Replace main cable advice

[stardanny]

There must be a reason why it's been cut off

Any pics of the garage cu?

I have no idea why it've been cut off. Checked garage CU, sockets and light wiring look fine. Possible something wrong with cable buried in ground, I am not sure if the waste pipe does goes all the way from house to garage, I will be digging a few holes to see.

I will upload a few photos later as I'm not on site atm.

Daniel.

 

[JohnW2]

Where the cut cable is, there is 2.5mm cable inside waste pipe and been cut off at house side. There is trace of old chase and screw hole which look like a fuse spur used to be there, about a metre from a double socket.

When you say that it has been cut off on the house side, do you mean that there is no longer any cable on the house side of the cut?

Kind Regards, John

 

[JohnW2]

that way if there is something wrong in the garage or underground cable, it will trip on it own RCBO at the CU rather than tripping sockets circuit for whole house.

Very sensible, and has the advantage of being able to turn off power to the shed when not needed.

Indeed, very sensible. However, going back to where I came into this discussion, I don't think there is any doubt that such would be a dedicated 'new circuit' and hence notifiable - which may or may not influence the decision-making process for the OP.

Kind Regards, John

 

[AndyPRK]

This is where this forum gets difficult.

Should one:

1) Advise the poster of the best way to do the job, even if it breaks silly Part P rules.

2) Advise a non preferred way of doing a job, which does not break part P rules.


I guess give the OP all the information. (which can be a lot of typing)

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Actually, Andy, I think you should do nothing.

Anyone who thinks that a requirement to make reasonable provision in the design and installation of electrical installations in order to protect persons operating, maintaining or altering the installations from fire or injury is "silly" is not fit to be giving advice on an electrical forum.

 

[JohnW2]

This is where this forum gets difficult. ... should one:
1) Advise the poster of the best way to do the job, even if it breaks silly Part P rules.
2) Advise a non preferred way of doing a job, which does not break part P rules.

Indeed - an oft-debated issue. Even though BAS thinks the answer is 'do nothing', I don't think that, at least in terms of common sense (and safety) there is any 'one-size-fits-all' answer.

We obviously should not advise anyone to do something which would 'break Part P rules' (since Part P merely requires that work should be undertaken safely), but I assume you are actually referring to notification requirements, rather than compliance with part P.

Kind Regards, John

 

[JohnW2]

Anyone who thinks that a requirement to make reasonable provision in the design and installation of electrical installations in order to protect persons operating, maintaining or altering the installations from fire or injury is "silly" is not fit to be giving advice on an electrical forum.

If that were the case,then I would agree with you. However, as I've just written to Andy, I assume he was talking about 'silly' notification requirements, not suggesting that Part P itself (or compliance therewith) is 'silly'.

In the case in point, the OP could connect his circuit to an (any appropriate) existing circuit, including at the origin of that circuit in a CU, without the need to notify. However, his plan to connect it to a dedicated (presumably 'new') RCBO in the CU (which is seemingly a 'better' approach) would make it notifiable. Whether or not that is 'silly' is a matter of personal opinion, but the hassle/financial implications for the OP are such that he certainly needs to take the notification rules (and his attitude to them) into consideration.

Kind Regards, John

 

[AndyPRK]

Yes it was the notification requirements I was referring to as silly.


I do except kitchen fitters don't leave things safe

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Even though BAS thinks the answer is 'do nothing', I don't think that, at least in terms of common sense (and safety) there is any 'one-size-fits-all' answer.

That was my advice to Andy, on what he should do - nothing to do with the OP's question.

I assume he was talking about 'silly' notification requirements, not suggesting that Part P itself (or compliance therewith) is 'silly'.

I assume that he has the intelligence and ability to say what he means.

... silly Part P rules ...

 

[JohnW2]

I assume he was talking about 'silly' notification requirements, not suggesting that Part P itself (or compliance therewith) is 'silly'.

I assume that he has the intelligence and ability to say what he means.

As you will have seen, he has confirmed that my assumption was correct.

Kind Regards, John

 

[ban-all-sheds]

So why did he say that Part P was silly, and not say that notification was?

 

[JohnW2]

So why did he say that Part P was silly, and not say that notification was?

Presumably because he was making the same mistake that people do almost every day. If I realised what he meant, I'm sure you did as well - so why not stop making it an issue just for the sake of it?

Kind Regards, John

 

[stardanny]

When you say that it has been cut off on the house side, do you mean that there is no longer any cable on the house side of the cut?

Kind Regards, John

Yes, it've been cut off and all trace of cable from cut to fuse spur and connected to socket has been removed.

Daniel.

 

[stardanny]

There must be a reason why it's been cut off

Any pics of the garage cu?

No idea why.

Here is photo of garage CU....

Untitled

• stardanny
• 8 Feb 2015
• 1

Waste pipe with cable inside, on outside garage wall....

Untitled

• stardanny
• 8 Feb 2015
• 1

Could I replace main cable with 2.5mm swa from garage CU to house CU via buried waste pipe ( still to check if it does goes all the way ) and first floor void? A bit like replace old cable with new one, only longer to reach house CU?

Daniel.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

so why not stop making it an issue just for the sake of it?

I'm sorry that you have such a low regard for accuracy.

But not entirely surprised.