Should I bother following all the relevant regulations (Fused Isolators, 10mm cable, RCD's etc), or just bury a bit of old cable and attach it to one of the £9.99 RCD plugs from B+Q.
If you suspect that you or anyone else might dig in the area near the cable, then, in my opinion you MUST use an armoured cable, regardless if you bury it or hang it like a washing line or whatever between (fastened to pegs hammered into the ground). Beyond that, you can either wire it to your distribution board (via a fused box) or simply plug it into a socket (maybe via an RCB).
I wasn't keen on using the armoured stuff, as it looks a bit complicated joining it to other wire. I was t'inking of putting it in some of that placky conduit from Wickes and burying it quite deep( about a 18inches-2 foot).
Its ony gonna run a few low wattage items in the proposed shabeen.
Getting on for 25 years ago I strung some 75' of 6mm twin and earth from my gutter bracket down to my shed. Aside from the support of a tree in the centre, that's it.
I have a 15a switch at each end and the cable is totally unprotected throughout its length. It survived the '87 hurricane and looks like it's good for years yet.
Don't involve officialdom or they are likely to condem yer shed,or start charging you extra councill tax forrit. Of course another good way is to tap yer supply off a nearby streetlamp,saves yer a few bob that does.
AS someone else put, proper wire armoured is the best. If you just stick a bit of 6 milli twin and earth in a bit pipe it will do fine.
You can also pop a bit phone line in too while you're at it. Its practically free and if you ever want a phone out there, no prob.
Only one thing. DON'T put the cable in a pipe desigbed for other services ie gas or water. Someone may cut it with the wrong tool one day and get zapped. Just get some cheap service ducting or plastic white leccy conduit and use that.
Don't go down the route of burying, it keep it obvious, if asked its a tempory supply, because temporary supplies do not need to be to in full compliance with the regs, just fusing at below the current capacity of the cable a bit of support and properly connected at each end. RCD is optional but sensible.
Hmm, then relocate yer shed right next to your kitchen window. Added advantage that yer can also route a water pipe next to the electric cable. Oh and a gas pipe. Hmm, might need to think that through a bit more.
Also yer wife won't have to shout so loudly when yer tea's ready.
Move all yer plant pots, lawn mower, weedkiller, plant feeds, watering cans, tools and implements, the whole kit 'n' kaboodle, move the bloody lot into yer spare bedroom wot already has perfectly serviceable electrical sockets in the walls, light bulbs above, and nice chintz curtains. Oh, and it has a proper bathroom next door which beats a slash in the compost heap any day.
Paint the walls brown or line 'em with rough cut wood, if yer miss the shed-like ambience. Build a pulley system outside the window so yer can lower yer gardening tools down when yer need 'em. A much more worthy project for a man of your talents than diggin' some wanky channel for a power cable, methinks. Think of the admiring looks you'll get!
Nope, nothing like. You'll need both. An RCD (residual current device) detects any electricity not flowing through the chosen apparatus (which could be flowing to ground through a person) and switches off. A fuse (or more recently a Master Circuit Breaker) allows a pre-determined amount of current before blowing or tripping.
You can get things called RCBO's(dunno what that stands for) which are a combined RCD and Circuit breaker. Hope this helps.
If you want to do it yourself try to get a length of cable in the old colours, easier to keep nosey bloody authorities happy if you that as you can tell them you did it before the new regs came in. Don't forget the network cable as wireless is crap down a garden and who knows what you can run down that in the future. Think it's about time I had a new luxury hideaway at bottom of garden and this new Part P is a damned nuisance. Had a chat with friendly electrician about putting power in and as it's a long garden he started going on about bloody earthing rods. Might just get local farmer to put trench in down under borders, but problem with that is the ultimate authority round here i.e the missis.
If it's on the boundary you might need building regs. Don't tell planning anything, if you want to put an extension in later they might count the shed as part of new development. You never know what tricks they will pull just to p1ss you off.
Thanks for the tips, I did want to gain the "authority" of the planning dept, I guess to save the hassle of the worry- they said the proposed building is exempt- I guess 'cos its 5m away from the house and under a certain size and % of the garden size.
Scouting on the web, it looks like it'll be exempt from building regs, as it's under 30m squared.
It's gotta be big enough for the surf board, the tools, bit of a work bench and amsterdam booth I'm building.
Already the ginge is hassling me about the garden space it'll take up.
I found a website called diynot.com that was really useful for this sort of thing. If you have a gander in the electrical forums your project is discussed regularly.
If it was me I would spend the money and go for armoured cable and bury it deep and also get a small consumer unit for the shed. You can get purpose made ones for just this sort of job that will come with the mcbs etc and give you peace of mind. Shouldn't cost more than £100 all up for the bits and pieces. As already linked to above Screwfix seems to be the cheapest place I have found, even better with their next day delivery.
