Garden Wiring

[skamuk]

Hello, I am currently studying C&G 2365 L2 Electrical Installation at college and i'm doing really well so far..

I am going to install some sockets and lights in my mum's back garden but I need a little help.

At the moment the shed at the back of the house has SWA 2.5 cable spurring off an indoor socket and connecting to a socket and switched (standard ceiling rose) light within the shed.

I need to install 2 double sockets and 4 switched lighting features on a decking area...

I plan to run SWA 2.5 3 core to the decking area at the back of the garden, into a double socket, back out (again using SWA 2.5), and finishing into another double socket. Of course all sockets and switches are IP rated waterproof and I will be using correct glands when terminating.

I then plan to run outdoor rated flex 1.5 3 core from the first outdoor socket into 4 switches and from each of those switches into 4 different lighting features, in and around the decking. I have calculated that I will need around 20m of swa and another 20-25m of outdoor flex/hi-tuff, to give you a rough idea of the distance I will be running the cables..

Switch 1: will control 10 floor leds in the decking run by a 12v 20w driver.
Switch 2: a 150w halogen floodlight on the fence above the decking.
Switch 3: another 2 150w floodlights in a flower bed along the side of the garden.
Switch 4: not 100% decided yet but its between another 150w floodlight again on the fence above the decking or 2 led spotlights (unknown rating but can't be much)

The sockets will be running a 2000w max patio heater and occasionally a small stereo system, laptop charger, pump for inflating swimming pool etc. There is no grass so it won't be used for lawn mowers etc.

My main questions are:

1) Is the above setup correct
2) Do I need to install some sort of circuit breaker either within the shed or at the end of the garden. And if so will it be an RCD or a small consumer unit, how many amps etc. I don't mind doing either I just don't want to be running cable from the main consumer unit within the household.

Any help is much appreciated. I want to do this job as safe as possible. I would ask my teacher for advice but I am currently on half term.
Thanks, Danny.

 

[thekingiam]

1st are you part p registered
2 nd practicly every circuit in your house should be rcd protected.
3 rd outdoor rated flex is not realy adequate,would want swa or singles in conduit .
asking if you need a circuit breaker sounds like your doing something that your not competant to do.

 

[ashrow]

L2 apprentice would know what they should be doing and also that unless Part P registered should not be doing anything unless they inform the LBA

 

[skamuk]

1st are you part p registered
2 nd practicly every circuit in your house should be rcd protected.
3 rd outdoor rated flex is not realy adequate,would want swa or singles in conduit .
asking if you need a circuit breaker sounds like your doing something that your not competant to do.

I am not part p registered. I will be carrying out all work but a fully qualified electrician is going to test and inspect it for me before it goes live. I just can't afford to pay him to install it. I know I need a circuit breaker but its what type and where I should be locating it.. I'm clearly not a competent electrician that is why I am asking people for help here on this forum.

Why is the outdoor flex not adequate? the lights usually come pre-packed with this cable? I will run conduit and singles if I have to, but I believe the flex will be fine.

I assume you are a professional so please inform me of what is right and wrong.

Thanks for your reply!

 

[skamuk]

L2 apprentice would know what they should be doing and also that unless Part P registered should not be doing anything unless they inform the LBA

I'm not an apprentice so therefore I am not out there working with electricians every day. This task will give me some good experience that will help me learn.

 

[thekingiam]

so is he going to test the original installation before you start work?

 

[valleybilly]

As you live there you can do wtf u like :coolgleamA:

 

[skamuk]

so is he going to test the original installation before you start work?

What original installation? the downstairs sockets circuit? The spur to the shed was installed by a fully qualified electrician a year or two ago. He also handed over paperwork upon installing and testing. All circuits present at the moment are protected by RCD.. This is why I need to know if a further RCD is needed to protect the circuit from the outside. Its all going to run on the already protected downstairs circuit

 

[Thefailsafe2012]

Where are you running your supply's from? It's sounding like your going to be spurring off spurs?

 

[skamuk]

As you live there you can do wtf u like :coolgleamA:

What, on planet earth? Where do you live then?

 

[skamuk]

Where are you running your supply's from? It's sounding like your going to be spurring off spurs?

It seems like I will be, yes. Is it not ok to do that, or does it have to be in the ring circuit? I just thought It is equivalent to just having an 8 socket extension lead with all of these things plugged into it.. or installing another 6 or 8 double sockets in the shed?

I can run a ring circuit if necessary, i'd just like to understand why i'd need to first.

Basically the order of everything that exists now is like this: Consumer unit > RCD > MCB B32 (Separate from kitchen sockets) > sockets > back to CU. From one of these sockets is SWA 2.5 3-core cable to the shed.

Thanks for your reply

 

[Octopus]

No decent scheme member would sign off another persons work.

 

[skamuk]

No decent scheme member would sign off another persons work.

But he's decent enough to do me a favour as a friend. Why can't anyone help? Rather than criticise??! I'll end up running an extension lead in a bin bag at this rate!

 

[Thefailsafe2012]

It seems like I will be, yes. Is it not ok to do that, or does it have to be in the ring circuit? I just thought It is equivalent to just having an 8 socket extension lead with all of these things plugged into it.. or installing another 6 or 8 double sockets in the shed?

Ah, it's not ok, those 8 socket extension leads are protected by one 13a fuse,your additional sockets and lights are protected by a 32a breaker. Check your tables to see what the maximum current your cables can take?

 

[Guest55]

No decent scheme member would sign off another persons work.

Yet in about 8 months time , the planned changes to the part p scheme will almost certainly allow 3 rd party testing by someone not involved in the original work

 

[thekingiam]

just reading post again ,are you intending on feeding outside sockets via spur from shed? as a spur off aspur is not allowed.
is shed light connected to fcu then into socket or has it got it's own circuit?
have you calculated volt drop?if original circuit can take the added loads?

 

[Octopus]

Yet in about 8 months time , the planned changes to the part p scheme will almost certainly allow 3 rd party testing by someone not involved in the original work

Thats not now though and all it will do is open the door to substandard cost cutting installs with all sorts of horrors hidden under floors, behind plaster and in lofts!

 

[ashrow]

Then do that (it will sweat and then rust and then cause faults)
Honestly no part p member would sign off anothers work unless requested by the LBCA
If you are not part P, inform LBCA and pay their fees, they will then send someone else to check and then sign off the works

 

[thekingiam]

you lot type to fast.

 

[Guest55]

As a non part p spark i just like stirring things up
he-he.