use a generator to power lights at stables

[louise1708]

I have 4 stables which used to be connected up to the mains. It has a newish fuse box. When they disconnected it all from the mains, they just chopped the cable at the point where it entered the fuse box. I now have a generator to power my lights, so I need a cable to run from the fuse box to my generator (with a plug to plug into the generator).
Is this the best way and what cable do I need?
I keep being told its dangerous when it's hooked up to the mains - it is not hooked up to the mains at all now so that is not an issue.
Thankyou

 

[Spark123]

iirc a stable is a special location in the eyes of the iee regs, a generator is normally an electrically separate source which needs grounded and the supply referenced to earth using a tested earth electrode when in use with an eebads system, which imo is oustide the scope of most DIYers.

 

[SparkyMarky]

Why was it disconnected from the mains in the first place, and what reasons do people give for describing it as dangerous? Just because the installation is no longer mains fed doesn't necessarily mean that the danger has been eliminated...

 

[JohnD]

Horses are very prone to fatal shocks, much more so than people, due to the absence of insulating socks and rubber-soled shoes, and standing on wet ground with metal shoes. A fault to earth can give a fatal PD in the distance between the front and back legs

 

[RF Lighting]

I seem to remember hearing while working on a farm in my apprentice days, that cows have a lower body resistance than humans so it is easier to electrocute them. This is why some farm installations are fitted with 10mA RCDs. (not sure wether it is the same for horsies tho)

I am not sure about horses, but I would excersize extreme caution with this installation, and get the advice of an electrician wh has experience of this sort of installation.

With this being a generator supply there are also things to consider such as providing an earth at the generator (this involves fitting an earth spike at the gen set end).

As has already been said if the installation was dangerous while connected to the mains, then it will sill be dangerous when connected to the gen set. This might even increase the risk to you or your animals.

 

[Pensdown]

...also the daft animals may spook with the geny running.

 

[Lectrician]

Animals can get a shock due to the current dissipating in the ground. As the earth has a high-ish resistance, volts are dropped as the current flows through it.

So, 240v entering the earth may, over 1m, drop 50 or more volts. That sets up a PD between the two points....and beween the front and back legs of a large animal

Some pics, descriptons etc of the setup would help. I guess it's a wooden stable with all cabling out of animals reach??