new Electric supply to garden

[stevejames]

Hi

I am having a new patio and pathway fit soon. Eventually, I plan to install a pond which will need power and some garden lights. I was wondering if I should install a 'power box' in the garden and armoured cable back to the garage where the consumer unit is now, and then simply connect to the box as required later. I will no doubt get an electician to connect it to a dedicated circuit. But in the meantime does this seem feasable ? is there such an outdoor box, with switches would be good... any comments advise welcome.

Cheers
Steve

 

[ericmark]

The problem with doing anything more than providing ducts is the electrician may not be able to use what you have provided without paperwork signed by a registered electrician so after you do all the work it may all need renewing when you come to use it so hardly worth the trouble.

 

[rebuke]

I'm not sure on suitable outdoor boxes - do you have a shed or anything similar that equipment could be housed in?

As for putting the cable in, the problem you could have is that for an electrician to sign off on an install, he needs to be satisfied that the cable has been installed correctly, i.e. at the correct depth, with marker tape etc etc - if you just point someone at two ends of a cable, when it's not clear how it's been run, they will most likely refuse to sign off on it.

The other problem, is determining the correct size of cable to install - this will depend on the load you are supplying etc.

What you might be better doing, is putting in some suitable ducting underneath your patio (again at appropriate depths and with marker tape etc), taking some photos of it as installed before burying it to show the depth it's at (to satisfy the spark), and ensuring there's a draw string threaded through it, as at that point you can then get an electrician in in future to just pull the appropriate sized cable through it...

 

[electronicsuk]

I will no doubt get an electician to connect it to a dedicated circuit. But in the meantime does this seem feasable ? is there such an outdoor box, with switches would be good... any comments advise welcome.

What would be the point of installing this 'power box' without having any supply to it? There's no point in trying to do some temporary botch job, if you're going to run SWA back to the CU anyway then why waste time with anything other than a dedicated circuit?

My best advice would be to get an electrician involved upfront, and he will then suggest the best means of achieving what you want. He/she has to sign off as having designed and carried out the installation, and if you've gone and buried the cable too shallow, for example, then they would be well within their rights to refuse to do the work.

All that aside, if you want to take the risk then we will need some more information. For example, how old is the CU, are there any spare ways, is there already provision for RCD protection? Also, how large is the pond pump, what is the expected load of the lighting and pump combined, and how long is the cable run?

 

[ban-all-sheds]

//www.diynot.com/wiki/electrics:part-p

You can't just install a cable now and later expect an electrician to certify Building Regs compliance. If you want to install something for future use which isn't clear then involve an electrician now, and let him specify the cable size, and the route, the depth etc, and oversee it's installation. He'll then be able to certify that as a job in its own right, and any later additions to actually use the cable could then be certified separately.

It's rare for electricians to be frustrated navvies who relish the opportunity to dig trenches, so you shouldn't get any push-back if you say you don't want him to do that.

Key though is that he tells you where to run trench, he tells you how deep to make it and how to prepare the base and he tells you what cable to use, or provides it....

 

[stevejames]

Guys

Thanks a lot for your advise. I will contact an electrician about laying the cables and go from there

cheers
Steve