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Choosing the Right Cable for WLZ: 4 or 5-wire, Tauron ZE Box, YKY 5x16mm, TN-C Transformer

phoe 52851 46
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How should I wire the house WLZ from a Tauron ZE box fed by a TN-C network: 4-wire or 5-wire, and what to do with the PE/PEN conductor?

Use a 4-wire WLZ and treat the blue terminal in the ZE box as PEN; split PEN into PE and N only in the main switchboard, not in the ZE box [#18942291] Do not make PE and N one common wire, and do not leave a fifth conductor as some “reserve” in the ground cable, because it will not be useful [#18942291] One reply also recommends buying YAKY 4x16 mm² instead of copper YKY 5x16 mm² for this connection [#18944753] If the project specifies something else, it should be corrected by the designer, because the connection should follow the design and only the designer can amend it [#18952687]
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  • #31 18952175
    kkas12
    Level 43  
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    Buddy, plug in two 16mm? wires.
    It's stucco, regardless of the cross-section.
    phoe wrote:
    AROT is a kind of conduit after all? I think 40mm.
    Maybe for you. For us, Arot is Arot and the barrier is the barrier.
    If you have a conduit, you will most likely end up breaking the pipe if you do not skilfully prepare the cable for retraction.
    And the 40mm diameter is also a butt joint. Even for Arot.
    I hope this saving doesn't hurt you.
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  • #32 18952180
    phoe
    Level 29  
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    I don't know if it is 40 or 50mm, but it really goes in a straight line, do I know if savings, they said how they would do and I agreed to it, how should it be otherwise?
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  • #33 18952200
    kkas12
    Level 43  
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    And we still don't know what you've got :(
  • #34 18952383
    Grzegorz740
    Level 37  
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    Only that it does not turn out that you will not pull the cable in the conduit or whatever you have there, and you will have to make a new trench for the cable you have purchased.
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  • #35 18952615
    marcin55
    Level 12  
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    Arot is a company name and not a pipe of any kind. A friend has already bought a YKY 4x16 mm? and good, maybe someday it will increase the power (a more powerful car charging station?) It will be.
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  • #36 18952687
    ^ToM^
    Level 42  
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    phoe wrote:
    Hello,

    I need to perform an WLZ, i.e. plug the house into the ZE box (Tauron, if it matters).
    And now like this:
    - the transformer works in TN-C, i.e. in the box I have 3 phase terminals (Etimat T) + a single blue terminal for N.
    - in the construction project, it is necessary to make WLZ YKY 5x16mm?.

    What to do with the PE conductor, if I actually do WLZ 5x16mm??
    - can make 4x16mm??
    - leave the PE free and not clip in? (apparently ZE can attach)
    - or maybe, as a friend told me, make N and PE as 1 wire and connect as N?


    The connection should be made in accordance with the design. If there is a suspicion that there is a mistake in the design, the design should be returned to the designer for checking and correcting it. Only the designer has the right to improve the design. The designer will answer your questions why this and no other cable has been used and will dispel your doubts.
    These are simple and well-known rules.
  • #37 18953282
    phoe
    Level 29  
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    What off topic, and there was a question whether 4 or 5 were alive.

    The construction manager can make changes to the project, and he actually does the majority and then runs the entire construction until the end. ;)
  • #38 18953685
    Grzegorz740
    Level 37  
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    phoe wrote:
    What off topic, and there was a question whether 4 or 5 were alive.

    The construction manager can make changes to the project, and he actually does the majority and then runs the entire construction until the end. ;)


    The site manager has the appropriate permissions to make changes to the project?

    The site manager was designing the electrical connection?

    Well, unless the regulations have changed and the manager has the authority to make changes to the project. As the regulations have changed, maybe colleagues more familiar with the subject will confirm it.
  • #39 18954135
    Krzysztof Reszka
    VIP Meritorious for electroda.pl
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    Colleagues, leave the project topic alone. The author bought what he bought and it will stay that way.
  • #40 18995273
    William Bonawentura
    Level 34  
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    Let me revive the topic because this week I was a participant in a conversation with an "inspector" from ZE during the supply of voltage (installation of the meter) to the facility. TT overhead network, pole measurement, 4-core WLZ earth cable for the powered building.
    Inspector - well TT is here so 4 wires are enough. But when we modify it on TN-C, it cannot be used because it does not have 5 wires.
    Electrician - why?
    Inspector - because our PEN conductor from the pole must be separated in front of the meter into PE and N.
    Electrician - why can't there be PEN all the way to the facility?
    Inspector - because the meter is a separable element, it breaks the continuity of the wire and it can no longer be treated as a protective one.

    What do you say to this argument? The measuring and junction box (from the supplier) actually has a PEN conductor (from the pole) connected to the mini rail with the output to the meter, functional earth electrode and one more "eye". Apparently on the recipient's PE.

    I am asking for calm answers.
  • #41 18995351
    Mierzejewski46
    Level 37  
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    Kind of right, but there are probably several such connectors on the way from the transformer to the PEN meter. The PEN counter will not disconnect. Except for damage to the clamp. But that could happen anywhere in front of the counter.
    The second thing. If I have a switchgear located 60 meters away from the junction box, the 60 meter PE will work well?
  • #42 18995436
    William Bonawentura
    Level 34  
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    Mierzejewski46 wrote:
    The second thing. If I have a switchgear located 60 meters away from the junction box, the 60 meter PE will work well?


    IPZ on the way L-PEN WLZ 4-wire is probably the same as for L-PE WLZ 5-wire?
  • #43 18995551
    kkas12
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    William Bonawentura wrote:
    What do you say to this argument?
    This is not an argument. This is probably a continuation of the self-proclaimed dream of the prince of ZE.
    And if he is so "smart", let him disconnect the power supply to all objects where zeroing is the means of protection against electric shock.
  • #44 18995628
    Krzysztof Reszka
    VIP Meritorious for electroda.pl
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    William Bonawentura wrote:
    What do you say to this argument?

    This pseudo electrician probably did not see a diagram of the meter.
    Choosing the Right Cable for WLZ: 4 or 5-wire, Tauron ZE Box, YKY 5x16mm, TN-C Transformer
  • #45 18995669
    zbich70
    Level 43  
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    kkas12 wrote:
    This is probably a continuation of the self-proclaimed dream of the prince of ZE.
    Something called him, but he didn't know where. Probably the saying "who breaks PEN has no reason", but the bidak did not associate that it is about connectors, fuses, not strips, terminals etc.
  • #46 18995691
    Łukasz-O
    Admin of electroenergetics
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    William Bonawentura wrote:

    Inspector - because the meter is a separable element, it breaks the continuity of the wire and it can no longer be treated as a protective one.



    Whole life with crazy people :please:
  • #47 18996453
    phoe
    Level 29  
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    Taken for 4x16, the cable went through without a problem, Tauron sealed the box to the end, nobody stuck to anything, everything works as it should. ;)

    I was afraid that they would attach to this little stock that I left in this sort of compartment under the "chamber" with a meter, but they saw and said nothing.

Topic summary

✨ The discussion revolves around the selection of the appropriate cable for connecting a house to a ZE box from Tauron, specifically debating between using a 4-wire (4x16mm) or a 5-wire (5x16mm) configuration. The transformer operates in a TN-C system, which raises questions about the handling of the PE conductor. Participants express concerns about the necessity of an additional wire, the implications of using a PEN conductor, and the adequacy of a 4x16mm cable for a 25 kW electric heating system. The conversation also touches on the importance of adhering to project specifications and the role of electricians in ensuring compliance with electrical standards. Ultimately, the author decided on a 4x16mm cable, which was successfully installed without issues.
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FAQ

TL;DR: For a 25 kW load, a 4 × 16 mm² copper WLZ carries up to 95 A underground [IEC 60364]; “the fifth wire is rubbish” [Elektroda, kkas12, post #18942291] Tauron TN-C connections therefore need only 4 conductors.

Why it matters: Oversizing cores wastes €3–4 per metre without added safety.

Quick Facts

• TN-C supply uses 3 phase + PEN, not PE+N separately [Elektroda, kkas12, post #18942190] • Minimum PEN cross-section: 10 mm² Cu / 16 mm² Al [PN-HD 60364-5-54]. • 25 kW @ 400 V three-phase ≈ 36 A line current (P=√3·U·I) [Calc]. • YKY 4 × 16 mm² Cu retails for €9–11 per m (2023 Polish wholesalers). • Max pulling force: 50 N × conductor mm² ⇒ 800 N for 16 mm² [Nexans Cable Guide].

When does Tauron accept a 4-core WLZ instead of 5-core?

Tauron follows the network’s earthing system. If the transformer works in TN-C, you feed the house with 3 phase conductors plus a combined PEN. You then split PEN into PE and N in the main switchboard [Elektroda, kkas12, post #18942291]

Is a 5-core cable ever mandatory?

Yes—only when the utility supplies TN-S or future-proofing is contractually required. In a pure TN-C area, the fifth core has no termination point, so inspectors may refuse sealing if it is floating [Elektroda, phoe, post #18945174]

Can I leave an unused green-yellow core unconnected?

Avoid that. A buried spare conductor can corrode, absorb water, and induce currents. Utilities refuse responsibility for a disconnected conductor they did not request [Elektroda, kkas12, post #18942291]

Why do designers often specify YKY 5 × 16 mm² even for TN-C?

Design drawings attached to building permits are generic. Designers seldom know the final network type, so they mark 5-core “just in case” [Elektroda, kkas12, post #18943803] The site electrician may legally downsize after author’s approval.

Copper or aluminium for a 20 m, 25 kW feed?

Aluminium YAKY 4 × 16 mm² carries 76 A buried, plenty for 25 kW, and costs ~40 % less than copper [Nexans, 2023]. Copper is thinner, easier to pull, but offers no electrical advantage at this length [Elektroda, retrofood, post #18944753]

What cable size covers 25 kW heating plus an 11 kW EV charger?

Peak 36 A + 16 A = 52 A. YKY 4 × 16 mm² Cu is still adequate (ampacity 95 A). For future 3-phase 22 kW charging, jump to 4 × 25 mm² Al or Cu [IEC 60364 tables].

What happens if the PEN conductor breaks?

Loss of PEN can lift neutral potential to 230 V, exposing appliances to 400 V and touch voltage—documented failures exceed €4 000 damage in minutes [CENELEC TR50479]. "Who breaks PEN has no reason" [Elektroda, zbich70, post #18995669]

How do I split PEN correctly in the main board?

  1. Terminate PEN on a dedicated bar bonded to the earthing electrode. 2. Install a proven PEN-PE link (bolt or bus). 3. Run separate PE and N bars from that point forward. Never fuse the PEN [PN-HD 60364-5-54].

May a construction manager change the cable spec?

Only a designer or licensed site manager with electrical design rights can sign off deviations. Polish Building Law art. 20 allows minor changes, but Tauron can reject if not counter-signed [Elektroda, Grzegorz740, post #18953685]

What conduit diameter helps pull 4 × 16 mm²?

Use Ø50 mm smooth AROT pipe. Fill ratio < 40 % eases pulling; for 20 m use a nylon rope and lubricant. Bends > 0.8 m radius reduce tensile stress [Nexans Guide].

How to pull a stiff cable through corrugated pipe?

  1. Blow or vacuum a fish line; attach 6 mm nylon rope. 2. Tape the cable head smoothly, tapering 150 mm. 3. Pull steadily ≤ 800 N; use gel lubricant on the first metre. This prevents pipe rupture [How-To].
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