Garden electrics question

[Stevie5tapes]

Hi all,

I need some advice please. Let me first say i'm not a electrician and i will not be doing any electrical work, I just need some advice as to what will be required in my garden, then possibly I wont get the wrong advice when I start getting quotes.

I'm planning on building a garden pond with water fall and filter so I will need some electric. On the back of my house I have a meter box and a single plug socket (the socket is a spur from the ring main in the house). I'm planning on building the pond about 8 meters from the meter box.

To get electric to my pond can I replace the single socket with a junction box and run SWA cable from the junction box to my pond position and fit a weather enclosed type socket. Or can I get a weather proof type consumer unit and have it fitted next to the meter box, wired into the meter box then run SWA cable from the new CU to the pond?

My house was re-wired 7 years ago with a modern type split load CU. This CU is at the other side of my house. I could go from this CU but would require floor boards and carpets lifting to run the cables to the back garden, hence the reason why i'm asking if there is an easier alternative by using the meter box/socket at the rear of the house.


Thanks for looking and thanks for any help/advice given.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

It would probably be best advised to have the external socket outlet isolated within the property using a fused connection unit, then you could have an adaptable junction box externally to route SWA from there, to the point it requires to serve.
The internal FCU, would then act as a means of down fusing and isolation.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

On the back of my house I have a meter box

Can you post a photo of the inside?

 

[winston1]

You can pond pumps that run on 24 volts. They come complete with a transformer which must be mounted indoors or protected from the weather. You can also get external plastic boxes which you could mount it in near your outside socket. Running a cable at 24volts to your pond would then be easy.

 

[Stevie5tapes]

Can you post a photo of the inside?

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Well whoever wired that was a bit of a numpty - 2 isolators in series.

And they weren't very competent, using a BS 951 earth clamp on the armoured cable instead of a proper gland.

How far is it from there to where your CU is?


Anyway - when your electrician comes, have him tidy that up. Gland the SWA properly, and although the electricity companies technically don't like it, you've already got your own equipment in the box, so one more item won't make a difference - have him split the tails, replace the isolator with another switchfuse, or an MCB, and run a separate supply for outside use.

 

[Stevie5tapes]

Interesting comment. The CU is about 6 meters away from the meter. The house was re-wired at the same time the meter was relocated. The meter guy fitted an isolated to the meter, the electrician (who re-wired the house) said because the CU was more than so many meters from the meter he had to fit an isolater as well, that is why there are two isolaters, I thought it was excessive but the electrian quoted regs at me so I went with it.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

Your electrician has done right, by fitting fused isolator.

 

[Stevie5tapes]

Slightly off topic but when I had all my electrical work done the lights started flickering and the electrics went! When looking in the meter box I found this!

Electrician came straight out and said the tails hadn't been tightens enough!!

 

[deadshort]

It would probably be best advised to have the external socket outlet isolated within the property using a fused connection unit, then you could have an adaptable junction box externally to route SWA from there, to the point it requires to serve.
The internal FCU, would then act as a means of down fusing and isolation.

This the ideal solution, easy to install and control in the event of a fault.

DS

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Your electrician has done right, by fitting fused isolator.

Done right?

1. Why did he not replace the first one?
2. Why did he not terminate the SWA properly?

the electrian quoted regs at me so I went with it.

Somebody should quote the one about competence and appropriate materials to him.

 

[John D v2.0]

Done right?

1. Why did he not replace the first one?
2. Why did he not terminate the SWA properly?

Somebody should quote the one about competence and appropriate materials to him.

replacing the first one would require either live working or the seal fairy visiting. You'd never justify live working with a risk assessment in this situation. And the first one is only an isolator so there's no discrimination issue. So I'd not fault the electrician here.
Regarding the swa termination, not much good to say about that...

 

[ban-all-sheds]

replacing the first one would require either live working or the seal fairy visiting. You'd never justify live working with a risk assessment in this situation. And the first one is only an isolator so there's no discrimination issue. So I'd not fault the electrician here.

You obviously have a more lax attitude to 134.1.1 than I.

I want as close to perfection as can be achieved, not "good enough".

 

[John D v2.0]

I am not aware of that rule, but I was just doing a risk assessment in my head. What does the rule say (and why, assuming you agree it's beneficial here?)

 

[ban-all-sheds]

134.1.1: Good workmanship by skilled or instructed persons and proper materials shall be used in the erection of the electrical installation. The installation of electrical equipment shall take account of manufacturers’ instructions.