Shed socket

[Pensdown]

Buried cables shall be buried at a sufficient depth to avoid being damaged by any reasonably foreseeable disturbance of the ground

I wish more people would read and understand the regs rather than quote guide lines which are not site specific.

IMO for a domestic shed supply 450mm ish under a lawn is OK, under a patio it’s over the top and under a flower bed/vegetable plot it’s not deep enough.

And with modern cables what is the point of the sand? As long as the cable is zig zaged down the trench there will be enough slack to take up any undulations when it’s back filled.

 

[ColJack]

that line was a direct quote from the regulation.. not a guideline..

unless I've misconstrude your comment and it was in fact a positive coment...

the sand AFAIK is to prevent sharp stones and such from damaging the outer sheath and allowing water to drain away faster.. at those depths, the ground tends to "heave" a little during cold spells when the ground freezes....

patio's are laid on top of 12 inches or so of compacted hardcore (or should be if laid right ) so lots of sharp bricks and such being vibrated down onto the cable..
also, who's to say it will remain a patio.. new owners may decide to dig it up and re-lawn it, and those pickaxes (or mini diggers if they're posh ) don't take prisoners..

and pensdown, there's no need to shout and be bullyish about this.. so please don't use huge bold letters in future..

 

[Pensdown]

unless I've misconstrude your comment and it was in fact a positive coment...

You did Your post was positive because you quoted the regs and not guidelines

the sand AFAIK is to prevent sharp stones and such from damaging the outer sheath and allowing water to drain away faster.. at those depths, the ground tends to "heave" a little during cold spells when the ground freezes....

Maybe for a lead sheathed 11kV cable but for a domestic XLPE SWA cable?

patio's are laid on top of 12 inches or so of compacted hardcore (or should be if laid right ) so lots of sharp bricks and such being vibrated down onto the cable..

Maybe, so if that's the case 200mm should do?

also, who's to say it will remain a patio.. new owners may decide to dig it up and re-lawn it, and those pickaxes (or mini diggers if they're posh ) don't take prisoners..

So a tape 50mm from the surface should alert the driver?

and pensdown, there's no need to shout and be bullyish about this.. so please don't use huge bold letters in future

On my screen it was italics because your post was a quote from the regs?

 

[securespark]

IF your going to post - get it right

Surely this should read,

"IF you're going to post, get it right."

 

[ban-all-sheds]

patio's are laid on top of 12 inches or so of compacted hardcore (or should be if laid right ) so lots of sharp bricks and such being vibrated down onto the cable..

Is that really what's needed for a patio?

I walk around on mine, and put garden furniture on it, a BBQ, and now and then a workmate, not park a car.

12" of compacted hardcore? Hmmmmm........

 

[saxondale]

IF your going to post - get it right

Surely this should read,

"IF you're going to post, get it right."

LOL

yours sounds all resigned and defeated

 

[ban-all-sheds]

And with modern cables what is the point of the sand? As long as the cable is zig zaged down the trench there will be enough slack to take up any undulations when it’s back filled.

Even better

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Marker tape only required for regional electric board cables, not a requirement for own cables.
450mm is the required depth.

What a strange combination of statements.

Firstly, people are allowed to exceed minimum required standards, so even if warning tape is not required, are you really going to advise against it, and not accept that it's a BGI, even if not required?

Secondly, if you're so keen on only doing what the regulations "require", can you show us where they say that 450mm is the "required" depth?

 

[ColJack]

I thought electrical ducting had to be orange? to identify mains?

 

[RF Lighting]

Thats not what my DNO uses

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I thought electrical ducting had to be orange? to identify mains?

NJUG guideline is black duct and black cables. (Possibly red cable for HV).

Orange ducting is for street lighting and traffic control cables.

See Table 5.3 in GN1.

 

[Stoday]

I thought electrical ducting had to be orange? to identify mains?

I can tell you the story behind that.

There was a British Standard for colours of pipes Yellow gor gas, orange for electricity, red for HP steam, blue for water etc. Then one day in the 1970's someone got killed because he confused the colours of gas and electricity where they connected a house. It was then decided by the electricity and gas boards (as they were then) that electricity would be black and gas remain yellow.

 

[securespark]

I can see immediately how that will prevent any confusion in the future.