Indoor FCU for outdoor electrics

[JohnW2]

Interesting, so does this suggest that the armour should be earthed at both sides, in the house and in the garage?

It must not be connected to different 'earths' at the two ends. The only way of earthing it (to the same 'earth') at both ends would be to either (as proposed) earth the far end via a core of the the SWA or else run a separate earth conductor alongside the SWA. It goes without saying that, however it is done, having both ends earthed is 'safer' than earthing only one end.

Kind Regards, John

 

[JohnW2]

Yes it is a low risk of this precise situation occuring but we are supposed to consider every reasonable risk

We are - but opinions clearly vary as to how "vanishingly improbable" a risk can be and still qualify as a "reasonable risk"!

Kind Regards, John

 

[ban-all-sheds]

 

[kai]

It appears that the original cable was a cowboy install, from the sounds of it, safer to abandon it, and get a proper electrician to install a brand new run directly from a switch-fuse with RCD at the house mains intake position.

 

[Iggifer]

It appears that the original cable was a cowboy install, from the sounds of it, safer to abandon it, and get a proper electrician to install a brand new run directly from a switch-fuse with RCD at the house mains intake position.

Why would you put the RCD in the house if you were running SWA? You'd only need overcorrect protection at the source, and have the RCD locally surely?

 

[riveralt]

It appears that the original cable was a cowboy install, from the sounds of it, safer to abandon it, and get a proper electrician to install a brand new run directly from a switch-fuse with RCD at the house mains intake position.

Why would you put the RCD in the house if you were running SWA? You'd only need overcorrect protection at the source, and have the RCD locally surely?

The circuit is already protected by an RCD why would you consider adding another?

 

[Iggifer]

Are you agreeing with me or questioning me? haha

 

[sergeantash]

It has been some time I know, but I was finally able to investigate the electrics on the garage side. It would appear to me that the armoured cabling is NOT earthed there either, the armoured cable terminates in the garage via a small CU type box with two inserted fuses (one for the light circuit in the garage, one for the sockets) and a on/off trip switch (an RCD I assume?).

I don't particularly want to disturb the configuration there but have an idea...halfway down the routing of the cable is some decking, I would like to provide power to that decking area (just two sockets), therefore I could break the cable, install an earth rod, install two waterproofed outdoor-IP rated sockets and therefore provide earth continuity. I am talking at a high-level here, but is that concept acceptable for the earthing to be central rather than biased to one side or the other?

I won't be jumping into doing any of this immediately, but I'd like to know if the concept is viable before we explore the specifics and of course before I start anything.

Appreciate your help.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

No, that won't be a way to earth the armour, it must be done properly, via the use of a SWA gland, at the origin.