Does pond electrics reuire all that Part P larky?

[W4SIM]

As the title really.

Im looking at creating a pond in my garden which will have a little bit of a waterfall effect so im looking at a pump in the pond and a filter kit behind the waterfall. Both of which will reuire electrical power.

At a later stage i might also add some lighting to the pond itself.

Question is, for the pump and filter assembly to be wired in, will it have anything to do with the whole Part P crap or am i alright just to put it into stadard sockets with a RCD in between the pump plug and the socket itself?

 

[breezer]

The pond doesn't, BUT the sockets do

 

[W4SIM]

The pond doesn't, BUT the sockets do

How do you mean?

 

[breezer]

oh, sorry.

you can put what you like in the pond by way of pumps and suitable lighting, uv etc, the "problem" is the supply for the pumps etc. they do come under part p.

but part p only applies to new circuits installed after 2005 so if you are having to install a new socket(s) to power the pumps etc, then it must compy with part P

if you are pluging the pumps etc into a pre 2005 fitted socket then part p does not count. or if the sockets were installed after 2005 they will comply with part p anyway.

so long as the pumps etc are plugged in they do not count as fixed appliances, so again do not come under part p
but for safety sake use an rcd anyway and make sure the pump cables have mechanical protection on their way to the pond.

 

[SeanT]

I'd perhaps change the socket faceplate for an RCD one rather than using a plug-in adapter, saves someone nicking the adapter for something else and the pumps etc. being unprotected - it'll all be legit as long as you do it in flex and plugtop, get decent (arctic) flex though or stuff that's designed for the job if it runs under the water anywhere...

 

[ban-all-sheds]

will it have anything to do with the whole Part P rubbish

PART P ELECTRICAL SAFETY

Design and installation

P1 Reasonable provision shall be made in the
design and installation of electrical installations
in order to protect persons operating,
maintaining or altering the installations from
fire or injury.

If you regard the idea of reasonable provision for safety as "rubbish" then you should not be attempting any electrical work, let alone work outside and underwater.

 

[W4SIM]

but part p only applies to new circuits installed after 2005 so if you are having to install a new socket(s) to power the pumps etc, then it must compy with part P

if you are pluging the pumps etc into a pre 2005 fitted socket then part p does not count. or if the sockets were installed after 2005 they will comply with part p anyway.

so long as the pumps etc are plugged in they do not count as fixed appliances, so again do not come under part p
but for safety sake use an rcd anyway and make sure the pump cables have mechanical protection on their way to the pond.

Oh, ok, i get it now.

Well the house had a conservortary put on about 4-5years ago, and this had 2 plug sockets fitted to the outside of it, right about where the pond will be. I was simply thinking of plugging the new electrics into these 2 plugs, perhaps with an RCD in between, but all the electrics to the conservortary are protected by a single trip switch just in the kitchen. So the whole thing can be isolated that way aswell. Of course all this wiring was laid in before 2005 so i wasnt too sure where i stood with simply "plugging" something in that will be running almost all the time.

Thanks for your help though.

 

[W4SIM]

I'd perhaps change the socket faceplate for an RCD one rather than using a plug-in adapter, saves someone nicking the adapter for something else and the pumps etc. being unprotected - it'll all be legit as long as you do it in flex and plugtop, get decent (arctic) flex though or stuff that's designed for the job if it runs under the water anywhere...

Yeah i guess i didnt see it that way, as a security risk of some one knicking the RCD. But i think in all honesty though, thats a pretty low risk around here. But i might look into converting the existing plugs into RCD's.

As for the cable itself, well the only bit running under the water will be from the pump itself to about the first meter or so, anything after that will be above ground. The pump comes with a 10 meter cable, and the power point from the pump itself is about 2.5 meters, so i dont think it'll be a huge problem.