Wiring for outside lights, power & shed

[benwatkins]

I am in the process of renovating my bathroom and have just taken out an electric shower and replaced it with a thermostatic mixer. I want to use the now redundant wiring for outside lighting, sockets and eventually to the shed. My bathroom is a ground floor extension.

The shower had its own dedicated RCD in the CU and uses 10 mm2 cable. As far as I can tell this is an ideal start for my plans so all I have to do is drill a hole and run the cable outside. Is it that easy?

I plan to get an electrician in to complete the outside wiring but I need to complete the interior cabling and run the cable outside before I board up and tile the bathroom. My plan is to just fix a weatherproof junction box to the outside of the house and run the cable in to it ready to be connected up by the electrician.

Is it that easy? Is there anything else I should be thinking of at this stage?

 

[Chri5]

When you say the circuit is on its own rcd, do you mean rcd or do you mean an rcd protected circuit on a mcb rated at (???? 40 amp, 45 amp).

Sounds like the 10mm feeder will need an accessible joint and joined to a new 10mm and run outside to a box.

The box would be a conversion point from internal to external grade cable, that would then run on to a shed or suitable outbuilding for a garage cu where you then have circuits for shed (sockets and lights), external lights and external socket.

The rules of the 'system' are that an electrician can ONLY certify his OWN work so you need to get him on board ASAP and discuss what his is prepared to allow you to do that he will end up accepting as part of his works.

 

[benwatkins]

Sorry, I made a mistake, I meant to say it is on its own MCB which is in an RCD protected circuit. I can't remember the rating I'm afraid. I will have to check when I get home tonight.

Excuse my ignorance but when you say an accessible joint you presumably mean that someone needs to be able to gain access to it at any time? This is a shame because I was hoping to hide the join behind a stud wall. To make it accessible I would need to add a cupboard door or something - unless of course 'accessible' means taking a few tiles off the wall?!

By the way, I was also assuming there would need to be a CU in the shed at the bottom of the garden but the lighting will mainly be for the patio at the top of the garden and I would like the switch to be inside the house. In my mind it would make more sense to split the cable as it leaves the house with one spur off to the patio lights and the other going down to the shed. Is that going to be possible? Otherwise it means running one cable all the way down to the shed CU and then another cable all the way back up the garden again to power the patio lights.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Have the electrician replace the cable so that a join isn't needed?

Take it to the outside at a different place so that a join isn't needed?

 

[benwatkins]

Have the electrician replace the cable so that a join isn't needed?

Take it to the outside at a different place so that a join isn't needed?

Thanks for the suggestions. Unfortunately taking the cable outside at a difference place isn't an option because the shower unit was in the opposite corner to the external wall so the cable that's there isn't long enough even if it is rerouted. Replacing the cable is an option but I must admit I had discounted it because I assumed it would be a huge job. The existing cable runs between the ceiling and upstairs floorboards before going in to the kitchen where it appears to be buried in the wall behind the kitchen cupboards. Joining it is so much easier!

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Then have your electrician join it using a method which does not require the joint to be accessible.