Outdoor Buried Cable

[McHaggis]

Hi folks. Bit of advice needed.

I have an existing double outdoor socket installed professionally on the back of my house.
I intend to buy one of these - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Weatherpro...ocphy=9046905&hvtargid=pla-1228160878501&th=1

and run it from the existing outdoor socket to the far end of the garden where my deck and pergola is being built. The vast majority of the cable run will be simply beneath a raised deckboard path which I dont see any issue with. However, I need to cross about 4 feet of what will be hard slabbing.

The slabbing is not done yet so I have access to dig a little trench easily.

Question is, how deep do I bury the cable and what (if any) conduit or warning tape do I need to use for the short underground length?

Appreciate any advice thanks.

 

[cjcoffin]

The kit you show is for temporary use outdoors where the condition of the cable can easily be seen and checked.

The seller's advice in the Q&A that the flexible cable may be buried is not correct.

You describe a permanent installation hidden under duckboards and in a buried conduit, so it ought to be done in SWA (steel wire armoured cable), and you cannot just plug this in to your existing outdoor socket. It needs wiring in permanently and the existing socket may or may not be a suitable connection point.

Also, because it is outdoors it is subject to additional regulations so you should get the professionals back in to do it. They should at the same time ensure that your earthing system and RCD protection is suitable for an outdoor socket at the far end of a garden. Or you may be electrocuted in the event of a fault.

Sorry if this is not the advice you were expecting.

 

[mattylad]

Also bear in mind that the outdoor socket you have shown cannot accept any type of mains adapter/charger/wallwort etc. while still being kept waterproof.
It is for plugs on wire only.

What cjcoffin said should be taken as good advice on this.

 

[McHaggis]

Thanks folks. Advice is good thanks.

OK as a follow up then.
If I buy a reel of armoured cable, attach a plug and plug it in to existing outdoor sockets and run it down to the deck and install a weatherproof double socket on the deck does that work?

I get the new double socket is only waterproof for simple plugs. Thats not going to be a problem.

Not sure I understand why running a whole new outdoor line from the fusebox would be required? I run power tools and garden tools from an extension plugged into the outdoor socket all the time.

Advice on alternatives? Can I just run the armoured cable to one of those outdoor rated boxes and run all the power down at the deck from that? Is that worse?

The idea is simply to have power installed down at the deck now during the construction phase to facilitate some pergola lighting maybe?

 

[chivers67]

Is the existing double socket on your ring, on a radial or a spur? What is it currently protected by MCB/RCD wise?

You won't be able to attach a plug onto an SWA you'll need to fit an external gland on it and maybe drill out the bottom of your existing Double socket into 20mm hole (it should have knockouts) and fit the gland into that then run that to your new socket spurring off but this depends on the answer to my first question.

Very Tough Heavy Duty Cable - This cable can be used underground and in concrete etc, but only if fed through suitable conduit / pipes It Can be installed along outside walls etc without need for extra protection

 

[McHaggis]

Not sure. The house is brand new build so any electrical work including the outside sockets will have been done to current regs.

I checked the consumer unit and there isnt a specifically marked fuse for outdoor sockets, but there are two ‘RCD controlled circuits’ in there.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

I checked the consumer unit and there isnt a specifically marked fuse for outdoor sockets, but there are two ‘RCD controlled circuits’ in there.

Then trip both of them and check if the outdoor socket goes off.

 

[chivers67]

Can you carefully take the front of the outdoor socket off and see how many conductors are terminated into it ?

 

[JohnW2]

... If I buy a reel of armoured cable, attach a plug and plug it in to existing outdoor sockets ....

There is no sensible (I would say no 'acceptable') way of attaching a 13A plug directly to armoured cable.

Kind Regards, John

 

[john4703]

I agree with cjcoffin.

I like the description on Amazon “Weatherproof Outdoor Socket IP66 with 20M Extension Lead, Wall Electrical Outlets Box Switched Exterior Socket 13A with Indicator Light for Bathroom Garden Garage Yard (20M)”
The price is £68.99.


A few of my thoughts
It would look hideous in a bathroom.

The price is high. I checked TLC
20m of 2.5mm SWA @ £1.74 = £34.80
Two glands pack £4.25
13 Amp 2 Gang DP Switched Outdoor Socket £11.30
TOTAL £50.35 and that is for a cable that is suitable for outside use buried at the correct depth.

That is not a complete list but shows how much of a rip off the kitt on Amazon is.

The best soloution is to get an electrician to design and install the new socket. I would be surprised if the electrician was not happy for you to dig the trench to the corect depth and refil it after the electrician had installed the correct cable.

 

[Tigercubrider]

A buried cable needs to be a certain depth underground, and ideally with a plastic warning tape buried a bit higher.
As suggested, contact an electrician who will agree to let you do the donkey work while they simply connect up the ends.
you might need to leave the trench open for them to see?
They might be happy for you to burry some conduit with a bit of rope in it.

 

[McHaggis]

Thanks all - looks like I certainly need a pro in.

 

[briwire]

You can do the donkey work. Dig a trench around 600 mm deep. Clear it of any sharp stones, put a few inches of building sand at the bottom, for your SWA cable to lie on. It will need a few inches of the sand on top of it along with a run of warning tape. It can then be backfilled with soil, clear of large sharp stones and another run of tape below the surface.

 

[SUNRAY]

There is no sensible (I would say no 'acceptable') way of attaching a 13A plug directly to armoured cable.

Kind Regards, John

It can be done but it's an absolute botch and chances are I'd fail it in an inspection.

 

[bernardgreen]

It can be done but it's an absolute botch and chances are I'd fail it in an inspection.

Terminate and gland the SWA into a small box and take a flexible lead from there to the 13 Amp plug. If necessary fix the box to the wall to avoid the weight of the SWA from hanging on the plug