Size of SWA Cable required

[jaypay]

Hi,
House was rewired two years ago and the electricion put a sepperate feed on the CU for power to a shed I was going to put in down the bottom of the garden. There is a junction box on the side of the house which is to connect the cable to take the power to the shed.
I'm looking to have a 'mini' CU installed in the shed which will have power for a freexzer and garden tools, lighing for the shed, and lighting for the garden.

The shed is approx 25m from the juncion box.

The question I have is what size SWA cable would i need to lay to be connected to the 'mini' CU to run the above requirements, and in addition, if in a few years I wanted to add a jacuzzi, what cable would be required for that.

Many Thanks in advance for your assistance

 

[holmslaw]

..

 

[jaypay]

Thanks for the reply.

It's a wooden shed.

Regarding the size if the cable/MCB. Will this be on the cert that I receieved when the origional work was done ? I can't see anything labled on the existing CU.

 

[holmslaw]

..

 

[jaypay]

Will check that tonight and be back tomorrow...
Thanks again

 

[ban-all-sheds]

The question I have is what size SWA cable would i need to lay to be connected to the 'mini' CU to run the above requirements, and in addition, if in a few years I wanted to add a jacuzzi, what cable would be required for that.

You should have the electrician who installs the CU specify the cable.

I'm sure he'll be happy for you to dig the trench for the cable to go into, but sizing it is a design function, and he has to be the one responsible for that.

• 
  
  
• //www.diynot.com/wiki/electrics:mcbtocable
  
  
• http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Book/4.3.1.htm
  
  
• http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Book/4.3.11.htm
  
  
• http://web.archive.org/web/20080213151445/http://www.kevinboone.com/cableselection_web.pdf
  
  
• http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Technical/Charts/VoltageDrop.html
  
  
• http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Book/5.3.1.htm
  
  
• //www.diynot.com/wiki/electrics:mcb2
  
  
• http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Book/7.13.1.htm
  
  
• http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Book/8.1.1.htm
  
  
• //www.diynot.com/wiki/electrics:swa-gland
  
  
• //www.diynot.com/wiki/electrics:part-p
  

Also make sure that you choose a freezer which will work in the lowest ambient temperatures you'll find in the shed - many won't.

 

[ColJack]

yup, ironically, freezers don't work when it's too cold for them..

 

[jaypay]

You couldn't make up huh !!!

Thanks guys.

And sorry B.A.S. Guess they're a pet hate


Ok - just looked at the cert.
The existing cable is 4mm on 32amp

Guess it answers itself right.
Don't imagine that will be sufficient for any future jacuzzi.

So next question.
Will 4mm swa be upto a freezer (that works in the cold) and couple of sockets and low voyage garden lighting run off of a weatherproof socket ?

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Will 4mm swa be upto a freezer (that works in the cold) and couple of sockets and low voyage garden lighting run off of a weatherproof socket ?

• 
  
  
• //www.diynot.com/wiki/electrics:mcbtocable
  
  
• http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Book/4.3.1.htm
  
  
• http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Book/4.3.11.htm
  
  
• http://web.archive.org/web/20080213151445/http://www.kevinboone.com/cableselection_web.pdf
  
  
• http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Technical/Charts/VoltageDrop.html
  
  
• http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Book/5.3.1.htm
  
  
• //www.diynot.com/wiki/electrics:mcb2