Wiring a water feature

[catflap999]

Hi there

Judging by some of the topics here this will hopefully be very simple...

I bought my first water feature a while ago from a local garden centre - here's a link it on an online site:

http://www.waterfeatures2go.co.uk/o...n=googlebase&gclid=COG9h_rrwLgCFaPHtAodlWIADg

There's plenty of cable with it, so I was thinking I could just drill a hole through the house wall, feed the cable through, and plug in on the inside. At the moment I have it running from a proper outdoor socket with a lift-up cover which was installed some years ago, but I have to keep taking the transformer in at night in case it rains, which is a bit of a pain.

This is what I want it to look like:

Untitled

• catflap999
• 21 Jul 2013
• 1

I just wanted to check if this would be as simple as it looks? - my concerns are:

1. Do I need some sort of circuit breaker?

2. Is it OK if I site the transformer out of the way in a cupboard? - it does get hot in use. The instructions that came with it say it's normal that it gets hot, but I wonder if it's OK enclosed as it's previously been in the open air.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

 

[bernardgreen]

When drilling the hole slant slightly it so the inside is higher than the outside. This reduce the risk of rain water running along the cable through the hole and making a damp patch on the inside wall.

Any sharp edges to the hole may damage the cable both when pulling it though and later. Using a short length of plastic conduit though the hole can be a good idea.

If the connection the mains is by a fuse 13 amp plug then nothing else is needed.


If the transformer gets hot in the open air then it needs ventiilation so inside a close cupboard may not be a good idea.

 

[catflap999]

Slanting the hole sounds like a very sensible idea - wouldn't have thought of that myself.

I'll have a think where to put the transformer.

Many thanks for your advice.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I was thinking I could just drill a hole through the house wall, feed the cable through, and plug in on the inside.

That's rather tacky.

I have to keep taking the transformer in at night in case it rains, which is a bit of a pain.

It's not waterproof then?

Bit of a poor show for an outdoor product.

What about one of these outside:

 

[catflap999]

That's rather tacky.

I think it should be fairly discreet - after all, it's only the same as the sky cable going in through the wall.

It's not waterproof then?

Bit of a poor show for an outdoor product.

The instructions say 'the transformer should never be submerged or stood in water' - this sounds to me like it shouldn't be left out in rain. This is the first one of these I've had, but I would have thought this was standard stuff?

In any event, I ideally want something I can turn on and off from inside, so a simple cable through the wall should do me and remove the need for one of those outdoor boxes.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I think it should be fairly discreet - after all, it's only the same as the sky cable going in through the wall.

It's a tacky bodge.

As is the Sky cable, BTW.

In any event, I ideally want something I can turn on and off from inside, so a simple cable through the wall should do me and remove the need for one of those outdoor boxes.

And remove doing it properly.

 

[seasickstevie]

Assuming the 'load side' cable has a small plug at the end which plugs into the transformer (or trailing lead), then you only need a small hole.
You can get those small PVC grommets that the cable TV / telephone companies use. Colour matched (almost) with the brickwork, they don't look too bad. I'm dead fussy about that sort of thing, but never-the-less think they're 'acceptable'. Seal it to the brickwork with some (colour matching) mastic. . . Job's a good'un.

More discrete than a bloody big grey adaptable box stuck to the house.

But then, there are those that like the look of "we've had a proffessional electrician screwing stuff to the front of our house" kinda look.

 

[seasickstevie]

"we've had a proffessional electrician screwing stuff to the front of our house" kinda look.

And I can include myself in that category btw

 

[catflap999]

Wow - some strong opinions here!

The plug is a small one, so it will just be a small hole, and I'd rather have that than one of those waterproof boxes. It's also on the corner of the house and will be largely concealed by plants etc, so I think this is the best fit for me.

Thanks to all who took the time to reply - very helpful to have some advice.