Shed wiring - maintaining IP rating

[Chrissss1]

Hi,

I'm planning to redo my shed electrics as I've just put in a new shed!

The old set up was 2.5mm 3 core SWA (approx 6m run) fed from a outdoor socket against the house which was run to the shed (through the T&G cladding), into a RCD and fused down to 16amp to supply a light and double socket.

I was never a fan of how the SWA was tacked into the shed, it looks unsightly so I'm wanting to terminate it properly.

My thoughts are to terminate the SWA in a weatherproof adaptable box on the outside of the shed and then drill out the back of the box and feed a cable through the shed T&G cladding and up to the rcd/fcu as before.

My concern is how to maintain the IP rating of the box once the back has been drilled out - should I be using a stuffing gland which would essentially be horizontal through the shed wall and feed 2.5mm flex (or T+E?) in there for the internal shed wiring or should I be using some sort of grommet?

Or am I over thinking this and I should just run mastic around the outside of the box?

Thanks!

 

[EFLImpudence]

Terminate the swa inside the shed.

 

[deadshort]

no brainer !

DS

 

[Chrissss1]

I certainly could terminate inside the shed but that is not the approach i'm after as I said it doesn't look the best.

Thanks

 

[Taylortwocities]

The light should be fused to somewhat less than 16amp!

 

[Chrissss1]

The light should be fused to somewhat less than 16amp!

Agreed, surprised it wasn't altered in my rewire - I will be fusing it down to 6

 

[deadshort]

I certainly could terminate inside the shed but that is not the approach i'm after as I said it doesn't look the best.

Thanks

Come from below then !

ds

 

[Taylortwocities]

6amp fuse. Rare, they are. More usually 3 or 5amp.

 

[deadshort]

Agreed, surprised it wasn't altered in my rewire - I will be fusing it down to 6

I am glad you got yourself rewired before the shed ! I trust you are RCD protected ?

DS

 

[Chrissss1]

Come from below then !

ds

Are you suggesting using one bottom knockout to terminate the SWA and the another bottom knockout and gland and run down into the shed?

Is there any reason why I can't use the back knockout, it seems like the simplest solution?

 

[deadshort]

I mean bring the SWA in from under the shed, out of sight, well, unless your a mole !

DS

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I certainly could terminate inside the shed but that is not the approach i'm after as I said it doesn't look the best.

I've thought about this, and I'm afraid it makes no sense to me.

How does an armoured cable running to the shed and then going through the wall look worse than an armoured cable running to the shed and then going into a box fixed to the outside of the shed?

 

[ban-all-sheds]

The old set up was 2.5mm 3 core SWA (approx 6m run) fed from a outdoor socket

How is that socket supplied?

Is it RCD protected?

fused down to 16amp to supply a light and double socket.

What on earth was used to fuse down to 16A?

I was never a fan of how the SWA was tacked into the shed, it looks unsightly so I'm wanting to terminate it properly.

How does changing how it is terminated affect how it is fixed to the shed?

Is it not properly terminated now?

My concern is how to maintain the IP rating of the box once the back has been drilled out

You are right to be concerned.

- should I be using a stuffing gland which would essentially be horizontal through the shed wall and feed 2.5mm flex (or T+E?) in there for the internal shed wiring or should I be using some sort of grommet?

You should be using cable entries on the bottom edge of the box.

 

[Chrissss1]

How is that socket supplied?

Is it RCD protected?

> Yes RCD Protected at the CU and another was installed in the shed

What on earth was used to fuse down to 16A?

> FCU

How does changing how it is terminated affect how it is fixed to the shed?

Is it not properly terminated now?

It is, I should rather had said the way it was drilled through the wall (half way up the shed) didn't look good at all, terminating into a box would look much neater.

You are right to be concerned.



You should be using cable entries on the bottom edge of the box.

If this was a socket attached to the outside of the house and the supply came through a brick/cavity wall, surely the back knockout would be used in that scenario - how would that maintain its IP rating?

Thanks

 

[DaveHerns]

Are you more concerned with appearance or the IP rating?