Garden Power

[dingbat]

The scenario: A garden lamppost, a pumped water feature, festoon lighting, lights to a Wendy house and an external socket for power tools. All this located at the end of a garden.

Getting power down there is no problem (100mA RCD, SWA, warning tape, etc...) but I want to provide a lockable, weatherproof panel with RCD & MCB's inside and switches on the outside. Anybody know of such a thing or will I just have to make my own?

 

[Big_Spark]

Yep, of course they make them.

You won't find it in a shed though. That is a wholesaler job.

They do not come cheap. However if you ensure that you get an IP55 rated metal, lockable enclosure it will last as long as your house so long as you maintain the outer powder coat paint work.

They look like this.

 

[dingbat]

Thanks for that. What I really, really wanted though, was a weatherproof enclosure with functional switching mounted on the outside of the door, so the gubbins could all be locked away safe from the kids and then all circuits could be energised without having to open the door. It would also limit the risk of accidentally leaving the enclosure open.

If that isn't really available then I'm thinking of simply going with a watertight RCD enclosure then running each circuit via its own weatherproof switch. I just wanted to avoid having to use breakers as functional switches.

 

[plugwash]

everything except the socket and possiblly the pump out there are trivial load

you can get 4 module outdoor rated enclosures
run a 32A radial to one of theese
fit it with a rcd and 2 mcbs
the socket can come directly off the rcd (this is no different to putting one on a 32A cuircuit in the house)

then use one mcb for all lighting and the other for the pump
and use masterseal switches to control everything

 

[dingbat]

Thanks for the contribution, Plug, but the RCD would not provide overcurrent protection for the socket cable. Other than that detail I believe it's what I already said I'd do.

 

[plugwash]

yes i know but if thee feed cable is on a 32A breaker this is no different proetction wise from wiring sockets directly to a ring

 

[dingbat]

Well it is different. I want to provide sensible discrimination and protect the feed cable first, then protect individual circuits at their point of origin with MCBs suited to individual circuit ratings. And provide supplementary protection to all circuits via a suitable RCD. I believe this is a much more logical way of going about things.

I do know about this stuff. My question was whether there existed a weatherproof distribution box with the option of functional switches on the outside. It seems not.

 

[Big_Spark]

Dingbat, there are panels made by a certain handful of companies that would do what you want..however they are unearthly expensive as they are Temporary supply panels for Building sites.

The enclosure I posted comes in all sizes.

I would Buy one, some "top hat" DIN rail, a Masterseal Socket, two Materseal Switches and the other gubbins and then use the enclosure how they are used in practice.

The main controls are locked away insode the panel, the Masterseal kit is mounted on the OUTSIDE of the panel on the sides, or even on the dorr for the Swiches, the cable entry being via a 20mm hole drill in the panel.

The switches and Socket would be held in place by a pair of M6x20 stainless steal Bolts with star washers and nylon nuts, the holes sealed from the inside using silicon sealant (weatherproof).

Job Done.

 

[Big_Spark]

Dingbat, you could always do this....

 

[securespark]

Well, can't top that one........

 

[dingbat]

Well, can't top that one........

Yeah, I know. I'm a bit stunned myself.