Hi there,
(Basically my question is - can I use the outdoor socket I've run in using 2.5mm SWA for a Lay-Z spa hot tub which uses 2,060W for the heater and 600W for the jets - so probably best calling it 3KW - the details of the installation are below).
We are currently getting an extension built and decided to put in an outdoor socket (for mowing the lawn etc).
I have a (currently not yet terminated) 2.5mm SWA cable running from the cupboard with my consumer unit out to the back garden. The full run of cable is around 10m.
The cable is buried underground (I'm not an electrician but I did ask advice about the regs so I have buried it 500mm in PVC reinforced conduit (I know that's not necessarily needed but I wanted to do the belts and braces thing) and put "Caution" tape above it.
The cable enters the house and travels under the (soon to be poured) screed in ducting (see photo below) to the cupboard with the consumer unit in.
My wife has asked if we can re-purpose the socket for a Lay-Z spa hot tub that uses (not more than) 3KW.
My questions are as follows:
1) Do you think the 2.5mm will be suitable for running a hot tub - I've read that it should really be 4mm but that would be a LOT of work at this stage to change it?
2) We're having water-based underfloor heating in the extension and I've read that the temperature affects the current carrying capacity of cables. Will this have a large effect as the insulation and pipes will be either side of the ducting?
3) I'm going to put the socket on its own circuit breaker - which is protected by an RCD - I was going to use a Type B 10A CB? Do you think this is suitable or would you advise a different type/rating?
4) I'm going to use an RCD outdoor socket (and the lay-z spa has it's own internal RCD protection too) but I've read that it's not good practise to take out the "house earth" into the garden? And that it's best to install another earth spike in the garden and connect the outdoor socket to that? Do you know if that's the case or not?
Below is a photo of the ducting going to the cupboard with the consumer unit
(Basically my question is - can I use the outdoor socket I've run in using 2.5mm SWA for a Lay-Z spa hot tub which uses 2,060W for the heater and 600W for the jets - so probably best calling it 3KW - the details of the installation are below).
We are currently getting an extension built and decided to put in an outdoor socket (for mowing the lawn etc).
I have a (currently not yet terminated) 2.5mm SWA cable running from the cupboard with my consumer unit out to the back garden. The full run of cable is around 10m.
The cable is buried underground (I'm not an electrician but I did ask advice about the regs so I have buried it 500mm in PVC reinforced conduit (I know that's not necessarily needed but I wanted to do the belts and braces thing) and put "Caution" tape above it.
The cable enters the house and travels under the (soon to be poured) screed in ducting (see photo below) to the cupboard with the consumer unit in.
My wife has asked if we can re-purpose the socket for a Lay-Z spa hot tub that uses (not more than) 3KW.
My questions are as follows:
1) Do you think the 2.5mm will be suitable for running a hot tub - I've read that it should really be 4mm but that would be a LOT of work at this stage to change it?
2) We're having water-based underfloor heating in the extension and I've read that the temperature affects the current carrying capacity of cables. Will this have a large effect as the insulation and pipes will be either side of the ducting?
3) I'm going to put the socket on its own circuit breaker - which is protected by an RCD - I was going to use a Type B 10A CB? Do you think this is suitable or would you advise a different type/rating?
4) I'm going to use an RCD outdoor socket (and the lay-z spa has it's own internal RCD protection too) but I've read that it's not good practise to take out the "house earth" into the garden? And that it's best to install another earth spike in the garden and connect the outdoor socket to that? Do you know if that's the case or not?
Below is a photo of the ducting going to the cupboard with the consumer unit