Power to Greenhouse

[Matta691]

HI everyone first time poster long time browser!

My Father in law is having is garden landscaped and part of it is he is having a new very large greenhouse.

He wants to put power in there. He wants to run two electric heaters, a radio and also a plug in lawnmower in the summer. I total this to a max of around 26amps.

The guys doing the work are not qualified electricians! This is where my alarm bells start ringing. I have some experience with cable and it doesn't sit right.

They are sugesting taking a spur off a socket in the garage running 4.0mm cable 10mts to the greenhouse straight into a socket. This doesn't feel the safest way to me. I would put a new breaker in the current DB (only 3mts further) run 6.0mm SWA to the greenhouse (futureproof) to a DB board in the greenhouse and then this would allow for some sockets at either end of the greenohuse and then a seperate ring for some lights as well.

Could you guys help me with your knowledge on how you would run the job. Would it be ok to take the cable from an existing socket?

Thanks.

 

[Matta691]

I agree- I think the people installing have read online that it is possible- which technically it is however I think he is going to be running more that 3kw so the circuit would not be able to cope.
The problem I think is that there is not any space left on the existing board to put in a new circuit.

 

[bernardgreen]

Would it be ok to take the cable from an existing socket?

If it is taken from an existing socket then there is the risk that a fault in the greenhouse ( such as damp in the electrics ) will trip the supply to the socket and all other sockets fed by that MCB and RCD.

It really should be fed from a dedicated MCB and RCD ( or RCBO which is a MCB and RCD combined in one unit ) to avoid faults in the green house affecting circuits in the house.

The guys doing the work are not qualified electricians!

Advise your father in law not to use them for any electrical work.

 

[Matta691]

Panic over I have convinced him that the only way forward is to use a qualified electricain- will save him time hassle and money in the long run!

 

[SUNRAY]

Let us know what does go in when it's done.

 

[Tigercubrider]

You could get the landscapers to follow the instructions of the chosen electrician and dig a trench for ducting or cable, as I doubt the electrician would be too keen to dig. Make sure you take tons of photos so he can confirm depth etc.
Then it's up to the electrician to either trust the landscapers to lay the cable and fill it in or he could sort the cable and you could fill it in. Personally I'd use duct, leaving a rope inside, and get the landscapers to dig/fill in under observation.