Outdoor socket

[tflda29]

Hello All,

I am looking to fit an external double socket near some decking as shown in the attached picture.

Untitled

• tflda29
• 17 Apr 2008
• 1

The main consumer unit is fitted in the integral garage to the house and i was wondering if it would be best to connect the armoured cable to the consumer unit (in which case i would get an electrician in to do that) or if i could run it as a spur from the double socket that is in the garage already. It is run straight from the consumer unit with its own RCD.

I would want to use the external socket for decking lights and possibly an electric heater of some sort and occasionally the lawnmower. I was going to use 10mm 3 core SWA cable for this. Would this be suitable?

I am planning on having this all checked by an electricain if i do the spur route as i have read about part P although not sure if this applies to Scotland or not.

thanks
Trevor

 

[electronicsuk]

If you're planning on using 10mm cable then we must be talking some pretty hefty loads, spurring off the existing socket in the garage really isn't an option. You need to have an electrician in to install a dedicated circuit.

Also, I don't know how many sockets you require, but there's certainly no point in 10mmsq unless the cable run is extremely long or there will be many sockets with large loads. In fact, you might not even get conductors of that size into the terminals.

EDIT: Just noticed the diagram. Looks like you intend on installing a single double S/O with 30m of cable. There's certainly no need for anything near 10mmsq, I haven't done the calcs but at a rough guess this would be fine on 2.5mm. You could technically spur off the existing socket, but unless it's metalclad I can't see how you'll be able to effectively gland into it, and I wouldn't call it best practice. If you must go this route then it would be far better to spur off to an FCU and then to the outdoor S/O, but I'd still recommend a dedicated circuit.

Also note that a double 13A outlet isn't rated to take 26A total.

 

[tflda29]

thanks for reply.......think i will get someone in to do it. In the meantime though i have to get the garden finished so need to run the SWA this weekend. If this is going to be a dedicated ring circuit, does that mean i need to run two 3 core cables...ie one to the socket and then one back again or do i run one hiher core one?

thanks
Trevor

 

[Taylortwocities]

Why two lenghts? This would be a spur off the existing circuit or a new radial circuit to the consumer unit.
Both options only need one length of 3 core armoured cable. Per the above, 2.5mm will be fine as long as you dont plan on big loads.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

thanks for reply.......think i will get someone in to do it.

If you want that someone to sign it off, take plenty of photos of the trench, and the cable in it, clearly showing the depth, the stone-free sand, the marker tape...

If this is going to be a dedicated ring circuit, does that mean i need to run two 3 core cables...ie one to the socket and then one back again or do i run one hiher core one?

Who said anything about a ring? It's just one socket...

But whatever you use it for, please don't have a heater. Not only is it lunacy to try and heat the outside, it's dangerous and antisocial lunacy. When it gets chilly, put a sweater on. When it gets cold, go indoors.

 

[SeanT]

Or at least use a gas heater if you must have one.

 

[tflda29]

thanks for replies guys..

Thought that if it was a dedicated circuit then it would be like the sockets in my house...ie on a ring main so would need the two cables.....hmmm difinitely glad i will be getting someone into do it now...

Thanks for the tip about taking pictures of the cable laid in the trench.....

On the heater point.....I live in Aberdeen......its bl**dy freezing here even in the summer with a jumper on...

When you say it is dangerous do you mean the risk of fire/burns or do you mean electrically dangerous?

Anyone heard if you can get remote controlled double external sockets or is it just the single ones.....

thanks again
Trevor

 

[ban-all-sheds]

On the heater point.....I live in Aberdeen......its bl**dy freezing here even in the summer with a jumper on...

Then migrate to somewhere warmer or adapt your lifestyle to match where you live.

When you say it is dangerous do you mean the risk of fire/burns or do you mean electrically dangerous?

Dangerous as in environmentally damaging.

Antisocial as in you do not have the right to wreck the climate in order to satisfy your selfish short-term desire to heat the outside.

 

[tflda29]

ok fair enough point taken about the enviroment........

Trust you recycle...........oh and never wash your car as the chemicals in the cleaner are terrible for the enviroment........in fact...should you be even driving a car?!!!!!........or does yours run on H2O.....

I appreciate your advice on the electrical side of things but don't appreciate being preached to about the enviroment..I recycle or compost most of our rubbish.......bike to and from work and always turn off electrical items when not in use......so if having a heater on for an hour or so maybe 5 times a year makes me a sinner then so be it

BTW just to keep you updated....a typical large gas heater gives off about 30kg of CO2 per year......same as the average car does in a 120mile journey.

An infrared patio heater gives off no CO2 and uses 85% less energy than a standard one.

My point being......evrything is not black and white...there are alternative solutions......

I thank you again for the electical advice and here's hoping for a nice hot summer....

Trevor

 

[SeanT]

An infrared patio heater gives off no CO2 and uses 85% less energy than a standard one.

Directly, unless you have your own nuclear or hydro plant....

 

[tflda29]

No but i do have a small wind turbine and solar panels on my roof!

 

[securespark]

Or at least use a gas heater if you must have one.

Spawn of the Devil himself!

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I appreciate your advice on the electrical side of things but don't appreciate being preached to about the enviroment

Life's a bitch, isn't it?

I'm afraid I don't subscribe to the notion that you should be immune from criticism just because this forum is not dedicated to the discussion of the environmental impact of patio heaters.