Cable jointing

[Alex.]

Just at the planning stage of providing power out to a new garden building. I've read lots of threads here about how to do it but I'm just not clear on one point. I'll run standard T&E to the corner of the house nearest the shed then change to armoured cable for the outdoor section. All the advice I've seen says that there should be a switch-fuse box at the joint, but that seems unnecessary when there's an MCB and RCD at the consumer unit. Wouldn't a simple junction box be adequate?

 

[piman]

Hello Alex,

I would agree with you, in fact that is how my house is wired with an external armoured cable into the house and twin and earth internally connected in a steel box.

Alec

 

[madkayaker]

Take the swa into the house. There ideally should be a point of isolation. Circuit protective device would only be needed if there was a change in conductor size. Swa has a higher current carrying capacity than twin 99% of time any way but if at all possible keep it the same siE

 

[Alex.]

There's been a development!! Since they heard about electricity in the garden other family members have been bringing up their own projects. So far these include 13A sockets in the greenhouse and a hot tub for heaven's sake. Assuming that these ideas actually happen, should I be thinking in terms of one large feed from the house CU to a smaller CU (still indoors) to supply all the outdoor needs via individual MCBs, or give each one a dedicated supply from the house CU? I imagine that a hot tub must come with pretty particular rules and regs??

 

[madkayaker]

All of the above is covered by part P so its time to get a decent registered spark involved.

Also start planning the bank robbery as while hot tubs are cheep to purchase the electrical use is HUDGE as it's basically the same as keeping a kettle running all the time

 

[jackjosh]

Just had mine done and the Armoured cable runs all the way to the house consumer unit and has an individual unit in the garage and workshop.

 

[dan.taylor.1]

Can you not get hot tubs that use a wood burner to heat the water? I realise the pumps are going to use some leccy still!

Dan

 

[madkayaker]

The issue you have is there is so much water to heat that if you don't keep it warm then the time taken to warm it up is long time. I forget he make involved but I once got called out to one that had gone faulty and parts had cracked (not frost damage) due to the thermal strange from frequent hot cold cycles as they left it cold and then tried to warm up a lot faster that you should with home made immersion elements!

 

[Alex.]

Aye right. Concerning Part P, is it still allowed for me to do the mucky bits of running cables under floors and through walls etc, leaving the professionals to do the testing/connecting/signing off?

 

[robocog]

For heating the hottub...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhD-7pw2Pv0&list=FLhsFsvMqPbhogzbvCoWX0Zg

Regards
Rob

 

[madkayaker]

Aye right. Concerning Part P, is it still allowed for me to do the mucky bits of running cables under floors and through walls etc, leaving the professionals to do the testing/connecting/signing off?

By rights the sparky should do the whole thing as he is taking responsibility for the whole thing. anything other than that is down to individual negotiation with your sparky. I have customers who i trust to do as i instruct them to do however if i had someone ring saying can you just connect this then they get a very short answer (as often there after a do it for a pint job and have used wrong stuff badly anyway)