SWA Drive

[Simon35]

Op already said he was going to do the digging and filling himself.

I read the same, it was a comment regarding what seemed to be a suggestion that 700 euros was expensive.

 

[winston1]

Go for 2.5mm, most garden lights are low voltage and have a transformer with a 3 pin plug, but it all depends on what type of lights you are installing.

What has the voltage got to do with it? 1.5mm is adequate for a few LEDs. 240volts is low voltage by the way so no transformer required.

 

[conny]

700 euros to bury 70m of cable doesn't seem expensive to me TBH.

Which at the moment equates to around £597 for 70 metres.
Try shopping around and the first thing I get is this;

https://www.screwfix.com/p/prysmian-6943x-black-3-core-1-5mm-armoured-cable-100m-drum/36101

Move up to 2.5mm and you get this;

https://www.screwfix.com/p/prysmian-6943x-black-3-core-2-5mm-armoured-cable-100m-drum/66142

You guys must have money to burn if you accept 700euros/£597 is a fair price for 70 metres of cable. The original idea was to only bury it below the drive and then lay it amongst foliage.

 

[winston1]

Read post 3. The €700 is not for the cable which he has already bought. It is for the electrician to install it.

 

[karlitob1983]

Read post 3. The €700 is not for the cable which he has already bought. It is for the electrician to install it.

SWA 3 x 16mm Garden Room


Thanks guys.

He was charging €1200 inc VAT and so €1040 ex VAT. I bought the cable for €420 ex VAT - that means €620. ext VAT [€700 to me] to bore two holes, not connect (for safety's sake) to the consumer unit, and not lay or trench or anything else...just leave the cable outside the front door. It just seemed like a lot of money to me. I'm not passing any other comment - I understand how things are. And it was just too rich for my blood - particularly as I'm spending a bucket load on the patio and drive; and I wouldn't be getting any benefit from the cable to the garden room - as there is no garden room.


SWA 3 x 2.5mm OR 3 x 4mm Front Drive

As I am laying the 3x16 to the garden room, I had wondered whether I should take the opportunity to lay swa for garden lights in the front drive. The electrician recommend me not to do it - 'a lot of bother' - but instead suggested a floodlight / PIR. I don't like harsh floodlights that blind you when you come into the drive; and would rather garden lights low down switched on a by a PIR.

My question is - based on the schematic that I posted - what would be the most reasonable SWA to lay for standard garden lights 3 x 2.5 or 3 x 4. Notwithstanding that I don't know what the garden lights are, and therefore load, because I can't afford it yet - though I presume they'll be low voltage.

 

[Simon35]

Which at the moment equates to around £597 for 70 metres.
Try shopping around and the first thing I get is this;

https://www.screwfix.com/p/prysmian-6943x-black-3-core-1-5mm-armoured-cable-100m-drum/36101

Move up to 2.5mm and you get this;

https://www.screwfix.com/p/prysmian-6943x-black-3-core-2-5mm-armoured-cable-100m-drum/66142

You guys must have money to burn if you accept 700euros/£597 is a fair price for 70 metres of cable. The original idea was to only bury it below the drive and then lay it amongst foliage.

Maybe try reading my post rather than shopping around?

 

[flameport]

For future things which don't yet exist and may never exist, is far cheaper and easier to install ducting, so that whatever cable(s) are needed in the future can be drawn in if/when they are required.

 

[winston1]

Deleted

 

[winston1]

For future things which don't yet exist and may never exist, is far cheaper and easier to install ducting, so that whatever cable(s) are needed in the future can be drawn in if/when they are required.

Very true. But be assured both 2.5mm and 4.0mm are both 'way over the top' for a few LEDs.

 

[securespark]

I doubt you’ll be running a mig welder at the front! 1.5mm is more than adequate for a few LEDs. Even a 13a socket could be added to vacuum out the car.

[tongueincheek]Not a 13A socket on a lighting circuit, winston, surely?![/tongueincheek]

 

[winston1]

[tongueincheek]Not a 13A socket on a lighting circuit, winston, surely?![/tongueincheek]

Of course not. But if he is thinking of using 2.5 or even 4mm cable I doubt that it is a lighting circuit.

 

[JohnW2]

[tongueincheek]Not a 13A socket on a lighting circuit, winston, surely?![/tongueincheek]

Maybe he's come to accept what he's often been told - namely that if there's a 13A socket being supplied by the ciurcuit, then it's not a "lighting circuit"

Of course, he'll probably argue that its the OPD that matters, not what the circuit is called - but many may then question the wisdom of having 'a few LEDs' supplied (without any 'fusing down') by a circuit protected by a ≥16A OPD!

Kind Regards, John

 

[winston1]

Of course, he'll probably argue that its the OPD that matters, not what the circuit is called - but many may then question the wisdom of having 'a few LEDs' supplied (without any 'fusing down') by a circuit protected by a ≥16A OPD!

Kind Regards, John

As you know John the OPD is to protect the cable not what is on the end of it.

 

[sxturbo]

What has the voltage got to do with it? 1.5mm is adequate for a few LEDs. 240volts is low voltage by the way so no transformer required.

Ok so an awful lot of garden lights are 12v hence the transformer with the 3 pin plug.

1.5mm is more than adequate, however should some donkey in the future decide to unplug the lights and plug something else in, and for the cost increase (negligible in on this size) it would be worthwhile just plumping for the 2.5.

But yes the 1.5mm is adequate.

 

[JohnW2]

As you know John the OPD is to protect the cable not what is on the end of it.

That's what many people think/say, and seems to be the way that BS7671 looks at it. However, even if they used 4mm² or 6mm² cable [and were able to terminate that in the light fitting(s)], I suspect that a lot of people would be unhappy about connecting lights directly to a 32A circuit - citing, amongst other things, the 'ratings' of the lighting accessories (which I personally regard as fairly irrelevant).