SWA to Garden Outbuilding

[Giuliano Besenzi]

Gents

I need to run 10mm SWA to building at the end of the garden, the electrician suggests clipping it direct to the fence concrete post which are solid enough and says is permissable as digging a trench is not an option. I am concerned about the UV issue, the support element as the posts are 6ft apart.

I have asked him could it be run in galvanised conduit as this would solve the UV and support problem but he says that he has never done this and is a waste of time.

Could I ask you guys for your opininion on this.
Thanks

 

[westward10]

Saves on cleats.

 

[Silly Sausage]

Use some heavy gauge cable tray.

That was my first thought.
How about stuffing the cable into unistrut?

 

[Pete999]

Saves on cleats.

What you save on cleats, you will spend more on trying to stuff some SWA into some conduit that's to small and unnecessary. Hence the disagree.

 

[westward10]

What you save on cleats, you will spend more on trying to stuff some SWA into some conduit that's to small and unnecessary. Hence the disagree.

Was said in jest Pete.

 

[westward10]

That was my first thought.
How about stuffing the cable into unistrut?

Unistrut crossed my mind also.

 

[Toneyz]

Unistrut crossed my mind also.

Still, think it is an expensive way of doing it. Not saying that there is anything wrong with the method.

 

[Toneyz]

Unistrut crossed my mind also.

Still, think it is an expensive way of doing it. Although nothing wrong with the method.

 

[casperLennon]

Does it have to be swa if using conduit?

 

[Cid]

No need for conduit with SWA. If you're going to have conduit then there is no need for swa. Especially for domestic

 

[Pete999]

No need for conduit with SWA. If you're going to have conduit then there is no need for swa. Especially for domestic

Or any other type of installation come to that.

 

[sparksburnout]

Use some heavy gauge cable tray.

That's going to look lovely down the blokes garden innit?

 

[Giuliano Besenzi]

Not sure you will pull a three core 10.0mm swa through 25mm tube over 22m.

Probably not but if its done in sections it might work, anyway its something I would need to do cos sparky wont. Thanks for all your input Westward. To summarise I think that there is nothing against running in conduit if its possible and providing the conduit is further supported between posts but the conduit is not really necessary, would you say thats about right Westward?

No need for conduit with SWA. If you're going to have conduit then there is no need for swa. Especially for domestic

That sounds interesting, could use conduit suitably supported near the baseboard of the fence and run 10mm single conductors, if they exist, do they. Run to the shed is fairly straight.

 

[westward10]

That's going to look lovely down the blokes garden innit?

Can grow a clematis along it.

 

[45140]

Why is burying it not an option ??

 

[Baker1988]

Personally this sounds to me like there is no electrician involved and you are just gonna do all this your self. An electrician will/should come and test and sign this off and if he is not happy with how you have ran the cable then he will not sign it off so if you are not happy with the advice from your “current electrician” find another one. Either way don’t run swa in conduit it’s pointless use a different cable if you are set on useing conduit which it seems to me you are.

 

[Wilko]

Hi - I don't fix cables to wood fences as I've seen too many damaged through storm, neglect or neighbour's action. Are you sure the fence is yours and sits on your land?

 

[sparksburnout]

Why is burying it not an option ??

Cos it's f****g hard work and/or £££££'s

 

[Giuliano Besenzi]

Personally this sounds to me like there is no electrician involved and you are just gonna do all this your self. An electrician will/should come and test and sign this off and if he is not happy with how you have ran the cable then he will not sign it off so if you are not happy with the advice from your “current electrician” find another one. Either way don’t run swa in conduit it’s pointless use a different cable if you are set on useing conduit which it seems to me you are.

I will not be doing it myself as I do realise I am not qualified and needs to be signed off. However, as you will see in my original post, alarms started ringing when the electrician said clip it to the concrete post which are 6ft apart, he made no mention of additional support between the post. I am glad I posted on this forumn because I now know that additional support is required at 400mm intervals and should not be attached to my fence, which is mine. When I suggested conduit it was purely to find a way that was acceptable and to add additional support, I now know conduit is not necessary. Clearly this sparky is not up to scratch and if I had not posed the question I would be none the wiser. I appreciate all the advice given by professionals on this forum and thank them for it. I will now be seeking another sparky.

 

[Deleted member 26818]

I would probably just lay the cable on the ground next to the fence.
No need to worry about fixing distances then.

 

[sparksburnout]

I would probably just lay the cable on the ground next to the fence.
No need to worry about fixing distances then.

Exactly. Why make a drama out of it. I have done it like that loads of times, it's armoured cable, the clue is in the name. The original sparky obviously thought the same.