Plug extension to outside

[Corporal Jellyfish]

Hi all,

Previously there was an electric radiator using this socket in my conservatory and the little hole to the right had a TV aerial running through to the outside which can be seen exiting in the bottom left of the second photo.

I would like to repurpose this socket as a switched socket and run the cable through the wall to an exterior weatherproof 2 gang socket where I could run a mains powered 30W LED security light around the side of the house but also have a spare socket for using the odd electric garden tool.

I'm able to check the socket is safe to work on with a multimeter but I wondered if this is a feasible solution and if so, would I be best using 2.5mm or 1.5mm cable from here to the exterior socket. It sounds simple enough but if I am completely wrong and I need to get an electrician in, I am happy to do that.

Thanks for any feedback.

 

[OwainDIYer]

Is the circuit RCD protected? All new sockets must be RCD protected.

Is the circuit a ring or a radial? If a ring, is that single socket on a ring or a spur? If it's a spur (and it could be run as two single sockets which was permitted until, I think, 16th Edition) you cannot run any further unfused sockets.

Unless you fuse down (by connecting a new or using the existing fused connection unit) you will need to run in 2.5mm cable minimum.

 

[scbk]

If you want to light up the area where the bikes are, don't use a 30w led floodlight, it will just dazzle you.
Would be better off with something like a couple of bulkheads or a weatherproof striplight attached to the roof.

 

[Taylortwocities]

The item in your photo is a fused connection unit (FCU). The feed to this would APPEAR to be on a ring final circuit. The easy option is for you to connect your external socket to the load side of the FCU (where the old radiator was connected).
You can use 1.5mm cable because the load side is protected by the 13A fuse in the FCU. As above, the circuit must be RCD protected.

 

[sparkwright]

The item in your photo is a fused connection unit (FCU). The feed to this would APPEAR to be on a ring final circuit. The easy option is for you to connect your external socket to the load side of the FCU (where the old radiator was connected).
You can use 1.5mm cable because the load side is protected by the 13A fuse in the FCU. As above, the circuit must be RCD protected.

Yes, but he has mentioned he wants to change the FCU for a socket, as well as having an external socket.

In which case, 2.5mm2 cable would be the way to go.

However, if the FCU was left in place, and from the load side a 1.5 or 2.5 cable was run to a new internal socket and then the external socket, this would be fine - and would make adding more sockets in the future easy.

 

[Mottie]

.

 

[Taylortwocities]

Ah yes. Misread it. I blame Christmas..

 

[EFLImpudence]

However, if the FCU was left in place, and from the load side a 1.5 or 2.5 cable was run to a new internal socket and then the external socket, this would be fine

It would.

and would make adding more sockets in the future easy.

As would swapping the FCU for a socket and using 4mm² cable.

 

[Corporal Jellyfish]

Thanks for all the help. The circuit is RCD protected. In the end I used 2.5mm cable from the FCU load connections through a conduit in the wall to the external sockets, used a socket tester and everything works fine.

 

[JohnW2]

... As would swapping the FCU for a socket and using 4mm² cable.

It would- bur, strictly speaking, only IF the feed to the (supply side of the) FCU was also upgraded to 4mm² cable.

Kind Regards, John

 

[securespark]

Ah yes. Misread it. I blame Christmas..

Absolutely. Too much cheese makes one confused.

 

[EFLImpudence]

It would- bur, strictly speaking, only IF the feed to the (supply side of the) FCU was also upgraded to 4mm² cable.

I think the FCU is on the ring circuit.

 

[JohnW2]

I think the FCU is on the ring circuit.

Yes, I'd forgotten that it very probably is (as TTC wrote "The feed to this would APPEAR to be on a ring final circuit") - it certainly appears to have pairs of conductors connected to the supply side terminals.

If it is on the ring, then, needless to say, I would agree with you totally, without qualification (even though some seem unhappy with unfused 4mm radials from ring finals ) ... and would owe you an apology for confusing things.

Kind Regards, John