Is it permitted to fit an outdoor socket on an external wall or is it a special location.
Circuit is rcd protected.
Circuit is rcd protected.
Part P outdoor socket
- Thread starter AndyPRK
- Start date
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Any electrical work is 'permitted', provided it complies with Part P (i.e. is done safely) and, if notifiable, is notified.
Provided it is connected to an existing circuit (i.e. does not involve creating a 'new circuit'), installing an outdoor socket is not notifiable in England. As far as the notification rules are concerned, the only 'special locations' are the zones of a bathroom/ shower room.
You would be advised to fit a DP isolator indoors in the feed to the socket, so that you can isolate it if it fills up with water and trips the RCD (killing the rest of bthe circuit, and probably others).
You may get some flak by talking about a "Part P socket", given that "Part P" is one sentence essentially saying that all domestic electrical work has to be done safely (in such a way as to not create danger of injury or fire)
Kind Regards, John
Yes I plan to fit a dp isolator.
Thanks for the reply.
Thanks for the reply.
Just to say that it used to be notifiable (still is in Wales) because it was 'outside power' and a 'special installation'; not because outside was a 'special location'.
It's not supposed to make sense.
It's not supposed to make sense.
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Sorry I posted using my phone and was lazy with the subject etc.
You knew what I meant though.
Soz
You knew what I meant though.
Soz
As already mentioned, Part P of the building regulation, when undertaking domestic electrical must be adhered to.
Under those regulations and in accordance to BS7671 an outside socket can be installed on an external wall.
Outdoors is not considered a special location but the location does present a risk, so reasonable precautions should be made to reduce that risk.
England and Wales have a different format with regards to notifiable work (not a clue why, electrically?).
But in England an outside socket, taken from an existing socket circuit is permitted without the need to notify the work, but the work should still be inspected, tested and at least a minor works certificate completed.
The electrons in Wales are far more energetic ( comes from climbing up and down all those mountains ) and can therefore jump over higher insulation than the English electrons can jump over. Hence regulations have to be stricter in Wales.
That's an interesting question. One can but assume that someone, or some organisation, in Wales were not happy about the major relaxations of notification requirements which happened in England in April 2013, and therefore decided to stick with the original rules (which meant that far more work was notifiable), at least 'for the time being'.
There's nothing surprising about that view. There are plenty of electricians (and quite possibly organisations) in England who feel that the 2013 relaxations were 'wrong'. What I find more difficult to understand is what individual(s) or organisation(s) in Wales would have both the expert knowledge and authority to bring about the decision not to implement the amended legislation in Wales. Maybe eric can give us some insight into that?
Kind Regards, John
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