Running a cable to an outside shed

Mustang · Nov 15, 2009

Hello people

Great forum! 1st post so bear with me.....

I hope someone can help me out and offer some advice. I want to run a cable from my house to my shed to provide a single socket in the shed to supply a freezer. The shed is about 2-3 metres away from the house.
Heres my questions.....

Is it ok to spur off from a 13A socket inside the house?
Also can you use 2.5mm T&E cable providing it is run in conduit from the house to the shed and buried at least 400mm deep?
I know this will need to be RCD protected so could i use one of those built-in RCD sockets in the shed?
Will I need to install a fused switch next to the socket?

Cheers for any help

Mac · Nov 15, 2009

Mustang said:
Hello people

Great forum! 1st post so bear with me.....

I hope someone can help me out and offer some advice. I want to run a cable from my house to my shed to provide a single socket in the shed to supply a freezer. The shed is about 2-3 metres away from the house.
Heres my questions.....

Is it ok to spur off from a 13A socket inside the house?

Also can you use 2.5mm T&E cable providing it is run in conduit from the house to the shed and buried at least 400mm deep?

I know this will need to be RCD protected so could i use one of those built-in RCD sockets in the shed?

Will I need to install a fused switch next to the socket?

Cheers for any help

1.Yes that's fine.I would put the FCU in the house.
2.I would use SWA cable if it's going to be buried.
3.Are the sockets in the house already RCD protected.
4.As above i would put the FCU in the house unless you need lights as well.
Oh and welcome to the forum

willosparky · Nov 15, 2009

if you have a socket in the house on an external wall near the shed, another option would be to drill though to outside and fit a water proof socket (wired with 2.5 t and e) and then from there take a 2.5 3 core swa over to the shed. using the brown as live, grey (marked blue) as neutral, and black (marked green/yellow) as earth. Cw glad kits should be used to glad the swa as they will be out side. If you are having lights in the shed then a switched fcu should be fitted next inline after the socket and fused down to 5A. fitting an rcd socket in the shed wouldn't be a good idear as if it trips u will not know it has done so until you go to the shed, therefore things in the freezer may ruin. if the ring in the house is rcd protected then fair enough, if not then there is no need to worry.

Mustang · Nov 15, 2009

Cheers Mac & Willowsparky, thats very helpful. My Consumer unit has an RCD on the main switch protecting all the sockets so do you think this would be ok?
I thought about using SWA cable, but I have heard from a few people that it is a real pain connecting this type of cable into the sockets and you need specialist tools. Do you know if this is true? If i do use SWA I assume that you dont need any extra mechanical protection i.e. conduit etc. Also would the socket inside the shed need to be of the metal type if using SWA?

willosparky · Nov 15, 2009

swa is fairly simple to use. all you need is a hacksaw and a couple of adjustable spanners. a metal clad socket in the shed would make the glanding of the swa easier. would save you having to drill a 20mm hole for the gland.

Mustang · Nov 16, 2009

Thanks Willowsparky. Think I will use the SWA cable then. Is 2.5mm SWA easy enough to terminate from another socket that is situated in the house? I know you said about fitting an external waterproof socket but my funds are limited!! Out of interest, if I was to use the normal 2.5mm T&E, could I run it through 20mm plastic conduit to the shed? Would this provide enough protection? Thanks again

willosparky · Nov 16, 2009

an mk masterseal socket for outside, can by picked up on ebay for around £35 maybe less. glanding the swa into the socet in the house would be alot harder than glanding in to an outside one. plus with the outside one it provides you with a power point in your garden which can be very handy. swa would be the best as T and E in 20 conduit (tube) would not have the mechanical protection that the regs require cable buried underground to have. Tube for example can easily be cut through with a spade etc. so can the t and e cable. Swa might cost slightly more but atleast you then know the job has been correctly and safely.
look at ebay item number 320449474990 (outside double socket)

Mustang · Nov 17, 2009

willosparky said:
an mk masterseal socket for outside, can by picked up on ebay for around £35 maybe less. glanding the swa into the socet in the house would be alot harder than glanding in to an outside one. plus with the outside one it provides you with a power point in your garden which can be very handy. swa would be the best as T and E in 20 conduit (tube) would not have the mechanical protection that the regs require cable buried underground to have. Tube for example can easily be cut through with a spade etc. so can the t and e cable. Swa might cost slightly more but atleast you then know the job has been correctly and safely.
look at ebay item number 320449474990 (outside double socket)

Thanks for the info Willowsparky,that double socket on ebay is a good find - much, much cheaper than other places i have looked. I'm gonna buy that and do what you have suggested.

willosparky · Nov 19, 2009

ok, make sure you remember the fused connection unit before the double socket, other wise you will have a spur fed via a spur which does not comply with regs and an electrician will pick up on it and charge you for him having to change it in the future if you ever get a new certificate for the wiring in your house.

electricAl · Nov 19, 2009

...or in your garden.

I wouldn`t concern yourself too much with such details so late on in the job. Not now you`ve gathered the necessary experience & knowledge to do the job - with Willowsparky egging you on. Great advice BTW m8

The fact that the work is notifiable, & really wants to be done (& deffo tested!) by someone with a clue seems to have gotten lost in cyberspace somewhere. Talk about making it compliant now is really quite amusingly absurd.

But, good luck all the same Mustang. I`m sure you`ll have given it your best shot. & thanks for the laugh

patricklondon · Nov 20, 2009

if it hurts when you hold it you know its live

willosparky · Nov 22, 2009

seams like he was going to do himself watever, so he may aswell do it in such away that complies with regs to save any hastle at a later date.

peteludman · Nov 22, 2009

make sure that the steal wire of swa is earthed

swa is fairly simple to use. all you need is a hacksaw and a couple of adjustable spanners. a metal clad socket in the shed would make the glanding of the swa easier. would save you having to drill a 20mm hole for the gland. and a nut and bolt to earth steal wire and a bit of earth wire and crimps.

you do need a few bits i think swa always takes longer than you think it a pain to do it properly.

patricklondon · Nov 22, 2009

seams like he was going to do himself watever, so he may aswell do it in such away that complies with regs to save any hastle at a later date.

not really too bothered but if hes not competant its not tested or certified then it doesnt comply with the regs then does it

Gerry24 · Nov 24, 2009

willosparky said:
if you have a socket in the house on an external wall near the shed, another option would be to drill though to outside and fit a water proof socket (wired with 2.5 t and e) and then from there take a 2.5 3 core swa over to the shed. using the brown as live, grey (marked blue) as neutral, and black (marked green/yellow) as earth. Cw glad kits should be used to glad the swa as they will be out side. If you are having lights in the shed then a switched fcu should be fitted next inline after the socket and fused down to 5A. fitting an rcd socket in the shed wouldn't be a good idear as if it trips u will not know it has done so until you go to the shed, therefore things in the freezer may ruin. if the ring in the house is rcd protected then fair enough, if not then there is no need to worry.

Just out of interest, would you be able to use 2 core SWA cable and use the armour as the cpc instead of using 3 core as described?

Mustang · Nov 24, 2009

Thankyou to Mac, willowsparky, Peteludman for your constructive comments-they are very helpful.

ElectricAl, for your information I live in Cyprus and as far as i know the regulations and notification concerning Part P do not apply here. I am a tradesman here in Cyprus with years of experience in the building trade in the UK and all I wanted was some information on how to complete this project to a high standard that the UK stipulates. As you may be aware the standard here in Cyprus is hardly of high quality/standards so I would rather do it myself. I can understand where you are coming from though if i was carrying out the work in the UK due to the laws. But I thought the point of this forum was to provide help and information to both qualified electricians and non-electricians.

Cheers