Wiring up a shed

[jamie521]

I am installing a light and three double sockets in a shed, using armoured cable to run the power. The shed will have a RCD consumer unit (1x6A mcb and 1x16A mcb).

The sockets will be running a lawn mower, power tools and garden lighting.

The consumer unit within the house has no free mcb's so the sheds power will be run directly from the unit (conecting to the live and neutral output side of the main switch).

My question is can I run the armoured cable directly from the house's consumer unit without having to install a terminal box or a fuse box within the house?

Thank you for any help.

 

[Scoby_Beasley]

Although the cable will be up to it I'd advise fitting a small consumer unit to control the shed, that way if you ever need to do any work on the wiring at least the other half will still be able to watch eastenders. Out of curiosity, how are you planning to wire into the main on/off switch ? Should be sealed by the electricity board and if you tamper with them, you go to court (ask me brother !!)

 

[jamie521]

I see what you mean about the main off/on switch being sealed.

I was hoping the RCD unit in the shed would be enough to control the shed if I wished to work on it.

The cable to the shed would be run off the main consumer unit in the house. This already has a fused boxed running off it for the shower.

At present I am trying to plan the best way to put power into shed and have not opened up the house's main consumer unit to see how the shower's fused box is wired in.[/quote]

 

[breezer]

In theory you can do what you are proposing (using wire armoured cable) but my question is what size is it?, it must be bigger or equivilant to the main incoming cable (probably 16mm) since the only thing protecting it will be the suppliers fuse.

You woud be better off if as the other post mentioned having a "small consumers unit" but that said, (don't quote me on this) it may be cheaper or close to it to get a whole new bigger consumers unit, and if you get one of the same brand that you have you can use those mcbs

 

[Scoby_Beasley]

If the shower is controlled by a "single" consumer unit you'd have to buy a new "double" one at least and could the wire take the draw if shower and lawnmower going at the same time (if like me you should be in two places at the same time !! ). As breezer said compare the cost of this + a single mcb against a larger main consumer unit. I've personally (not an electrician) rewired a total house plus power to out buildings, but there was no way I would connect the consumer unit to the actual mains as I couldn't turn it off.
Also if you open up your main consumer unit and do have spaces available, always put the highest "draw" circuits (shower, cooker, ring mains, etc lights last) closest to the actual live connection. But remember, its not hard just take ya time, best of luck.

 

[alexnic]

Contact your electricity supplier, they will fit a 100 DP switch between the meter and the consumer unit They will 'seal' the topside but leave the bottom side (consumer side) open. There are two sets of terminals there which would allow you to to connect in a seperate set of mains to another consumer unit if you desire.

The switch is a means of isolating the power to the consumer side of an installation without interfering with the property of the electricity board.

Scottish Power used to do it for free then they started charging in the region of £55'ish but I know of some people who have recently had it done for free....worth asking your supplier what they do!