Outbuilding Electrics

[Annakyn]

Just a quick question... I'm planning to put electrics in to 6 outbuildings using 100m of armoured cable. Because of the situation it has to be on several spurs rather than a ring main from an existing shed unit which is wired by 6mm to the house unit, only a few metres away.

In each building there will be a double socket with a light plugged into one and the other for relatively low power tools etc. Nothing above 1kW anyway.

My question is whether to buy 1.5mm or 2.5mm cable. There's a fair difference in price, but don't want to go melting anything if I get it wrong!!

I'm thinking that because of the distance it would be silly to put large tools onto it anyway, so 1.5mm would do.

I know its a pretty basic system, but going for cheap and cheerful!! Any thoughts?

 

[Annakyn]

Oh and one more thing, what size MCB would be best?

 

[londonboy]

I think you need an electrician

You will need more like 16/25mm cable, which at your distance will be £400-600 alone.

Then you'd need to consider exporting PME, and RCD requirements.

 

[bernardgreen]

I know its a pretty basic system, but going for cheap and cheerful!! Any thoughts?

Good thing fire brigades and ambulance services do not do things on a cheap and chearful basis.

You need to get an electrician to design this for you and then install the materials that are needed and not those that are cheap and cheerful.

 

[bernardgreen]

Oh and one more thing, what size MCB would be best?

One that operates at 0.001 Amps if you want to ensure your cheap and cheerful set up is safe.

 

[Annakyn]

Funnily enough, by cheap and cheerful I didn't mean compromising safety! Just looking for a better way to run a 60w light in sheds rather than 50m extension leads lying all over the place!!

Thanks anyway, will get some advice from electricians.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Oh and one more thing, what size MCB would be best?

Annakyn - the answers to that, and other related things are here:

• //www.diynot.com/wiki/electrics:mcbtocable
  
  
• http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Book/4.3.1.htm
  
  
• http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Book/4.3.11.htm
  
  
• http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Book/5.3.1.htm
  
  
• http://web.archive.org/web/20080213151445/http://www.kevinboone.com/cableselection_web.pdf
  
  
• http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Technical/Charts/VoltageDrop.html
  
  
• http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Book/7.13.1.htm
  
  
• //www.diynot.com/wiki/electrics:swa-gland
  
  
• http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Book/8.1.1.htm
  
  
• //www.diynot.com/wiki/electrics:part-p
  

Please note - the above is not an attempt to blind you with science or anything - if you want to DIY this then you really do have to know and understand it all, because unlike decorating, gardening etc, with electrical work you simply cannot work to lower standards than a qualified electrician.

 

[Annakyn]

Much appreciated, thanks.