Sheds... and lots of them

[Annakyn]

Hi, this may have been covered before but i'll ask anyway!

I have a croft and am renovating outbuildings (aka sheds) to be used for animals/storage. There is one main shed adjacent to the house, and then 6 others scattered around, up to 50m away.

The main shed next to the house needs lighting, and power points for tools. The other sheds just need a small light inside and some outside lights too.

I have spare slots on my CU but really not sure how to go about this. Simple and cheap is going to be the winer. Most sheds could be done on a ring with the odd spur, but i want the minimum wiring really.

 

[Pensdown]

IMO this is not a DIY project nor should it be done on the cheap. There special regulations that apply to farms that you would need to understand before taking on this type of project. I would assume your supply is overhead (TT) so you may have earthing problems with an out building 50mtrs from the Main CU and earth rod.

 

[Annakyn]

Hmm ok. Well I thought a lighting ring wouldn't be too tricky. Sounds like its gunna be best to get someone in to do it all.

It doesnt really count as a farm though. The sheds i'm talking about are typically less than 6m and literally need a single lightbulb just so you can see in them at night without needing a torch.

 

[Pensdown]

Hi, this may have been covered before but i'll ask anyway!

I have a croft and am renovating outbuildings (aka sheds) to be used for animals/storage. There is one main shed adjacent to the house, and then 6 others scattered around, up to 50m away.

If you have 7 sheds/outbuildings you will need some form of mains distribution within your house just to feed the sheds/outbuildings. Each outbuilding will need a separate sub-main sized for it's purpose. Within each outbuilding you will need a small CU if you want lighting and power.

If the outbuildings are being used for animals the regulations become far more complex

I'm sorry if I sound negative but this is a large project which must also be notified to your LABC for approval if you plan on doing it yourself.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

this is a large project which must also be notified to your LABC for approval if you plan on doing it yourself.

Annakyn

Joined: 20 Aug 2006
Posts: 2
Location: Shetland,
United Kingdom

 

[Steve]

If you have 7 sheds/outbuildings you will need some form of mains distribution within your house just to feed the sheds/outbuildings. Each outbuilding will need a separate sub-main sized for it's purpose. Within each outbuilding you will need a small CU if you want lighting and power.

ok, without full knowledge of the regs, let me butt in here. would it not be possible to have a lighting circuit supplying 2.5mm² SWA (taking voltdrop into account) to a 150w floodlight and a 36w fluorescent lamp at each shed? thats 186w per shed, 1302w altogether, 5.6A. So put it on a 10A MCB and a WP switch at the origin shed. At each shed, terminate the SWA into a metal box and run 1.0mm hituff into the lights.

Unless the regs call for individual control of each shed? In which case, wheres the harm in having the same circuit with a switch at each shed, instead of the metal box?

 

[Pensdown]

If you have 7 sheds/outbuildings you will need some form of mains distribution within your house just to feed the sheds/outbuildings. Each outbuilding will need a separate sub-main sized for it's purpose. Within each outbuilding you will need a small CU if you want lighting and power.

ok, without full knowledge of the regs, let me butt in here. would it not be possible to have a lighting circuit supplying 2.5mm² SWA (taking voltdrop into account) to a 150w floodlight and a 36w fluorescent lamp at each shed? thats 186w per shed, 1302w altogether, 5.6A. So put it on a 10A MCB and a WP switch at the origin shed. At each shed, terminate the SWA into a metal box and run 1.0mm hituff into the lights.

Unless the regs call for individual control of each shed? In which case, wheres the harm in having the same circuit with a switch at each shed, instead of the metal box?

At first glance I can't see a regs problem with your proposal but I would not class it as a good design, only for the following reasons;

1. If the RCD on the supply tripped you would loose all sheds
2. Any change of use in the future would be very limited
3. Some of the sheds that are further away may give you earthing problems and may be better suited to a separate TT installation.
4. if some of the sheds are going to be used for animals their supply and installation requirements will differ.

Now that BAS has pointed out the installation is in Shetland it's a bit hard for me to comment as I have'nt a clue about local conditions and regs.

 

[Steve]

the OP wanted a cheap solution - to get cheap, you sacrifice good design.