Existing electrics for pond pump and filter.

[gypmaster]

Hope this is the right forum for this ...

I've 'inherited' the following electrical set-up for a garden pond pump and filter. I know, instinctively that it's wrong but can anyone tell me how wrong it is and what would need to be done to make it safe?

ok, here goes ...

Armoured cable leaves the back of the house (from a box on the internal wall) and disappears under a paved area and lawn. It reappears under a deck and goes into a round, plastic, grey 'connector' of some type.

Cable, unarmoured, comes out of the other side of this round connector and goes (still under the deck) into the back of a 'box' which is fitted to the facing board of the deck ... front of the box is on the outwards facing sde of the deck board ..

the box has two switches (one for pump, one for filter) and two plug sockets (switches and sockets are the 'proper' external variety AFAIK)

a cable runs from one of the switches to the pond pump (there is about three inches of cable visible as the deck almost overhangs the pond at that point) ... another cable (not armoured or protected) runs from the other switch all the way under the deck in a round about fashion and up behind a waterfall into the filter ...

anyone tell me what needs to be done to make this set-up safe or, at least, safer???

TIA

 

[jj4091]

If it is protected by an RCD at the consumer unit then nothing needs doing as long as the non armoured cable is of the frost proof variety & the fittings rated for external use.

 

[gypmaster]

As far as I can see there is no RCD anywhere.

Do I need to fit one between the house and the circular grey boxy thingy under my deck??

what if the unarmoured cable is not of the forst proof variety??

cheers.

 

[daytona]

you need to do much much more than that,we cant rely that those boxes etc have the correct lids/gaskets etc to give it the correct ip rating,correct glands for armoured properly terminated.

you also need to know how the armoured is fed"from a box on the wall" means nothing ,whats inside the box,where did that get its feed from.

what size are all the cables
can you post some pics?
this is notifiable so may be better left to a sparks tbh.

whatever you do ,do not bung it on an rcd and forget about it

 

[gypmaster]

thanks for the responses ...

I'll try to get some pics tomorrow but the circular connector thingy is quite difficult to see ... the switch/socket stuff and the feed from the house are easy to get pics of though ...

btw, what does notifiable mean?

 

[daytona]

it falls under part p.

have a look in the wiki

 

[gypmaster]

i'm sure i'm being particularly thick here but ... i can't find part p in the wiki

 

[Adam_151]

//www.diynot.com/wiki/electrics:part_p

Topmost link from the electrics section here, btw //www.diynot.com/wiki/electrics

 

[gypmaster]

thank you

 

[gypmaster]

got some pics ...

first, inside the house - it looks like it domes off a normal socket (that's got a phone charger plugged in to it)

second, armoured cable coming out of thehouse and under some paving (and lawn and decking)

third, blurry and difficult to see but it's the grey connector thingy underneath the decking:

fourth, the switches for the pond pump and filter and a couple of sockets too:

fifth, the cable running from the pump switch in to the pond:

any advice greatly appreciated.

 

[gypmaster]

anyone got any comments?

cheers.

 

[dannyboi2003]

Ok here's my general opinion, I'm not a qualified spark btw, just commenting on what i see.

The armoured cable going into the house doesn't seem to have been terminated properly, if it goes directly into the back of the fused spur then the armour probably isn't earthed which is defeating the whole object. It should really be terminated into an IP rated box with the appropriate gland, banjo etc. Also is the socket circuit its spurred from RCD protected??

The junction box under the decking, cant see it well enough the comment but id have a guess and say the armour probably isn't terminated correctly here either.

The sockets and switch on the decking are way to close to the ground for my liking, when you cut or strim the grass they are in danger of being damaged. I would move them to a more suitable location and would replace the socket with one that closes shut when something is plugged into it. Also looks like everything is protected by the fuse in the FCU which is probably a 13amp fuse, not good as the pump/filter should really be protected with a 3amp fuse/s. I would change the switch/socket for a new double socket and two switched FCU's to provide double pole switching to the pump/filter, the MK Masterseal accessories are the best.

The flex running under the deck and to the pump/filter, no big deal as long as they are routed out of the way and terminated to the boxes correctly. As long as they are well visible, above ground and not buried the likelihood of them being damaged is slim.

To summarize, nothing is screaming dangerous at me but it could do with tidying up.

All the best
Dan

 

[gypmaster]

Hey Dan,

thanks for replying and explining in a way I can (mostly ) understand.

the armoured cable is a thick rubbery/plasticy affair, not metal or anything like that...

cheers

 

[dannyboi2003]

Hi Gypmaster,

If i've used any terminology you don't understand just let me know and i'll explain better.

Ahhh no armour means the cable is probably hi-tuff cable and shouldn't be buried or should be in earthed steel conduit.

Its still not screaming dangerous but its far from ideal, do you know how deep the cable is buried especially under the lawn part?

All the best
Dan

 

[gypmaster]

Hi Dan,

Also is the socket circuit its spurred from RCD protected??

not as far as I know.

Also looks like everything is protected by the fuse in the FCU which is probably a 13amp fuse, not good as the pump/filter should really be protected with a 3amp fuse/s. I would change the switch/socket for a new double socket and two switched FCU's to provide double pole switching to the pump/filter, the MK Masterseal accessories are the best.

can you elaborate a little? what's an FCU?

Also I have no idea as to how deep the hi-tuff cable is buried under the lawn but the lawn itself only seems to be around 8 inches or so deep.

is that problematic?

cheers,
Mark.