SWA Armoured Cable

[whyme!]

If i used SWA Armoured Cable from house to shed ( aprox 50 meters away)
Could i run 1.5mm 6943X 3 core along a fence rather than putting in ground?
Or would voltage drop require a larger cable.

 

[wingcoax]

Work on at least 4.00mm. What load do you expect to put on the supply?

 

[securespark]

Along fence? Nah.

Brick wall, or subterranean.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

If i used SWA Armoured Cable from house to shed ( aprox 50 meters away)
Could i run 1.5mm 6943X 3 core along a fence rather than putting in ground?
Or would voltage drop require a larger cable.

• //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://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Book/5.3.1.htm
  
  
• http://web.archive.org/web/20080213151445/http://www.kevinboone.com/cableselection_web.pdf
  
  
• http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Technical/Charts/VoltageDrop.html <- Specify 2-core cable and PVC, even if that is not what you are using or it will make invalid assumptions.
  

 

[ericmark]

Voltage Drop (per ampere per meter) = 29 (mV/A/m) for 1.5 mm cable.
It's all down to simple maths. For lighting we are allowed 3% volt drop so 6.9 volts. So 6.9/0.87 = 8 amp approx. So nearest fuse/MCB to that is 6 amp so a 6 amp supply would be OK with that cable.

Having said that using for example a HF florescent fitting which because it is the HF type has some voltage latitude in some cases 200 - 250 volt then one could likely work with a far greater volt drop however it would not comply with the regulations.

As to garden fence it would depend on the design of the fence and what sort of distress it would put on the cable. I have a border fence which has concrete blocks at the bottom holding back a small amount of soil so are totally firm connecting a cable to these would be no different to connecting it to house wall. However my days fence bends in the wind and has been know to lose a panel in high winds to connect the cable to that fence would bend and flex the cable and clearly would not be a good idea.

I do think there are some advantages of running cables away from the garden spade but only you can assess the correct route. Mine runs under the concrete slabs acting as stepping stones in poor conditions so I can remember the root and unlikely to dig in that area.

I suppose you are aware of Part P and you do realise if you are following regulations then DIY is rather an expensive method to run a supply to a garden shed.

 

[whyme!]

Work on at least 4.00mm. What load do you expect to put on the supply?

A light, and possibly one socket for charging batteries (power tools).

Maybe a solar light may be the answer and charge the batteries in the house