Armour cable connection to a consumer box?/

[f49h]

Hi everyone,
I live in Scotland and is wiring my shed for power.
I have been told that I cannot connect the armour cable directly to the plastic consumer unit in my shed, I have to connect it to a metal box via the gland and run the 3 core through the box and into my consumer unit.
I was on the understanding that if I connect it directly to the consumer unit
the armour part of the cable could be earthed through the earth clip on the gland. Is it true or is it a counter salesman trying to get a good bouns for xmas.
Cheers

 

[breezer]

it is true.

you can not connect a swa cable directly to most consumers units, reason is there is not enough room / clearance, also if its a plastic cu, the torque of the swa cable may rip the box, or at least distort it.

if you do have the room you need a banjo (guess what it looks like) they should be in with the gland kit, if not they only cost pennies, you then use a brass nut and bolt to bolt to the banjo a suitabe sized wire which has a crimp lug on it

if it were me I would terminate the swa in a metal adaptable box first, leaving the tails long enough to go itn the cu and still use a banjo

 

[f49h]

Hi
Cheers for that.
Do you mean use the banjo on the metal adapter box. I would have thought the gland when connected to the box would provide a suitable earth without using the banjo.

 

[breezer]

what you say is true, but the question is then what connects the adptable metal box to earth?

 

[f49h]

Hi
That was the next question.
I intend to connect the armour cable at the house end ,from my consumer unit through a 13amp fused switch. The switch box will be metal so if I earth the switch box in the house then the armor part of the cable will be earthed and in turn the metal box will be earthed. I think!!!
or can I run a seperate earth from the shed consumer box to the banjo fitting on the metal box.
Thanks again

 

[breezer]

so that means 2 boxes?

one the swa is terminated in and one for the fcu

as i said if it were me , terminte the swa in a metal box ann leave the tails long enough to go into the CU.

This does mean the metal bux will be directly under or to the side of the cu., but its easier, less hassle and one box less

 

[f49h]

Hi
I will go your way as it sound easier, but how is the metal box earthed??
The reason for the fused switch is so that i can switch of the power to the shed as it rains alot up here!!!
Cheers

 

[breezer]

are you being serious about switching it off when it rains?

the metal box will be earthed via the swa gland

 

[f49h]

Yes but not brecaue electricity is being used, it because i dont like getting wet, and if I don,t have anything in use in the shed I will be saving my 20% for the enviroment!!!!!

 

[breezer]

but if nothing is left plugged in then there is no need to turn it off

 

[f49h]

Ah but sometimes when we do have sun , the bbq going , the musics on and the garden lights are working, then the rain comes on and we are all in and we think who's gonna run outside and switch everything off.

 

[breezer]

I know you are in Scotland, but do your appliances not have on off switches?

I get it, you are thinking of stuff on standby.

drills, lawnmowers etc dont have a stanby fucntion, its only tvs and hifis that usualy do.

 

[f49h]

Yes the one in the house that switches off the shed!!!

 

[breezer]

its your choice, but since you will be feeding it form the cu, why bother

 

[f49h]

conveniance