Power to shed

[Magica]

Please advise:-
I am considering providing power to my shed, 15 metres from the back of the house for lighting and use of no more than 1 power tool (drill e.g) at a time. and am looking at 2 options:-

1.I have 2 spare fuseways and intend to use 1 for this. From a (30a)fuseway I intend to run a length of 2.5mm cable via RCD to the back outside wall and connect in a joint box to SWA cable and run this to the shed to a 2 way consumer unit, 1 for a double socket & 1 for lighting. At the risk of sounding stupid! would this suffice and does my proposal come under Part P? If not feasible, please advise.

OR

2.Use the armoured cable and connect it to the two way consumer unit in the shed and wire up the lights and socket etc as above. The other end of the armoured cable, instead of wiring it up to the spare fuseway in the consumer unit, terminate it into an adaptable box, then use some three core flex and connect the flex to the armoured cable using a connector block, ensure that I use glands and connect an earth lug from the gland to the earth in the connector block (an additional earth as well as the normal green/yellow earth wire) Then run a piece of flex and put a rcd plug on the end of it thus hopefully avoiding Part P?

 

[JohnD]

30Amps is too much for 2.5mm cable. You could use 4mm or 6mm or a 20A MCB if you've already bought the cable.

From the usage you've described 20A (or even 15A) would be plenty.

You need an RCD. My preferernce would be to have it at the house end in case of damage to the cable, but this isn't the way it's got to be. Will be burying it?

Yes it does. You need either Building Control plans and inspection, or a qualified electrician who's a member of a self-certification scheme.


The plug and flex is a rotten idea. You could use an extension lead with an RCD in the house though as a low-cost temporary alternative to doing it properly.

 

[Pensdown]

To add to John's thoughts on a plug, a shed with power and lighting will add value to your house when you come to sell. With all of the changes that are coming in any prospective buyer will almost certainly want a test certificate of some description for the complete installation, including your house. If you do a "temporary" job now to avoid part p you won't get your money back when you sell.

 

[plugwash]

on the other hand if you do it properly but don't bother notify then the guy who does the pir before you sell and ticks the "previous records not availible" box will be none the wiser as to when it was done.

 

[Pensdown]

on the other hand if you do it properly but don't bother notify then the guy who does the pir before you sell and ticks the "previous records not availible" box will be none the wiser as to when it was done.

100% Correct

 

[Magica]

Thanks everyone for all your feedback. Much appreciated.

 

[Shengis]

on the other hand if you do it properly but don't bother notify then the guy who does the pir before you sell and ticks the "previous records not availible" box will be none the wiser as to when it was done.

Unless they open the CU and notice blue/brown wiring rather than red/black...... So, if possible, try to source some old style cable to keep em guessing

Just awaiting somebodys reply that the use of red/black is now illegal.....

 

[toasty]

And of course you could get Blue/Brown wire before part P came into play so that's not strictly true either...

i.e it is quite feasable that the house/shed (like mine) was wired using the *new* colours quite within the regulations *before* part p came in.

My advice would be to do it properly - plain and simple, I'd also add that planning for future expansion is always a good idea, you may want to extend from the shed to a pond, or maybe to a garage or another shed some time in the future, if it were me I'd run a larger cable to allow for potential future growth.

-Dan

 

[Pensdown]

on the other hand if you do it properly but don't bother notify then the guy who does the pir before you sell and ticks the "previous records not availible" box will be none the wiser as to when it was done.

Unless they open the CU and notice blue/brown wiring rather than red/black...... So, if possible, try to source some old style cable to keep em guessing

Just awaiting somebodys reply that the use of red/black is now illegal.....

The colour of the cable is irrelevant on a PIR. Just tick the box " Evidence of Alterations or additions" yes and give the estimated age of the alterations. As the PIR is not sent to BC (yet) I cant' see how they would find out.

And if the alterations meet the building regs and 7671 would they care?

 

[Shengis]

And of course you could get Blue/Brown wire before part P came into play so that's not strictly true either...

i.e it is quite feasable that the house/shed (like mine) was wired using the *new* colours quite within the regulations *before* part p came in.
-Dan

Agreed. Funnily enough my kitchen was rewired around the same time as your shed, or so it would seem Was a job that needed doing as I had a Corgi installer in and at that time they refused to hardwire my new combi because the useless **** that had done the previous wiring had put in a 1.5mm radial. Lets do the maths here....

950w microwave
1000w kettle
1000w toaster (? at a guess)

doesn't really even out to a 2.5mm ring does it?