is this ok?

[nabby68]

I wish to connect three outdoor uplighters for use around a garden pond.
I will be using 4mm swa with the run being about 10 meters. My question is can i take the feed for this from a socket inside the house which is on an outside wall, of course using a 3amp switched fcu or is it good practice to go straight from the cu?
The cu has rcbo protection.

 

[plugwash]

sounds fine to me. use a metalclad FCU for easier termination of the armoured cable and if the ring isn't already on a rcd use a rcd fcu (toolstation do metalclad rcd fcus if your having trouble sourcing one).

 

[nabby68]

thanks plugwash. The metalclad fcu you mention, is this switched?

and if the cu has a rcbo then do i need rcd protection?

 

[plugwash]

since you have a rcbo protecting the ring you don't need a seperate rcd so just use a normal metaclad switched FCU

have you given any thought to how you are going to connect the armoured cable to the lights?

 

[nabby68]

would prefer the switch for the lights to be outside so i may have to use an ip rated switched fcu, which can also take swa, any ideas?

have you given any thought to how you are going to connect the armoured cable to the lights?

well i thought i would take the feed to an ip rated jb and feed from there.

 

[plugwash]

yeah IP rated plastic enclosures are generally ok for SWA you have to make sure the banjo earthing is good though as you don't have the box as an extra earthing route.

if you wan't the switch outside then i'd be inclined to use an unswitched plastic FCU inside then through the wall to an IP rated switch. Whilst you can get IP rated fused connection units you tend to have to open a cover to switch them on and off which i can imagine getting rather annoying

 

[nabby68]

ok, so from the socket inside to a 3a fcu with 2.5mm then through the wall with 1.0mm to the ip rated switch and from there with swa?

and what did you think of my idea for wiring the lights?
could you point me to a relevant website where i can find the necessary equipment i have heard that tlc are quite good

 

[plugwash]

sounds ok 4mm SWA seems a bit overkill. on the other hand the small sizes of SWA can be bloody awkward to terminate (the combination of thin cores and XPLE insulation is a horror to strip).

an IP rated plastic adaptable box seems like a reasonable way to junction off to the lights and then plastic compression glands for the flexes to the lights (its probablly not practical to use armoured for this bit and as long as the flexes are short and the lights obvious its unlikely they will get dug through). Do the lights come with flex on already? if not what kind of termination do they provie for the flex.

TLC are ok and fast to deliver but they are a little on the pricey side.

 

[nabby68]

plugwash wrote:

Do the lights come with flex on already? if not what kind of termination do they provie for the flex.

I have not personally seen the lights yet but i have been told that they do have their own flex.
also, if i was to take the swa to a jb then would i be best taking swa to each light to another jb (for each light) and then connect up via the flex from the light and the swa . how hard or easy would this be?
and the first jb would need to be a 4way and be able to accomadate swa, is this possible?

 

[Steve]

Yes, some of those junction boxes can handle 5-6 cables terminated with glands (though rather cramped). Why not daisy chain the junction boxes rather than the way you suggest.

 

[nabby68]

crafty wrote: Yes, some of those junction boxes can handle 5-6 cables terminated with glands (though rather cramped). Why not daisy chain the junction boxes rather than the way you suggest.

sounds like a good idea. that would mean on each jb would be swa in and swa and flex out ?

could you point me to website where i may find all the equipment needed, particularly the jb's

 

[Qedelec]

Connecting to the banjo's can present problems as adding a screw through the plasic box introduces another breach that has to be sealed.
I find soldering a tail of earth wire to the tag provides the perfect solution.
Obviously this can be done off site and with a large iron or torch.