Arrived on a site today and the plumber had been in. Now he's run his plastic pipes all in and around my cables. He says that the pipes don't get that hot, so no danger to my cables but I don't like it, what's everyone's thoughts and experiences of this issue

Not much heat transfer on plastic, not like copper. Still better to keep them away from cables.

get them to lag them where they cross the cables. I Tell them that it derates the cable if they don't. If you keep your cables neatly clipped to the joist it can't happen in many places .

Gary

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Specialised Subject. The Bleedin Obvious. John Cleese

You could also try the 'it'll blow a hole in your pipe'.

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Norman

Get them to move the pipework, bloody mech lads....useless

Probably won't cause any problem but not good, then again we are talking plumbers!

Dave.

I dont know how hot the outside of a plastic pipe can get, although I would guess that as for insulation purposes it should be treatthe same as copper would indicate that it may get very hot, so may have a detrimental impact, best out of the way, by some distance.
I know it is never lagged but it probable should be,.

I always get the plumber to go in first, much easier than going in last!

plumber going in last i mean!

put a comment on your installation cert, note as a deviation from regs then point it out to the client too. explain that plumber was at fault and verbally quote to move your cables.

What are the pipes for? If cold water, obviously no problem; hot tap water - again usually cold apart for a few tens of minutes a day. Heating pipes however would be a different story....

- Andy.

Just because a pipe is plastic that doesn't mean it won't get warm. It may not conduct heat as quickly as copper so doesn't need insulation but if its warm/hot for long periods (like heating pipes) then it well be able to conduct heat to the cables and may be the cables should be detrated. But I doubt it would cause an issue as most cables in a domestic don't run near their full design load (shower may do and the coooker for short periods).

Use some judgement - if there is a risk get them to insulate them or mover the cables away.