Semi-permanent extension lead to garden shed

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My ex-wife has just had installed a garden shed (well, a £5,000 log cabin, but it’s still a shed). Her unqualified handyman ran a long extension lead (13 amp 3 pin plug, multi-gang socket, 25m ish long non-armoured standard cable) from a wooden garage interior socket, through the garage wall, along her fences (no ducting/trunking, just clipped to the panels), through a shed wall and then the socket screwed to the interior wall. I believe she has an RCD plug at the garage end.

As I see it, this is an installation that comes under Part P (available free) and the wiring regs (do I really need to pay £95 for them) and so has been illegally installed with neither a competent tradesman nor formal approval/certification.

She claims that:
a. It is non of my business, despite one of our kids being under 18, living there and using the shed regularly (to escape his mum, but let’s not go there).
b. Her man says it’s legal because it’s low voltage (well, I suppose 240v, which I know it is as our son runs an electric heater off it, is officially, but that’s not what she thinks, and doesn’t even 12v very low voltage has the same rules?) and not fixed.

Before this gets ugly, can anyone advise me if I’ve got the rules right?
 
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As it plugs in i am not sure part p would apply to it, i may be wrong though, personally for now, i would suggest she gets a plug in rcd adapter to use in the house where its plugged in for now, though it may be the circuit is already Rcd protected then no need to add any more.
 
As it plugs in i am not sure part p would apply to it, i may be wrong though,
You are.

The socket in the shed is screwed into place.

The cable is fixed.

That it is supplied via a plug makes not a scrap of difference - it is fixed wiring, and therefore falls within the scope of Part P. Which, by the sounds of it, it contravenes.


But sadly there is SFA that anybody can, or will, do about it.
 
As it plugs in i am not sure part p would apply to it, i may be wrong though ...
As BAS has said, I think you are wrong. In fact, for what it's worth, Approved Document P makes this point explicitly...
Approved Document P said:
2.8 Installing fixed electrical equipment is within the scope of Part P, even if the final connection is by a standard 13A plug and socket, but is notifiable only if it involves work set out in regulation 12(6A). ....

Kind Regards, John
 
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I did have my doubts, I seem to recall plug in kits were allowed for lighting when part p commenced, as ban often says, has anyone yet to be prosecuted.
 
I did have my doubts, I seem to recall plug in kits were allowed for lighting when part p commenced, as ban often says, has anyone yet to be prosecuted.
That was when outside power was notifiable (as it still is in Wales - I don't know about Scotland).
 
Part P does not mention "fixed".
Yes it does:

upload_2018-12-2_12-33-36.png


;)
 
Electrical installation - An assembly of associated electrical equipment having co-ordinated characteristics to fulfil specific purposes.
BS7671
 
Electrical installation - An assembly of associated electrical equipment having co-ordinated characteristics to fulfil specific purposes. BS7671
Indeed - but Part P also says "in or attached to a dwelling". Although not in itself authoritative/mandatory, I think that Approved Document P is probably capturing the spirit (and common sense) of Part P. It would make little sense for the law to permit unsafe electrical work if one slipped in a BS1363 socket/plug upstream of the unsafe work!

Kind Regards, John
 
Indeed - but Part P also says "in or attached to a dwelling".
"in or attached to a dwelling"

Although not in itself authoritative/mandatory, I think that Approved Document P is probably capturing the spirit (and common sense) of Part P. It would make little sense for the law to permit unsafe electrical work if one slipped in a BS1363 socket/plug upstream of the unsafe work!
Exactly - so, by not mentioning fixed it can be deduced that it applies to ALL electrical work - of dwellings.
 
Exactly - so, by not mentioning fixed it can be deduced that it applies to ALL electrical work - of dwellings.
Well, all "design and installation of electrical installations" [installation of an installation? :) ] and I suppose one can debate whether plugging something in to an existing socket constitutes 'electrical work' (design and/or installation).

Kind Regards, John
 
I think the pair of you should go and read the definition of "electrical installation" in the Building Regulations.
 
Ok. Fair enough.

So I/we will deduce that any old slapdash method can be applied for non-fixed electrical work.

That makes more sense.
 
I think the pair of you should go and read the definition of "electrical installation" in the Building Regulations.
OK - so given what that says ...
The Building Regulations said:
“electrical installation” means fixed electrical cables or fixed electrical equipment located on the consumer’s side of the electricity supply meter
... Approved Doc P is consistent with Part P, corresponding to common sense ...
.... Although not in itself authoritative/mandatory, I think that Approved Document P is probably capturing the spirit (and common sense) of Part P. It would make little sense for the law to permit unsafe electrical work if one slipped in a BS1363 socket/plug upstream of the unsafe work!

I can think of no sensible/credible way in which the Building Regulations could impose any requirements in relation to the plugging in (by whoever) of non-fixed things into an electrical installation - but, if they are 'fixed'., then, as I said, it would not make sense for one to be able to wriggle out of the requirements of Part by inserting a socket+plug.

Kind Regards, John
 
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