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Discuss Regulations on running electrical cable to power garden in the Electrical Wiring, Theories and Regulations area at ElectriciansForums.net

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Hi all,

I'm looking at electrifying my garden buildings: a garage a couple of metres from the house with concrete ground inbetween, then a workshop/office 20m away at the bottom of the garden, plus a couple of sockets/lights on the way.

I will absolutely have a registered electrician in to do this work as I'm in no way qualified or competent.

However, I wanted to know in advance of that what the regulations are for situating the cable?

We had the house rewired at the start of this year, so there's already an un-connected thick black armoured cable from (near) the consumer unit to near the garage. When this is connected, will it need to be buried in the concrete to run to the garage? What about running down the garden, is it a buried job or what's the plan?

If anyone can point me to the right point in the regulations or has their own views, I'd be much obliged.

Many thanks,
Rob
 
does not have to be buried,you can run it along say a garden wall in a discrete manner and dont mind seeing it, last one i did on a wall, customer painted to match the stone! fences are not ideal as could come down in wind and drag cable with it, also the weight of the armoured cable could damage standard fence panels.
if buried it has to be sufficiently deep to prevent damage, which is a bit subjective and dependant on whether you will be walking around putting a garden fork in the ground.
 
What is the route of the existing SWA cable to the garage?
Why was this not kept in place when the re-wire was done?
 
there's already an un-connected thick black armoured cable from (near) the consumer unit to near the garage.
How big? there will be a size stamped on it.

Just because its a cable, dont assume its going to be big enough.
Whats the load, what's going in the workshop? MIG welder, lathe, engine hoist, hot tub, electric shower and heating suck a lot of amps, and 20 metres is quite a distance if the load is substantial.
You need to calc the total expected max load, your electrician can then tell you if the supplied cable, and its connection, is going to be sufficient to meet your expectations.
 
Thanks all.

Spoon, to answer your question: the existing wiring for the garage and the workshop was an indoor (flat and grey) cable run through the air off the back of an upstairs socket. The existing wiring for the workshop was an indoor cable along the surface of the flowerbeds, connected where needed to other cables using indoor (non-waterproof) junction boxes. This is the reason why none of this was kept when I had the house re-wired by a professional!

The guy that did the house supplied the cable that's ready to be used (the one I mentioned earlier), so I assume he's calculated what will be needed based on the distance that he's seen as he'll be doing the outside work too.

My own plan is not to have any high energy usage workshop equipment, but to use it more as an office or 'den'. An electric heater may be used down there though. If future owners want to run more than that I guess they can get it re-wired!

Thanks Gavin for your note about not needing to bury it. Hmm there is no wall running the length of the garden, however there are concrete fenceposts... perhaps joining to these near their base would work as a plan to suggest to the electrician carrying out the work?
 
I'm looking at electrifying my garden buildings: a garage a couple of metres from the house with concrete ground inbetween, then a workshop/office 20m away at the bottom of the garden, plus a couple of sockets/lights on the way.

I will absolutely have a registered electrician in to do this work as I'm in no way qualified or competent.

However, I wanted to know in advance of that what the regulations are for situating the cable?

We had the house rewired at the start of this year, so there's already an un-connected thick black armoured cable from (near) the consumer unit to near the garage. When this is connected, will it need to be buried in the concrete to run to the garage? What about running down the garden, is it a buried job or what's the plan?
with out seeing the job who no's it will be down to the spark to design it and test it.
 
Hi Rob - cables may be buried, surface mounted or mounted on a catenary wire, it's really up to you and your Electrician. But in all cases it needs to be safe and suitable for use in that way.
 
I'm always very suspicious of members who prevent others from viewing their profile, and previous activity.

In answer to your question - there are a number of considerations regarding outdoor cables, routing, burying, over head etc that all need to be considered.

Best idea is to get a couple of local sparks to come and take a look ...
 
I'm always very suspicious of members who prevent others from viewing their profile, and previous activity.

I didn't know you could to that.....
Regulations on running electrical cable to power garden upload_2018-8-9_18-49-34 - EletriciansForums.net
Why someone would do this, I have no idea.
 
I didn't know you could to that.....
View attachment 43674
Why someone would do this, I have no idea.
Probably due to the fact that they have no quals or electrical experience, and are just chancers, at least there are some members who, when asked what electrical quals they have, answer with All of them, lots, enough, c&gs, a few, etc you get the picture?
 
I'm always very suspicious of members who prevent others from viewing their profile, and previous activity.

I'm confused if this is referring to me as the OP or not...

If it is, I've not changed any settings in my account to do this and I've already explicitly stated I'm not qualified or competent to carry out electrical work... o_O

Anyway, thanks for all the responses everyone! :)
 

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