Want to run power to my shed

[BertyUK]

Hi

I've gone and done what I always said I never would and that is to get a patio laid in my garden without first running appropriate cables... I know, I know, I've since come to terms with it.

Anyway, I've now got a nice new shed which has no power going to it and I'm looking for a solution.

From what I gather, electrical cable should be buried, but this will be impossible without digging up my patio/decking. There is a small gap (1.5") next to the patio which I might be able to scrape out a bit and i'm wondering if this will be enough to call the cable 'buried'.

I've attached a photo of my layout and proposed idea and am really after any suggestions.

I will be getting an electrician in who will no doubt have his own ideas but i'd like to get an idea of what I should expect him to do before he goes and tells me "oh you cant do it like that, you need to spend a fortune and do it like this"...

bottom line - do the electricians on this board think my idea is a good one, have i missed anything out, is there a better way?

Thanks

additional info:
Distance from house to shed is approx 7m
Other side of fence is a neighbours garden
Fence sits on concrete gravel boards

Untitled

• BertyUK
• 25 Jun 2012
• 1

 

[ricicle]

The electrician might look and say yes. She might look and say no. Only they can decide as they will be the one who signs the certificate !!

 

[BertyUK]

was hoping for a bit more than that but i understand your position.

thanks

 

[ericmark]

I would not use a consumer unit in the shed no real point just a switched FCU to fuse the lights at 3A as clearly the 13A fuse will pop before the 32A MCB will trip. Otherwise looks reasonable.

But as to what another electrician will accept is something else. One only has to scroll though these pages to see how we argue as to what is permitted. Some will use more common sense than others.

Using the stripped SWA to go though the wall with an earth wire connected to the banjo washer on gland may remove the need for any connections other than earth outside. However it depends on the SWA used with some the inner insulation will just crumble with others it's a real pain to strip.

So your only real way is to get quotes and see what they are prepared to do. Of course insure they are a scheme member as you will want the completion certificate.

 

[Chri5]

On the design if the cu has rcd then there really isn't any point in having an rcd fused spur.

So fit it if you don't have a main rcd for the circuit, don't fit it if you do- a standard 13amp fused spur will do.

I'd be tempted to use high tuff or any other external cable, and by running a treated wood baton along the fence clip direct to the baton between the house and the shed. Could even do a nice straight conduit run.

Avoid swa use 3 core 2.5 mm cable and then you have no issue with the swa banjo / earth / cpc joins.

At the shed end I'd just have a 2 switch unit, one for the lights the other for the radial sockets.

The max load would be 13 amp or about 4000w at the shed that being the max spur fuse size for a fused spur unit.

NYY cable ? http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Main_Index/Cable_Index/NYY/index.html

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Wooden fences are regarded by many as unsuitable for clipping cables to - they move about, they can get blown down, damaged etc.

If it were me I'd be thinking in terms of steel conduit fixed at low level to the fence posts (a lot less movement down there), connected via short sections of flexible conduit to the boxes on house and garage walls. You might want to think about specifying Masterseal sockets instead of plain boxes, they might be useful.


Again it'll come down to what the electricians who go along to look and quote have to say.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

13 amp or about 4000w

 

[Taylortwocities]

They have 300VAC in some parts of London.

Helps those nice plants to grow quicker.

 

[streetlighter]

I have in the past cleated an SWA cable to the concrete boards under the wooden fence panels and mounted an IP rated socket on a concrete fence post this was to supply a water feature.

 

[Chri5]

13 amp or about 4000w

Sun, on head, fry brain.... Opps


As for the fence I I thought the posts were concrete and thus very permanent. Carefully drilled they would be more than enought to support batons for a 4 mm cable.

 

[bernardgreen]

Alternative thinking.

Have the electric pump safely in or close to the house ( no mains power in the garden ) and run two lengths of plastic pipe between pump and water feature.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

1. How do you know that there's a water feature involved?
2. How do you know it's not a self-contained one with integral pump?
3. How do you know that if it isn't a self contained one it will be feasible to have the reservoir on or under the decking, or inside the house?

 

[dhutch]

Alternative thinking.

Have the electric pump safely in or close to the house ( no mains power in the garden ) and run two lengths of plastic pipe between pump and water feature.

And then what, a small water turbine to generate electricity to run the lights and power tools? (sorry, couldnt help it)

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Maybe the water turbine could also power the pump.

 

[bernardgreen]

1. How do you know that there's a water feature involved?
2. How do you know it's not a self-contained one with integral pump?
3. How do you know that if it isn't a self contained one it will be feasible to have the reservoir on or under the decking, or inside the house?

Oh dear , today is not a good day..... too many mistakes on my part. This was the answer to a question that was in an e-mail, i had better check and see what I sent to that person.

But the idea is a good one and proven.....just not the answer here.....