Running cable to a shed

[JimWalker2000]

I have recently built a shed/workshop and would like to have fixed points to plug in things like bench drill, mitre saw, router table etc. The consumer unit is on the front of the house, and so I don't think there's any way to run a new circuit to the shed, so at the moment I have no choice but to plug in a 4 gang extension lead in a kitchen socket every time I use it.

Does anyone have any bright ideas on running a cable to the shed - I assume a spur of ring main is a definate no-no

or anyway to have fixed points in the shed and only plug in one lead?

Any ideas woould be gratefully received.

Thanks

Jim

 

[autolycus]

Others will be able to offer better and more in-depth advice than I can. However, I suspect the answer will be that to do this properly you will need to run an armoured cable underground from the consumer unit in the house to the shed and then feed that into an RCD protected consumer unit in the shed.

From there you can run a ring main circuit for the four sockets that you want to have in there.

David.

 

[JimWalker2000]

Thanks for your comments - the thing that is stopping me running a new cable is I live in a mid terraced house, and the consumer unit is by the front door in an outside porch - so I cant think of a way of getting to the back of the house. Otherwise - I would be very happy with the armoured cable under the lawn.

 

[ian cotts]

A spur off the ring main sounds like your only option. It must be RCD protected. This is a notifiable job so don't forget to tell your LABC.

 

[JimWalker2000]

A spur off the ringmain sounds ideal if thats acceptable. I'll be getting a sparky to do it but want to be clear what I want first.

Thanks!

 

[streetlighter]

A spur from the ring main must be fused at 13amps so this limits how much current you can use in the shed. So no heating whilst using the power tools.
Much better to run a submain from the consumer unit to the shed and have a small unit with separate power and lighting circuits. You might want a machine in the future that needs a 16 amp supply you never know.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

You'll have to run the cable through the house. Have you got suspended floors?

 

[cleverspark]

As everyone will mention the best way is to run a feed from your consumer unit, probably by the sounds of it this will involve lifting your floorboards upstairs then running the able thru the void under the floorboards to the rear of the property.
then it will be either dropping the cable down and buryign SWA under the floor or the other option is to run a power able overhead, using a catenary wire for support, and into the shed, then using a seperate CU for the shed. (not sure on the height restrictions for the overhead wire) no doubt someone will mention