Electrics in Garden shed - advice please

[redbrickman]

I have a new garden shed which I will use for a hobby room. I plan to have some 13 amp twin sockets installed and lighting.

The garage is served by an armoured cable which exits the house via a wall box not too far from the shed. It's a modern install (<1 yr old) and has an isolating wall switch indoors. The main CU is also in the same room. The garage has it's own CU.

Is there a way to add an extra cable into this box and run it to a CU in the shed?

The run would be about 5 metres max. Any idea what price would be a ball park figure for the cable, CU, and about 3 twin sockets, plus a large strip light?

 

[ban-all-sheds]

No point in having a CU in the shed.

Have your electrician run a cable there for sockets, and the lights via an FCU.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

You can do it either way, as above like BAS mentioned.
Or you can put a small 32A, two way unit in the shed, they cost about £20.
But the route the cable is taking from your main CU is important, is going to be run above or below ground?
Are you aware of the regulation concerning new circuits and outdoor installations? if not take a look at this.
//www.diynot.com/wiki/electrics:part_p:diy_electrical_work_and_the_law

 

[redbrickman]

Thanks for the replies so far.

The cable route from the switch to the garage starts about 2 ft above the ground outside the house where it exits the junction box on the wall and then runs underground to the garage.

Any new cable would I am sure need to do the same if it was to be connected into the same box.

Another possibility is to take a feed from the kitchen, the wall of which is only 1 metre away, and has power sockets on it. I am guessing though that a cable from there would also be required to run down into the ground, cross the 1 metre gap and up into the shed.

Or am I wrong on that?

 

[ericmark]

There are many ways to tap into a supply. Including cable joints. When as an electrician we do the job we quickly weigh up pros and cons of each method and select the appropriate method.

We need to consider what power is required, the distance involved, and where there is existing power. We will test the point we intend to take power from to ensure it has a loop impedance required for the job and when completed we will test it all again.

Although in general for a shed a couple of FCU will do the job the first in house to limit supply to 13A and second in shed with switch to further reduce supply to 3A for lights this may not be always the case.

For the DIY man to hire the test equipment and to pay the LABC their fee to allow you to do the work means it will cost around £200 before you buy any of what is needed to do the job. So I would first get a quote for the work which will mean.
a) You will know what the professional method would be.
b) Be able to work out is it really worth doing a DIY job.

There are some rules like 433.2.2 which in special cases can prevent you being able to split the cable or run it over 3 meters. Although unlikely to be valid in your case, until the original installation is inspected it would be easy to advise incorrectly due to something we had not considered.

So back to getting a quote and listen to what he says, to even if you are going to DIY selecting a good method for the job.

 

[redbrickman]

I have given up on the diy route and will be getting a couple of quotes for the job.

Thanks again for the info.