Cable under lawn

[burgensteen]

Hi, I want to run a cable under a lawn to a tree for fairy lights. The run is only about 10 feet from a wall.
I want to use an RCD plug into a normal socket so its classed as a portable appliance rather than hard wired in.
So I am assuming I need one of those outdoor boxes fixed to the wall (like they have at B&Q) that an external cable can be run to then inside the box connected to armoured cable (or more outdoor rated cable), then run under the grass in conduit (if I run in conduit how do I stop water ingress).

If anyone could advise how much of this is correct / incorrect and the regulations that need adhering to I would be most gratefull.

Thankyou for any constructive answers or advise but please dont shoot me down I'm only asking a question.

 

[winston1]

I want to use an RCD plug into a normal socket so its classed as a portable appliance rather than hard wired in.

Is your "normal socket" already RCD protected in the CU?

If so you don't need another RCD plug

then run under the grass in conduit (if I run in conduit how do I stop water ingress).

Use SWA under the lawn, not conduit, about 1 metre deep then there will be no water ingress.

 

[crystal ball]

1 metre, might as well keep going to Australia

 

[winston1]

1 metre, might as well keep going to Australia

That's another 1,199,999 metres approx then.

 

[ericmark]

so its classed as a portable appliance

That is less than 28 pounds in weight (unless fitted with wheels) and able to be carried, cable under lawn is clearly not classed as a portable appliance.

Try fitting even 1.5 mm² SWA into a 13 amp plug and you will realise it does not really fit, even with a 16 amp plug like used with caravans SWA does not fit easy. Likely you would need an adaptable box to change from SWA to flex, and then one has to ask why use a plug?

Some thing like a bird box on the tree to keep the socket away from brunt of weather and a 13 amp socket inside wired in SWA to the house consumer unit using a RBCO so if it trips it will not take out house, which is notifiable, so not economic to DIY the job. You don't give location, Wales and England have different rules.

 

[Tigercubrider]

If it's only 10 feet the buy outdoor fairy lights with a long low voltage (post transformer/psu) cable and house the mains by the house, the 12v or whatever underground?
I would hesitate to suggest it but doing open air festivals I have seen audio cables buried by use of a chainsaw as a trenching tool. I'd bury the light cable in a bit of garden hose.

You can hire a trenching tool- having dug an 18" deep trench by spade just for a water pipe and electrics I would hire
https://ksshire.co.uk/product/small-walk-behind-trencher/

 

[Taylortwocities]

I'd bury the light cable in a bit of garden hose.

Cowboy. What's that supposed to achieve, some sort of protection Ha ha ha.

buy outdoor fairy lights with a long low voltage (post transformer/psu) cable and house the mains by the house, the 12v or whatever underground?

But mains (230V) is low voltage.

A lawn is one of the worst places to bury electricity. Some unsuspecting person always comes along in the autumn and aerates the lawn. I've seen it done, it makes a big bang. If you're lucky it doesnt take Mr Lawnman with it.

Here's what you do

 

[Tigercubrider]

Cowboy. What's that supposed to achieve, some sort of protection Ha ha ha.




But mains (230V) is low voltage.



A lawn is one of the worst places to bury electricity. Some unsuspecting person always comes along in the autumn and aerates the lawn. I've seen it done, it makes a big bang. If you're lucky it doesnt take Mr Lawnman with it.

Here's what you do
View attachment 168866

Yes the hose is protection for a bit of glorified bell wire

Yes 240v is technically LV but I was referring to 12v DC on a DIY forum where this argument has been done to death

Which is why I suggested NOT burying a 240v cable or digging a whacking great trench for a set of fairy lights.

 

[conny]

The tree is 10' away from the wall. How tall is it? How about using a thin catenary wire at a suitable height?