24/7 power to shed on a temporary basis - alternative to using cable reel extension

[OccasionalBodger]

I've been running an extension up to my shed and am looking for something a little more convienient (but not permanent)
I'm looking to be able to have 24/7 power up the shed for the odd week at a time but in between that I have no need for power up there
I've been thinking of caravan sites when people roll up in their home-away-from-home and 'hook up' and am wondering if I could not do something similar for my shed.

The shed wiring
One of these inside the shed - http://www.screwfix.com/p/13a-2-gang-single-pole-switch-socket-metal-clad/69127
wired up to one of these outside the shed - http://www.screwfix.com/p/abb-surface-plug-16a-2p-e-250v-6h-ip44/6490f
with standard 2.5mm twin and earth in metal conduit

Preferably I'll source some IP67 rated connectors rather than the ones on screwfix

The extension cord
One of these female connectors http://www.screwfix.com/p/abb-connector-16a-2p-e-250v-6h-ip44/4663f
Wired up to 2.5mm SWA cable http://www.screwfix.com/p/prysmian-lv-armoured-6943x-3-core-cable-2-5mm-x-25m-black/38769
(Brown as live, grey as neutral (sleeved blue) and black as earth (sleeved green and yellow))
On the other end, one of these - http://www.screwfix.com/p/masterplug-rcd-plug/44855
(so if for some reason the cable is damaged it'll trip and it's fused, so will blow in the unlikely event I overload it)

Then I'd just run the cable convieniently around the outside edge of the garden (unfixed) and into the house and into an available socket for the odd week of so when I'm after 24/7 power down there - mainly when I have a project on the go.

Arguably, if this is not a viable alternative to permanent power (which I do not need) then I'll simply end up running a standard 25 meter cable reel extension with RCD into the shed around the outside edge of the garden instead... I just thought making my own armoured extension cable with convienient commando sockets on the shed would be an all round safer solution on the off chance that I do decide to put a spade through the cable...

Roughly it'd be around £80 and minimal hassle compared to £300+ for a permanent cable which I don't need - If I was up in the shed day in day out I'd get it done in a heartbeat but I'm not, I'm there the odd weekend and evening intermittently through the year when I am working on a project but the rest of the time.... it's just storage

Cheers

 

[sparkwright]

Why not just wire the shed up properly? With SWA cable between the house, and everything else to regulations?

I imagine most people hardly use the electrics in their sheds, but once it's done permanently and properly you'll never have to worry about power in there again.

 

[flameport]

SWA cable cannot be properly connected to either the plug or socket linked to - it is physically to large for the RCD plug, and there is nothing to connect the armour to in either the RCD plug or the 16A socket.

 

[winston1]

Is there already RCD protection in the house? If so you don't need an RCD plug on your lead.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Roughly it'd be around £80 and minimal hassle compared to £300+ for a permanent cable which I don't need

Why do you think a permanent solution would cost so much more?

 

[EFLImpudence]

Fundamental flaw -

I've been thinking of caravan sites when people roll up in their home-away-from-home and 'hook up' and am wondering if I could not do something similar for my shed.

Yes, you could.

A properly installed underground supply to a point near, or even inside, your shed for you to 'hook up'.

 

[JohnW2]

IOne of these female connectors .... Wired up to 2.5mm SWA cable .... On the other end, one of these - http://www.screwfix.com/p/masterplug-rcd-plug/44855

Have I got this right? Are you thinking of connecting an RCD plug to SWA?? .... or have I misunderstood??

Kind Regards, John

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Are you thinking of connecting an RCD plug to SWA?? .... or have I misunderstood??

Yes and no.

 

[OccasionalBodger]

I get the impression the consensus is to stop being a tight b****** and get a permanent supply installed

Cheers

 

[Risteard]

I get the impression the consensus is to stop being a tight b****** and get a permanent supply installed

Cheers

Indeed. Your proposals are entirely cringeworthy and many aspects of them also unsafe. I suppose it suits your username though.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

OB - if the cable run you thought you'd use would be safe for "temporary" use then it would be safe for permanent use. In which case I don't see why a permanent solution would cost so much more.

If, OTOH, it isn't suitable for permanent use then it is equally unsuitable for your "temporary" supply, in which case I don't see why a temporary one would cost so much less.

 

[OccasionalBodger]

Well, I currently have a ~£25 25 meter extension cable running from the house to the shed but I've now a need to leave this connected for a few nights on the odd occasion.

I had a quote for power to be fitted around the £250 mark if I dug all the trenching in preparation.

Arguably, I'm looking at this from a cost-benefit point of view and well, the extension cable suits me just fine. I just wish it at least had some 'armour' to it 'just in case' it is damaged so it'd at least be less likely to severe (but of course would still need replacing)

Off the back of what I know now I'll just stick to the £25 extension lead and on the odd occasion it'll just be left out to the elements - it suits me fine, just wish it had that little extra protection against the elements and a single mishap.

Just dreaming - an armoured extension cable - seems preferable to an unarmoured one.

 

[flameport]

I had a quote for power to be fitted around the £250 mark if I dug all the trenching in preparation.

The SWA cable you have mentioned already is suitable, so the only cost extra is the trench for the cable - which you intended to dig yourself anyway.

At the shed end the cable can be connected directly into that metalclad socket. You will need a suitable SWA gland, but that is far cheaper than the blue 16A connectors which you would not need.
At the house, another SWA gland and a small enclosure to connect it to, plus a short piece of flex to connect to the RCD plug you intended to use anyway.