Wiring new SWA outdoor circuit

[Rothman]

Hi all,

I’m currently in the process of a rear extension being completed on my house, and I’m at the point of sorting my electrical circuits out. As this is all being covered under notifiable works to be signed off by the building inspector I figured doing every single circuit now and getting a local company to provide test and inspection via an EICR to meet with Part P requirements is the best way to go. Building control have confirmed that this is acceptable.

In with these circuits I want to run a new outdoor circuit using SWA cable coming off a 40A RCBO from the consumer unit, which I want to use to power a hot tub next to the house and a small shed circuit at the top of the garden 25-30m away.

For now, my shed circuit wouldn’t be ready to go quite yet so I would need to terminate it into a junction box up the top of the garden until it’s ready. So at some point I would need to use building control again in future when I come to do that work, but that’s by the by.

Would my best option to be to run the SWA to a junction box where I can take individual supplies to a 32A isolator for the hot tub and another run up the garden, buried, to the shed supply?

Also, what would be recommended as a suitable outdoor junction box for tapping off 2 separate supplies, potentially with 16-25mm SWA?

Basically I'm just after people's recommendations, or ideas based on what they've done themselves.

Thanks.

 

[John D v2.0]

You might want to check out this thread https://www.diynot.com/diy/threads/armored-cable.504133/
To get an idea about what is about to happen

 

[Rothman]

Sorry but as usual I've gained nothing from that thread, as is the case with most electrical threads where people start getting p*ssy and resort to sh*t-flinging and one-upping each other. I lost interest after the second page unfortunately.

I know this is a very difficult task to ask for an electrical thread but I'm just keen to hear what people have done for their outside circuits. I've already taken on board the efforts involved with glanding, providing an adequate earth, providing circuit protection etc. etc. Nothing is going to be bodged, I'm not after the cheapest/quickest options. That isn't the point of this thread.

 

[Risteard]

Hire a competent Electrician.

That is the only correct answer.

 

[Rothman]

I tried to be polite, but from looking at that linked thread, I won't accept a response from you Risteard or put up with your sh*t attitude towards people.

 

[Risteard]

I tried to be polite, but from looking at that linked thread, I won't accept a response from you Risteard or put up with your sh*t attitude towards people.

Just because you can't accept that a competent Electrician is the only correct answer to your problem doesn't alter the fact that it is the only correct answer.

You should adjust your attitude until you accept that this is the only correct answer.

 

[^woody^]

I ran some SWA along my gable at DPC level and then it went into an externl JB, from that one bit went to a couple of external sockets as spurs on the back of the house, and another bit went down under the patio, up the other side of the garden, into another JB on the side of the shed, then normal grey cable into the shed to a series of normal plug sockets for all the garden lights and pumps etc.

Initially all this went into the garage and was on an RCD plug, but now its wired into the board.

Its not rocket science, its only me that uses the power out there, no worries, no "what ifs" or "the regs say". It works, its protected, we know it's there.

 

[Keithmac]

I've got a 25 meter lenght to run as well, after reading the other thread I've decided not to ask any questions about it on here, not worth the hastle..

 

[Rothman]

Thanks woody, that's the only sort of info I'm really after and ties in with what I would do *if* I opted to not have the facilities for a hot tub.

My trepidation mainly comes from the fact that I do know that I want to add a hot tub in future, however I don't know what the market is like and which ones are better sellers; the 13A plug in ones or the higher rated ones that would require something in the form of an isolator. If it's the case of the 13A sort, my property already has allocated outdoor sockets running from a FCU spur off the ring, which would be ideal.

Common sense and a level head prevails once again.

 

[Rothman]

I've got a 25 meter lenght to run as well, after reading the other thread I've decided not to ask any questions about it on here, not worth the hastle..

It is always worth deferring to an electrician, or at least getting their advice and ensuring you follow part P to the letter when it comes to installing and testing final circuits. My main exposure is for indoor circuits so when it comes to parts outside of that remit I don't keep tabs on what's available to use.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I figured doing every single circuit now and getting a local company to provide test and inspection via an EICR to meet with Part P requirements is the best way to go. Building control have confirmed that this is acceptable.

Just to confirm, you are absolutely sure that that is what Building Control are OK with, and not that you will be going down the third-party certifier route?

Because what you describe is not third-party certification.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

the 13A plug in ones or the higher rated ones that would require something in the form of an isolator. If it's the case of the 13A sort, my property already has allocated outdoor sockets running from a FCU spur off the ring, which would be ideal.

The laws of physics mean that a 3kW hot-tub is a pretty poxy one.

 

[Rothman]

Just to confirm, you are absolutely sure that that is what Building Control are OK with, and not that you will be going down the third-party certifier route?

Because what you describe is not third-party certification.

Yes, sorry ban, to be a bit clearer I will be using a third-party certifier to meet the needs of Part P where I have not used a registered electrician to do the installation. My phrasing isn't great. My building inspector has told me that all they will need at the end is the EICR or similar.

The laws of physics mean that a 3kW hot-tub is a pretty poxy one.

Understood, I've got no experience with hot tubs as a product!

 

[rsgaz]

Understood, I've got no experience with hot tubs as a product!

They sound like great fun, my friend was going to buy one, until I worked out that it would take about 16 hours to warm up.
The idea of popping it on after a few glasses of booze and jumping in 30 mins later doesn't work!!

 

[Rothman]

They sound like great fun, my friend was going to buy one, until I worked out that it would take about 16 hours to warm up.
The idea of popping it on after a few glasses of booze and jumping in 30 mins later doesn't work!!

Once they're at heat though they're good to go and can stay that way. Just pop in a bromine tab every now and then and empty it when you know it'll just stand for long periods without use. I've learned that from when my in-laws had one many years ago just as basic maintenance.