Power to the bottom of garden!? Advice please experts..

[Conor017]

Hi.

Thanks for taking time to read. Doing the garden up in 2 part project. Part 1 is some paving / landscaping down the bottom and Part 2 at a later date is new grass lawn.

I want to put power down to the back for longer term use (maybe a day room in future or short term general device, lights or speakers usage when sitting in landscaped area) so I am thinking what should I do now in part 1 to make it easy longer term..? My thought was to lay the cable below ground while the back is dug up and attach some kind of outdoor socket box? That means if we choose the termination point of the outdoor cable and place it at end of the landscaped bit it means that when we do dig up the grass we can run power from garage to this termination point and join it up in the near future ?

I'm trying to get smart now and avoid digging up landscaping or lifting slabs in future....Doing the garden in two phases and don't want a third phase to add power

Any advice?

Thanks!

 

[bernardgreen]

For the time being install two ducts, one for the power cable and one for ELV ( Extra Low Voltage ) circuits ( telephone, alarms, data etc etc ).

Then when you ( with the electrician ) have decided exactly what you need the correct size of cable can be obtained and installed by pulling through the duct.

Lay the ducts at least 450 mm below finished ground surface with a "Electricity below" marker tape 200 mm above the ducts.

Also think about a water supply to the area, again that can be a duct for the time being.

Plug or cover the ends of the ducts to prevent dirt and stones getting into them.

Put a draw cord in before the ducts fill with water.

 

[Taylortwocities]

 

[Conor017]

Thanks ever so much for the advice. I guess i can get this duct at my local b&q? That's a huge help to do it like this now to benefit later.

 

[Taylortwocities]

B&Q? never in a month of Sundays

Somewhere like this
http://www.draindepot.co.uk/plastic-underground-ducting/electric-cable-ducting.html

or a specialist electrical wholesaler like CEF
http://www.cef.co.uk/catalogue/categories/cable-management-underground-ducting

 

[ban-all-sheds]

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=twinwall+ducting&tbm=shop

 

[nickjb]

I got mine from ebay. Lots of people buy 50m rolls and only use a bit of it.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I thought of this the other day, and then forgot to ask - you have now reminded me:

I want to put power down to the back

How far is it?

Doing the garden in two phases and don't want a third phase to add power

You could make Phase III the installation of a miniature railway so that people in the house could send drinks and snacks down to the other end.

Then you could run the power alongside the track and it wouldn't really be noticeable.