Help required with my pond and pump wiring… (no plug)

[mafregal]

I inherited a raised walled pond with my house last year. The previous owner was a keen gardener and had a pump, fish and plants in there etc. He took the pump and fish with him and I didn’t really do anything with it.
I have over the past few days cleared it out, scrubbed it and now have an empy pond with liner. I also bought a pump – ‘Hozelock Easyclear 6000’ to install. It came today and has no plug.

The pump spec is;

Maximum Flow Rate: 1700lph (374gph)
UVC: 9w
Pump: 40w
Max Fountain Height: 1.6m (5ft 3inch)
Recommended Waterfall Height: 0.6m (2ft)
Cable Length: 10m

This is a link to the manual for the pump; http://www.hozelock.com/uploads/pdf... clear 2012/33855-004 EASYCLEAR 6-9000 UK.pdf

Basically I have a covered twin outdoor socket between the pond and the rockery. Once a plug is inserted the cover shuts and it is waterproof. All the wiring goes under soil and then into the conservatory. With this in place is it as simple as attaching a plug and setting up as per instructions?

The manual says it's designed to be;
permanently wired to
the mains supply in a dry weatherproof
enclosure through a Double-Pole
Switched Fused Spur - (Disconnector) to
BS 3676, with a minimum contact
separation of 3mm in each Pole &
Fitted with a 3 or 5 Amp fuse

Does that mean it's not safe to attach a plug like I hoped to do? If not, can it be wired into my existing set-up? (by a qualified electrician of course).

I’m quite competent in wiring on a plug if that is acceptable/safe.

A section of the manual states;

From 1st January 2005 installing this
product in the garden is classed as
'notifiable' in the revised Building
Regulations for England and Wales.
The Regulations now require you to
tell your local authority building
control department that you intend to
install this product before installation.
Your local authority will let you know
how you can get your installation

This info and connection instructions are on pages 4, 5 & 6 of the above manual.

Can anyone tell me what this actually means and entails? Anyone been through it/done it? Is this saying I need to get an electrician to fit the plug and/or check what is already in place? Layman's terms please.

Because the installation of the power supply is already there is it still a 'notifiable installation'? Or only if it is wired into it? I'm confused and have tried to research this but everything relates to new installations, not attaching a pump to an existing one.

Thank you. Sorry there are a lot of questions there. Any help/insight greatly appreciated.

 

[ericmark]

First the notifiable bit rules changed this year and I think you will find no longer a problem.

Second I have looked at the permanent wired in bit. I can't see why they say it is required. Only reason I can see is high earth leakage but I would have expected some other reference to that.

Personally I would not worry about fitting a plug, but the regulations state that you must follow manufacturers recommendations so technically you can't use a plug.

Clearly RCD protection is required and since it refers to using 30mA or 10mA I would not expect to find high earth leakage.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Does that mean it's not safe to attach a plug like I hoped to do?

No, it means that they don't want to have to supply it with a plug fitted, and therefore to comply with the plugs & sockets regulations they have to pretend that you may not use a plug.

 

[ericmark]

Thanks BAS I was trying to understand why no plug and what you say does make sense.

 

[mafregal]

Thanks for the replies. I've just got home and checked the circuit, it goes to the garage not the conservatory and there is an RCD - trying to attach pictures now - my album //www.diynot.com/network/mafregal/albums/
There are 3 photos in the album.
It's 30 mA trip current and in full working order.

If I attach a plug correctly, it's sealed and safe in the box am I good to go and safe?

Thank you again.[/img]

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Where will the cable for the pump run?

 

[mafregal]

It will run run over the wall of the pond between 2 of the paving slabs into a raised mound of soil that is level with the wall height. You can see on one of my photos where i mean- there are 2 rocks currently covering the gap for the cable. It will run into the mound and then run down it to the socket. The cable will be pressed into the soil so it is covered, then covered with weed fabric with about 1-2 inch of wood bark chips over the top.

Will that be ok?

Thank you

 

[ban-all-sheds]

No - it won't be in the slightest OK.


522.8.10 Except where installed in a conduit or duct which provides equivalent protection against mechanical damage, a cable buried in the ground shall incorporate an earthed armour or metal sheath or both, suitable for use as a protective conductor. The location of buried cables shall be marked by cable covers or a suitable marking tape. Buried conduits and ducts shall be suitably identified. Buried cables, conduits and ducts shall be at a sufficient depth to avoid being damaged by any reasonably foreseeable disturbance of the ground.

http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Book/7.13.3.htm

 

[DetlefSchmitz]

This kind of makes it difficult to use a submerged pond pump at all. Once the cable disappears under water, it probably can't be seen and may or may not be covered with pond soil.

 

[mafregal]

Thanks again for the replies. Am I right in saying a conduit is a protection cable that the power cable would sit in?

The cable doesn't have to be underground if there is an overground option?

We are basically talking about 1.5m of cable that will be out of the water running to the power point. The manual just says the cable should be 'adequately protected against gardening equipment, children and domestic animals may occur' and 'could include the use of plastic or metal conduit'.

If the cable was in a conduit, set up as I said above (or overground covered with bark if that's an option) would this then be a safe and legal installation?

Would really like to know how you would you set set it up and what type of conduit I would need- metal/plastic etc.

Also, would it be a standard plug with 13 Amp fuse?

If I went down the lines of getting an electrician, do you have an idea of what kind of cost would I be looking at to wire it into the installation I already have?

Cheers.

 

[JohnW2]

Thanks again for the replies. Am I right in saying a conduit is a protection cable that the power cable would sit in?

Yes - 'tubing' - metal if you want the mechanical protection as described by BAS.

The cable doesn't have to be underground if there is an overground option?

Indeed - but 'overground' means visible, not 'covered with bark'. Lying on the ground with a thin covering of something like bark, which 'hides' it but offers no mechanical protection would probably be the most dagerous options of all, since it would be begging to be damaged by someone who didn't realise it was there.

We are basically talking about 1.5m of cable that will be out of the water running to the power point. The manual just says the cable should be 'adequately protected against gardening equipment, children and domestic animals may occur' and 'could include the use of plastic or metal conduit'.

The Wiring Regulations call for you to comply with the Manufacturer's Instructions, and what the manufacturer is saying is basically just common sense. As DetlefSchmitz has implied, I'm not sure that it's ever going to be possible to achieve full compliance with the Wiring Regs themeselves (as quoted by BAS) with a product such as this, so one probably has to just be sensible. Any cable not protected by being within a conduit needs to be visible and in a place where it is unlikely to be damaged.

Also, would it be a standard plug with 13 Amp fuse?

A 'standard plug' (maybe a 'tough' rubber one), but with a 3A or 5A fuse, per the manufacturer's specification you quoted.

Kind Regards, John

 

[ban-all-sheds]

This kind of makes it difficult to use a submerged pond pump at all. Once the cable disappears under water, it probably can't be seen and may or may not be covered with pond soil.

Flexible/pliable metal conduit.

http://www.kopex.co.uk/productpage.asp?a=213

http://www.kopex.co.uk/productpage.asp?a=3

http://www.kopex.co.uk/productpage.asp?a=215


Other makes are available.

 

[Wontdothatagain]

No, it means that they don't want to have to supply it with a plug fitted, and therefore to comply with the plugs & sockets regulations they have to pretend that you may not use a plug.

almost all pond and fountain equipment does not come with a plug top fitted as it almost always requires the cable to be pulled through a conduit or duct

I would recommend using one of these, http://www.screwfix.com/p/bg-4-way-weatherproof-power-controller/20964

It has a 3 Amp outlet and is a double pole so will comply with your manufacturers requirements. You will need to get an electrician to give it power if you are not confident doing this.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

almost all pond and fountain equipment does not come with a plug top fitted as it almost always requires the cable to be pulled through a conduit or duct

Good point.

I would recommend using one of these, http://www.screwfix.com/p/bg-4-way-weatherproof-power-controller/20964

Completely unnecessary.

 

[Wontdothatagain]

Completely unnecessary.

Ask any pond owner and they will all say that a point i isolation/switching at the location is essential. If at a later date the OP wants to add some lighting, a UV unit, a larger filter, a pump, then you have the power there ready to go and will not have to pull more cables through the duct/conduit.

Ok, my pond is a bit beyond a little puddle with a waterfall, i have 2 of these switch units powering and they are essential unless you want to keep going back and forth to the switch when cleaning/maintance

1x sequence pump
2x UV units
2x Aeration pumps
1x skimmer pump
1x lighting unit

I have some extra things to add soon as i am increasing the size of the pond so will need different power units and 3 of them