Outdoor Wiring - Scotland
Discussion
I suspect from a light bit of internet reading that I already know the answer to this, but here goes...
I've built a load of decking at the back of my garden and quite fancy getting power to it - nothing big - few LED spotlights and a socket for charging phones/BT speakers.
I have already buried 1.5mm SWA (how deep - not enough, but meh) and am about at the stage of terminating stuff. I have not got any domestic spark certs (have COMPEX for work, but don't think that counts for much here).
My plan is to blank off a internal socket (already existing) that we don't use and run the SWA to there, outside ill put in a few fused switches and on to the socket and spotlights.
In Scotland, my understanding is you can spur and mess about with existing stuff to your hearts content, but adding a ring, or spurring outside is verboten.
What stage do you need to get a sparky in and what do they give you? Can I have everything hooked up and then (I assume) they just look it over, do an IR check and then give me a bit of paper? Any idea how much people charge for this?
Or do I need to get one in from the outset and just let them deal with it?
I've built a load of decking at the back of my garden and quite fancy getting power to it - nothing big - few LED spotlights and a socket for charging phones/BT speakers.
I have already buried 1.5mm SWA (how deep - not enough, but meh) and am about at the stage of terminating stuff. I have not got any domestic spark certs (have COMPEX for work, but don't think that counts for much here).
My plan is to blank off a internal socket (already existing) that we don't use and run the SWA to there, outside ill put in a few fused switches and on to the socket and spotlights.
In Scotland, my understanding is you can spur and mess about with existing stuff to your hearts content, but adding a ring, or spurring outside is verboten.
What stage do you need to get a sparky in and what do they give you? Can I have everything hooked up and then (I assume) they just look it over, do an IR check and then give me a bit of paper? Any idea how much people charge for this?
Or do I need to get one in from the outset and just let them deal with it?
A few thoughts;
Don't feeds going outside need to be RCD protected?
What are you terminating the steel strands to in a domestic socket box?
How are you terminating it outside to feed the devices?
Why isn't it at the right depth? The previous owners to my place put an SWA in at the wrong depth (just under the grass, not more than 50mm. It's a right PITA for doing things up that stretch of garden now. You may think it's alright just now, but will you change the use of that area in the next 5/10 years and end up making a problem for yourself?
Don't feeds going outside need to be RCD protected?
What are you terminating the steel strands to in a domestic socket box?
How are you terminating it outside to feed the devices?
Why isn't it at the right depth? The previous owners to my place put an SWA in at the wrong depth (just under the grass, not more than 50mm. It's a right PITA for doing things up that stretch of garden now. You may think it's alright just now, but will you change the use of that area in the next 5/10 years and end up making a problem for yourself?
AMacA said:
A few thoughts;
Don't feeds going outside need to be RCD protected?
What are you terminating the steel strands to in a domestic socket box?
How are you terminating it outside to feed the devices?
Why isn't it at the right depth? The previous owners to my place put an SWA in at the wrong depth (just under the grass, not more than 50mm. It's a right PITA for doing things up that stretch of garden now. You may think it's alright just now, but will you change the use of that area in the next 5/10 years and end up making a problem for yourself?
The feed I am planning on using is already on an RCD and breaker - I would rather use this than pull the cable all the way back to the consumer unit and add in separate switchgear.Don't feeds going outside need to be RCD protected?
What are you terminating the steel strands to in a domestic socket box?
How are you terminating it outside to feed the devices?
Why isn't it at the right depth? The previous owners to my place put an SWA in at the wrong depth (just under the grass, not more than 50mm. It's a right PITA for doing things up that stretch of garden now. You may think it's alright just now, but will you change the use of that area in the next 5/10 years and end up making a problem for yourself?
If I was bodging it myself than a chocolate block in the wall cavity, but I am probably going to put it on a switch (so there is an indoor isolation to cut power to the whole deck)
I'm terminating it into a JB with switches and fuses - never going to be putting a big load on it, hence the 1.5mm SWA and not bigger.
Because frankly, I couldn't be bothered trenching it deeper - some is under patio (that is staying there) and the rest is about a spades depth deep (so maybe 300mm?) with concrete patio slabs buried on top - depending on which sparky forum you ask, not deep enough, but deeper than some is where I'm at. As long as no one goes in with a mini digger, it won't be getting dug up.
I'm also in Scotland and also embarking on running power outside. For a garage/workshop though so potentially bigger loads.
I think your understanding of the law is pretty much right, but I have been asking myself how exactly any of it is ever enforced, and what exactly the problem is if it is done correctly. Of course, the assumption by the law makers is that the average joe doesn't know how to do it correctly, but that doesn't mean we're all numpties.I have also seen some absolutely horrendous work carried out by allgedly competent electricians.
The oft-mentioned minimum depth of 18 inches isn't actually specified in the regs as far as I understand, but it is a sensible depth. However I would say that equally if not more more important measures are
- Marking the cable with yellow warning tape in the trench. Also closer to surface if practical eg. immediately under paving slabs
- Having the cable RCD protected
- Earthing the steel armour
- Marking the cable on a plan
Anyway going back to your actual question - I believe you can run the cables but a sparky should do all the terminating and testing (including wiring into the back of sockets etc.) You could of course have him come and comission a simplified install and then you could modify the then existing work to your heart's content.
In practice, I have found finding a sparky who is interested in this type of work to be easier said than done - odd as I would think it would be quite nice easy work. I notice you're also in the NE - the tradesmen still don't seem to be feeling the effects of the oil slump.
I think your understanding of the law is pretty much right, but I have been asking myself how exactly any of it is ever enforced, and what exactly the problem is if it is done correctly. Of course, the assumption by the law makers is that the average joe doesn't know how to do it correctly, but that doesn't mean we're all numpties.I have also seen some absolutely horrendous work carried out by allgedly competent electricians.
The oft-mentioned minimum depth of 18 inches isn't actually specified in the regs as far as I understand, but it is a sensible depth. However I would say that equally if not more more important measures are
- Marking the cable with yellow warning tape in the trench. Also closer to surface if practical eg. immediately under paving slabs
- Having the cable RCD protected
- Earthing the steel armour
- Marking the cable on a plan
Anyway going back to your actual question - I believe you can run the cables but a sparky should do all the terminating and testing (including wiring into the back of sockets etc.) You could of course have him come and comission a simplified install and then you could modify the then existing work to your heart's content.
In practice, I have found finding a sparky who is interested in this type of work to be easier said than done - odd as I would think it would be quite nice easy work. I notice you're also in the NE - the tradesmen still don't seem to be feeling the effects of the oil slump.
I did similar last year for similar reasons, and I live in Edinburgh.
Effectively, we replaced a rather tatty patio at the bottom of the garden with a two level deck system that myself and father (in law) built. I installed LED deck lights into the deck tops. I also ran a line round the garden to fire some LED spot lights onto a couple of 'key' plants around the garden.
At the same time, I ran a power line around the perimeter of the garden. Notionally to cover a 13A socket at the deck, but also possibly a recirculating fountain and anything else I figured along the rest of the line.
Both these lines come of a standard B&Q Garage Consumer Unit in the basement. That consumer unit is fed by SWA from the main house consumer unit.
At the same time, I have a dedicated SWA running from the basement consumer unit to a hot tub that we installed on a third deck we built next to the house.
Depth of wiring; can't help as our wiring is currently running inside a boundary hedge tied to fence posts about 2ft off the ground and about 1ft into the hedge. I ran the SWA from the garage consumer unit, under the house (thankfully we have a full height full floor plan basement) back towards where all the wires come together beneath the main house consumer unit. We then had a Rated People sourced sparky come in and sign off / connect to the main consumer unit for us. Was not a huge amount of money, can't remember exactly how much.
Effectively, we replaced a rather tatty patio at the bottom of the garden with a two level deck system that myself and father (in law) built. I installed LED deck lights into the deck tops. I also ran a line round the garden to fire some LED spot lights onto a couple of 'key' plants around the garden.
At the same time, I ran a power line around the perimeter of the garden. Notionally to cover a 13A socket at the deck, but also possibly a recirculating fountain and anything else I figured along the rest of the line.
Both these lines come of a standard B&Q Garage Consumer Unit in the basement. That consumer unit is fed by SWA from the main house consumer unit.
At the same time, I have a dedicated SWA running from the basement consumer unit to a hot tub that we installed on a third deck we built next to the house.
Depth of wiring; can't help as our wiring is currently running inside a boundary hedge tied to fence posts about 2ft off the ground and about 1ft into the hedge. I ran the SWA from the garage consumer unit, under the house (thankfully we have a full height full floor plan basement) back towards where all the wires come together beneath the main house consumer unit. We then had a Rated People sourced sparky come in and sign off / connect to the main consumer unit for us. Was not a huge amount of money, can't remember exactly how much.
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