Running Electricity to a garden shed/pond

pimento

I've been meaning to have this done since we moved in nine years ago, but now my old solar powered pond pump has given up and I'm again considering the possibility of power to the back garden.

Our garden is 90 feet long and 30 feet wide. The pond is about 65 feet from the back door and a hawthorn hedge (great big 8' high and about 6' wide) runs down one whole length of the plot (about 150').

My original idea was to the run the armoured cable through the middle of the bottom of the hedge, but I have a niggle in my head that the rules may recently have changed and I might have to dig a trench to put the cable into which, to be honest, would kybosh the whole thing as we are on clay soil and at the best of times it's rock solid.

What would be the easiest/cheapest way to have a power supply at my pond to I could run a pump?

(We have a shed close to the pond where a junction box (if required) could be sited.)

I wouldn't be doing this job myself, but would probably GAMI.

Thanks

Mankysteve

Well you could save some money by digging the trenches required for the cableing runs. I'm sure someone of here can tell you the required specs. I can't remember off the top my head. Cheapest way would be just to run the cabling to the pond for the pump. But it wouldn't be a bad idea to put a junction box in the shed also means you can have a plug socket for garden power tools.

pimento

Is it a legal requirement to have the cable buried in a trench?

The reason I'm so retiscent about it is that the hedge takes up all the border, then we have a crazy paving path, then the lawn starts. There's no way I'll be able to dig a trench in the border, the roots from the hedge are so thick. If I did it mechanically it would probably kill the hedge.
To dig a trench the other side of the path (ie: where the lawn is now) would be easier but I would still have to take the path up at some point to allow the cable to cross over to the correct side of the path.

I feel another solar powered pump is on the cards.

iamcornholio

IEE regs would not permit just laying a cable on the ground or in a hedge - there is the chance of inadvertant damage

The cable (SWA) needs to be buried at a safe depth - typically taken to be 500mm but depth depends on the likelihood of it getting damaged by a garden tool or suchlike, or it needs to be fixed to a suitable structure and be visible - fences are not deemed suitable but certain stronger types may be - or you can add extra supports

However, a homeowner may decide that if the cable was laid in the hedge and was confident that it wont be accidentally damaged, and it was properly installed on a RCD then it is safe enough.

In context, lots of people have run SWA or twin and earth in conduit or just fixed to fences up the garden for many years in the past. The current regs may change to mean that the practice no longer conforms, but non the less the installation remains perfectly safe

pimento

Thanks for that, so there is hope then.

I don't want to do it if there's a possibility of hurting someone or a fox dog or cat, but my hedge is very dense and prickly and we never take the clippers to it at ground level, but I'd rather not do it than do it with the possibility of hurting someone.

I might get a couple of quotes and see what suggestions are made.

Thanks.

ormus

last one i did, i buried used scaffold poles under the soil and laid armoured cable inside them.
about 18 inches deep i think it was.

pimento

That's a good idea. I doubt I'd be able to go 18" deep without a pneumatic drill.

If I took it under the lawn inside a scaffolding pole or two (less likely to be dug up) could I go shallower? Say 8-10"?

jammy_dodger

i have similar situationhttp://www.allotment.org.uk/greenhouse/Growlight_Garden_Power/s-outdoor_electricity.html to yourself OP i have been having a look about and saw this
there seems to be a few outdoor supply power kits about the most popular i have found are a armadillo brand hth will let you know how i get along

Mankysteve

It does have to entranced with electrical warning tape immediately above the cable and a little further up cant remember the depths. You can have them slower if there encased usually with bricks and topped trench.

brightontraveller

The regulations are for what depth etc should you choose to bury swa not that in must be buried

zax47

brightontraveller wrote: »

The regulations are for what depth etc should you choose to bury swa not that in must be buried

I agree bt, you don't have to bury it - it's armoured! Can't find anything in the "big red book" to say you MUST bury, but the rules exist for if you do. If you do then it's invisible, hence a minimum depth for it to be buried (deeper than a spade length).

If you want to run it under the hedge then do but try to fix it down some how (wooden stakes/plastic tent pegs), much better though to clip it to a wall of a permanent structure - if nothing else it avoids any movement which could loosen a connection and any chaffing of the outer sheath.

Must be RCD protected!