outside wiring to garage *VIDEO*

boolie said:

This is the outside wiring to the garage which I'm not impressed with to be honest. However, I don't know if this is acceptable as per current standards. So, it's on a 15A fuse running from the CU to the garage. It supplies the garage where there is one double socket and one light (see vid 2)

1. Is this wiring and fuse rating acceptable as per current standards?
2. How would you wire it ideally if you were doing it now (without digging a trench; i.e. keep it on the wall. conduit? steel cable? , etc, etc)
3. Is there any regulation that says a cable cannot run alongside a gas pipe? I have the floorborads lifted inside and can see a nice route to where the gas pipe leaves the building. That way most of the run would be inside
4. Referring to the second vid (inside the garage). Whats that first switch? do you recognise it? looks like a fused spur to me. Is that acceptable? shouldn't the garage have it's own CU?

Btw the keen eyed among you may have noticed the bonding cable on the gas pipe. There was a note in the gas meter chamber about this (see pics). Seems like a simple fix though - I'll just move the bonding to the inside of the house - before the pipe exits the building.

Click to expand...

'The circuit' is acceptable, in as much as a 15A circuit is feeding a double socket and a fused spur for lighting. I hope the lighting fuse is 5 or 3A.
When it was installed I'll hazard a guess the twin & earth was considered suitable for external work, however that is not the case now. Using conduit is fine with T&E as is this: https://www.cef.co.uk/catalogue/pro...UiuHN5B4TLRVqlg9pzsaAkjFEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds or steel wired armoured is more expensive.
There is nothing specific to prevent any of the 3 cables being run near gas pipes.
Inside the garage is acceptable, the Fused connection unit is correct and should include a 3A or 5A fuse.

This circuit will require RCD protection, ideally in the garage. An easy way to achieve this is a small CU however with a 15A fuse supplying it there is little point in having a 16A MCB for the socket, on that basisa small enclosure for a 2 pole RCD will suffice. The next point is the route of the cable indoors may require RCD protection (ie if buried in a wall) in which case the RCD will need to be by or in the house CU.

Gas bonding confusion is already being addressed by ohters.

If I have confused please ask questions.

boolie said:

This is the outside wiring to the garage which I'm not impressed with to be honest. However, I don't know if this is acceptable as per current standards. So, it's on a 15A fuse running from the CU to the garage. It supplies the garage where there is one double socket and one light (see vid 2)

1. Is this wiring and fuse rating acceptable as per current standards?
2. How would you wire it ideally if you were doing it now (without digging a trench; i.e. keep it on the wall. conduit? steel cable? , etc, etc)
3. Is there any regulation that says a cable cannot run alongside a gas pipe? I have the floorborads lifted inside and can see a nice route to where the gas pipe leaves the building. That way most of the run would be inside
4. Referring to the second vid (inside the garage). Whats that first switch? do you recognise it? looks like a fused spur to me. Is that acceptable? shouldn't the garage have it's own CU?

Btw the keen eyed among you may have noticed the bonding cable on the gas pipe. There was a note in the gas meter chamber about this (see pics). Seems like a simple fix though - I'll just move the bonding to the inside of the house - before the pipe exits the building.

Click to expand...

'The circuit' is acceptable, in as much as a 15A circuit is feeding a double socket and a fused spur for lighting. I hope the lighting fuse is 5 or 3A.
When it was installed I'll hazard a guess the twin & earth was considered suitable for external work, however that is not the case now. Using conduit is fine with T&E as is this: https://www.cef.co.uk/catalogue/pro...UiuHN5B4TLRVqlg9pzsaAkjFEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds or steel wired armoured is more expensive.
There is nothing specific to prevent any of the 3 cables being run near gas pipes.
Inside the garage is acceptable, the Fused connection unit is correct and should include a 3A or 5A fuse.

This circuit will require RCD protection, ideally in the garage. An easy way to achieve this is a small CU however with a 15A fuse supplying it there is little point in having a 16A MCB for the socket, on that basisa small enclosure for a 2 pole RCD will suffice. The next point is the route of the cable indoors may require RCD protection (ie if buried in a wall) in which case the RCD will need to be by or in the house CU.

Gas bonding confusion is already being addressed by ohters.

If I have confused please ask questions.

SUNRAY said:

If I have confused please ask questions.

Click to expand...

Nope, that was perfectly concise and very well articulated, thank you. Not to mention you've covered everything

the Fused connection unit is correct and should include a 3A or 5A fuse - Thanks again. Will check this

winston1 said:

The first switch is a FCU. Better to put the FCU where the second switch is and use it as your light switch.

Click to expand...

Either method is perfectly acceptable, I wouldn't bother changing it for the sake of change.

boolie said:

I'm thinking the intention of the FCU is to act as a isolator for the garage by the looks of it. So it branches off to the light and the double socket. You switch the FCU off and everything in the garage switches off

Click to expand...

What I think I see is the feed from the house going in to the junction box and 2 cables coming out, one to the FCU and the other to the socket. In which case the FCU doesn't control the socket.

If I have misinterpreted that and your description is the case then it would require alteration, or else accepting the 5A fuse limit for the socket.

SUNRAY said:

What I think I see is the feed from the house going in to the junction box and 2 cables coming out, one to the FCU and the other to the socket. In which case the FCU doesn't control the socket.
View attachment 252356
If I have misinterpreted that and your description is the case then it would require alteration, or else accepting the 5A fuse limit for the socket.

Click to expand...

You are 100% correct. I've just been and confirmed it - so the FCU is for the light. Also the fuse in the FCU is 5A (as you suspected)

Really impressed with the level of knowledge and expertise on here. Thanks!