Electrics to a conservatory

[leave-it-to-the-experts]

Hi,

Electrician is at home at the moment wiring up a conservatory we have had built. He has told the wife that he recommends running the wiring from our kitchen on the outside wall.

This sounds not right to me, anyone tell me if this is safe?

 

[luminaire]

Depends. How is he proposing to do it?
Taking cable outside, needs protection. Not only mechanical but possibly from the effects of the sun's UV rays.

 

[Chri5]

What have you asked him to supply in the conservatory and what sort of devices will you use?

The sparks might be intending to supply a small radial circuit run off a fused spur from the kitchen ring main circuit. Not in itself wrong, but load on the socket(s) in the conservatory will be a big consideration. Add on the need to protect the cable or supply suitable external grade cable to avoid issues with weathering, UV, rain and potential mechanical damage.

In the 'good' world, he would normally brak in to the ring circuit in the rear recption room that I assume the conservatory leads on from.

Are you having lights fitted as well?

 

[leave-it-to-the-experts]

Thanks for the quick replies, this forum really is fantastic for complete know nothing people like me!!!

Need to get more details, the wife said he assured her it is weather proof and he will be scraping an indent into the brickwork to conceal the cable a bit.

Yeah we are having a light fitted which will be a ceiling fan light. We are only having two double sockets put in.

We are not having a radiator in there instead planned on using an Electric heater in the winter months, I assume that might be a no-no with what he has planned.

 

[CallEdsFirst]

Errr Bodge-alert!

16th Edition
Outdoor Circuits
Section 127.65b
When running circuits outdoors, scrape them into the wall a bit to make it safe!

This needs to be SWA or contained in a cable management device such as conduit. Scraping the wall a bit is not acceptable!

I would also argue that a spur off the kitchen isn't a lot of use as the main things plugged into conservatory sockets are likely to be HVAC stuff such as fan heaters (as you mentioned) and air conditioners, pretty heavy on the load side of things!

Maybe we are jumping to conclusions but you are right to question his method, and unless he spurs (FCU) off the spur (radial coming of ring), the lighting wont be protected properly either.

 

[leave-it-to-the-experts]

Yeah it is what I thought, I think I will call the conservatory people and say I am unsure about the guy they have sent out.

I got her to ask him if what he is doing conforms to Part P and he said it did but it does sound a bit dodgy to me.

 

[leave-it-to-the-experts]

Just spoke to him, he is using SWA. He said that something like a 2KW heater will be fine with what he is doing. I think I will get the building inspector to check it out, they are coming out to inspect some other work I have recently had done.

 

[CallEdsFirst]

Give him his dues then, he seems to have assessed the situation. I still don't believe that anything other than cleating the SWA to the wall is necessary. Never heard of the scraping method personally!

 

[Chri5]

The SWA should be fine, hopefully the guy will gland it off correctly and earth the armour.
Even when 3 core SWA (with 1 core for earth) the armour must be earthed for protection should someone damage the cable, drip loops are important to allow rain water to run off cable and AWAY from the hole / entry in to the building.

I'd imagine this will run to a 13a fused spur and then on to the sockets.

This will limit the load across ALL the sockets to 13a and will be okay for moderate use. The issue comes with high load items such as heating (2kw = 2000w / 240 or about 8.333333333333a

TV's (LCD / plasma), lights and other common load items have a very modest load.
LCD TV 350w, bulbs 60/80/100w etc

 

[Chri5]

Give him his dues then, he seems to have assessed the situation. I still don't believe that anything other than cleating the SWA to the wall is necessary. Never heard of the scraping method personally!

A common bodge, artic cable to external light, rake mortar along a course line of bricks, use rake line to hold cable and re-point to hide cable and bodge.

Although it could be considered as an acceptable practice

 

[CallEdsFirst]

This will limit the load across ALL the sockets to 13a and will be okay for moderate use. The issue comes with high load items such as heating (2kw = 2000w / 240 or about 8.333333333333a

TV's (LCD / plasma), lights and other common load items have a very modest load.
LCD TV 350w, bulbs 60/80/100w etc

over 240v? Old School!

And from a security point of view, i cant say i recommend putting plasmas up on the (load bearing!) wall of a conservatory. Its a bit like a house sized display cabinet for expensive things!

 

[leave-it-to-the-experts]

Thanks again for all your advice, you don't realise how useful it is to complete novices like me to be able to get expert opinion on matters like this! Thanks!

 

[CallEdsFirst]

I think this is another post that should be a sticky. Its not a novice determined to get advice so he can save a few quid bodging it himself! Its consumer advice to prevent cowboyism! I feel all fuzzy inside! I think they call it a good deed!