion that manufacturers, the supply of
whose equipment is so often a determining factor in the completion of any work, should be provided with site programme
details. In any case, programmes should never be prepared
except in collaboration with the manufacturers of the equipment
concerned, and they should therefore be aware, to some extent,
of the relationship of their delivery dates to the actual construction plan. Such collaboration should be reciprocal, and should
involve the submission by them of weekly or fortnightly "shop
progress" reports to the consultants, on a man-hour-percentage
basis, so that any possibility of late delivery will be brought to
light in the early stages of manufacture. I favour the preparation
by the consultants of prototype progress charts for application,
by manufacturers to their particular needs in this respect.