Easiest way to wire up an outdoor socket??

Bruthal · 04-09-2011 11:07pm

cast_iron wrote: »

Probably a bit overkill though robbie. Cost wise if nothing else.

Well its a good quality junction box and isolator all in one. Probably not a lot dearer than a decent outdoor JB. Some might say a JB at the end of a garden should have an isolator anyway. A 3 pole one for this job.

But your probably right.

paddy147 · 04-09-2011 11:10pm

Is anyone going to answer me on the price please????

M cebee · 04-09-2011 11:12pm

the 3 pole isolator would be handy enough

if you've local isolation at the pond the switches inside are only functional switching( or control ) imo and can be SP or DP

.G. · 04-09-2011 11:17pm

robbie7730 wrote: »

What sort a tests,, general knowlege?

I'll have a B please Bob:D

cast_iron · 04-09-2011 11:24pm

robbie7730 wrote: »

Well its a good quality junction box and isolator all in one. Probably not a lot dearer than a decent outdoor JB. Some might say a JB at the end of a garden should have an isolator anyway. A 3 pole one for this job.

It's a good idea alright, and probably one of the best weather seal boxes you could get.

He is supposed to have 2 pole isolation 6 metres from the pond (inside), though my crusade to find this out for sure has ended in dismal failure.

Bruthal · 04-09-2011 11:37pm

cast_iron wrote: »

though my crusade to find this out for sure has ended in dismal failure.

paddy147 · 05-09-2011 5:57pm

Just thinking about this here to myself..........

If the pond pump and also the garden lights are made of 1.5mm wiring then is 20amp RCBO too much and should it be a 10 amp RCBO instead??

Thanks.

Bruthal · 05-09-2011 7:09pm

M cebee wrote: »

it can be surprising how many appliances can operate simultaneously on a 20amp mcb
-without tripping it

Indeed it can, at 25 to 30 amps or so, they could stay on quite a long time, so it is likely all 3 machines would operate. But a single circuit to run all 3 is not a great plan.

redgapjack · 06-09-2011 10:28am

paddy147 wrote: »

Right so,seen as everyone is telling me to get a sparks in to do it

How much would I be looking at for a sparks to fit the RCBO,fit the 2 pole switch plate and fit the outdoor junction box.

I have the RCBO and I have the switch plate and the outdoor junction box.
The 2.5 T&E is in place,as is the metal back box,as is the 4 core SWA.

All that would be needed is to hook it up and get the power flowing.

So how much am I looking at?????????

Im in Dublin 9.

Paddy,

Your nearly there so give it a go yourself, you sound like you can do it.

The RCBO is wired up the very same as your main 63A 30mA RCD.
You need to feed the bottom of the RCBO with a live and neutral connection. But before you do all this turn the main switch fuse off and take the fuse out(it wont close with the fuse out). If you don't have a voltage tester(multi-meter) use a phase tester to check the voltage is dead.
Clip your RCBO onto the din rail and use some off the stripped 2.5 T+E brown to feed the bottom of the RCBO. Feed this from the the underneath busbar of the lighting busbar. These are the 10A MCB's and 32MCB connected together by a insulated copper strip. Loosen the bottom screw of the MCB and push your stripped 2.5 brown up into the bottom of the MCB and hold it there and re - tighten the screw for the MCB. Use a good screw driver, not a fisher price one and make sure your connection is tight. Pull at the cable to ensure this. Now connect the other end of the cable to the RCBO and ensure this is tight too. Note when spripping the 2.5 cable, strip it about 25mm and use a pliers and bend the copper back on it's self so it is about 12mm in lenght from insulation.

Next: Your Neutral connection, On your fuse board you have two neutral bars, one for the lighting/oven/smoke detectors/alarms/doorbell
and another for sockets.
You need to take your neutral from the lighting neutral bar. This is easily found but important that you dont connect your neutral onto the socket neutral bar. To find this simply trace your mains 16mm blue cable and connect into that bar. The 16mm T+E feeds the entire board. You will also notice all the lighting 1.5mm are connected to this bar. Now strip the blue 2.5 and connect onto the bar and the other end into the bottom of the RCBO.

You are now ready to connect the 2.5 T+E into the top of the RCBO. Make sure you connect the earth cable and use some earth sleeving to cover the bare copper.

That's the board done. You can put the fuse back in and power back up.....but keep the RCBO off until the rest of the work is complete. Put some tape over it so no - one comes in and turns it on while you could be working on the other end.

Hope this helps

paddy147 · 06-09-2011 2:37pm

I have taken onbaord the advice regarding a new/seperate circuit for the kitchen appliances,and have just installed another 2.5 T&E from the mains fuse board down to the kitchen.

Going to put the condensor dryer on it along with an neon isolation switch plate too.

So it will be the condensor on 1 switch and RCD,and then the washing machine and dish washer on the existing circuit and neon switch.

Oh and yes,the chrome double switch plate is a double pole.Its a double pole polished chrome switch to be precise.:)

All the polished chrome sockets,switches,TV and Phone points in the house are CED mega flat range.

Thanks.:)

Bruthal · 06-09-2011 2:39pm

When is the control centre going in paddy?:D

paddy147 · 06-09-2011 2:40pm

robbie7730 wrote: »

When is the control centre going in paddy?:D

When I have finished the mobile Tomahawk rocket launcher pad and radar jamming system out in the back garden.:D

KoolKid · 06-09-2011 9:17pm

robbie7730 wrote: »

When is the control centre going in paddy?:D

After the 3 phase arrives...;)

Bruthal · 06-09-2011 9:23pm

KoolKid wrote: »

After the 3 phase arrives...;)

The way paddy`s house is progressing, its phase 3 that will be arriving.

paddy147 · 08-09-2011 2:45pm

Have 5 core SWA,have ducting for SWA,have 2 gang double pole polished chrome switch pate,have 20 amp RCBO and have outdoor junction box and outdoor SWA gland too.

I will hopefully have a sparks sorted out today too,as I got a number for a local lad,off a kind member of this forum here.;):D

paddy147 · 21-09-2011 8:51pm

Got the 5 core SWA and 2.5 T&E in place and cut out the hole for the single gang metal back box and double pole switch.

The box will not go in with the swa in it,as space behing the plasterboard is at a premium.

Can I strip away around 18 inches of the SWA itself to reveal the inner core and leave 2 or 3 strands of the wire and use these 2-3 steel wires as an earth into the earth of the metal back box?

If I did this,then I can get everything to fit,as.

I have access to the cables behind the plasterboard too.;)

This method was suggested to me by a sparks last week when I was in an electrical wholesalers.

Bruthal · 21-09-2011 9:09pm

Bit of a cowboy suggestion that, you should just cut out double the size of the box there, like a twin box on its side so you have another box size out of plaster below the actual box position, to fit the glanded cable in.

Then replace the cut out piece of plaster back in below the box using wood pieces as bracing. Very little filling in to do then.

paddy147 · 21-09-2011 9:29pm

robbie7730 wrote: »

Bit of a cowboy suggestion that, you should just cut out double the size of the box there, like a twin box on its side so you have another box size out of plaster below the actual box position, to fit the glanded cable in.

Then replace the cut out piece of plaster back in below the box using wood pieces as bracing. Very little filling in to do then.

Theres not enough space though to use a propper SWA earth gland though,thats another issue too.:(

So hense the sparks suggesting the method mentioned above,to me.He said to wire it off the metal back box with a "flying earth".

Bruthal · 21-09-2011 9:52pm

There is if you cut out the bigger slot and chase into the wall a half inch or so with the box and the area below it where the gland will fit. Seems like loads of work, but thats the electrical game for ye. Hard work for the seemingly simplest jobs, or else the alternative shortcut easier way that many take.

If only 2 or 3 strands of the swa are earthed, thats not a good earth for the steel wire as a whole. It should be properly earthed at both ends.

paddy147 · 11-11-2011 9:47pm

Finally getting this sorted now.

Electrician is on site and has alot of work done.

Pics to follow tomorrow,

paddy147 · 13-11-2011 7:55pm

some pics.

Also got an outdoor double socket on the front of the house (handy for Xmass time).

Can be switched on and off from inside the porch.Stops anyone getting free electricity of me.

The sparks checked the power of all 3 appliances running together (Christmass day scenario).

All 3 together are only pulling 15 amps,and the neon switch is a double pole 20 amp switch,so he was and is happy with that.

Bruthal · 15-11-2011 2:46pm

paddy147 wrote: »

some pics.
The sparks checked the power of all 3 appliances running together (Christmass day scenario).

All 3 together are only pulling 15 amps,and the neon switch is a double pole 20 amp switch,so he was and is happy with that.

Its hard to get the potential full loading of all 3 though, as their elements might not all be on at the same time from the switch on time.

Id say the potential full loading will be more than 15 amps though.

paddy147 · 15-11-2011 4:01pm

robbie7730 wrote: »

Its hard to get the potential full loading of all 3 though, as their elements might not all be on at the same time from the switch on time.

Id say the potential full loading will be more than 15 amps though.

Well all 3 items were on together for well over 1 hour,(around an hour 15)and they were fine and only pulled 15 amps.The sparks sat there and tested them and showed me the readings at various times through out the hour and the max was 15 amps.

So he is happy,and so too am I.:)

Bruthal · 16-11-2011 3:11pm

paddy147 wrote: »

Well all 3 items were on together for well over 1 hour,(around an hour 15)and they were fine and only pulled 15 amps.The sparks sat there and tested them and showed me the readings at various times through out the hour and the max was 15 amps.

So he is happy,and so too am I.:)

What did he test them with? He must be well dedicated to sit looking at a meter for an hour.

And they pulled a fixed 15 amps for an hour? He must of measured the immersion circuit or something by mistake:pac:

paddy147 · 16-11-2011 10:48pm

robbie7730 wrote: »

What did he test them with? He must be well dedicated to sit looking at a meter for an hour.

And they pulled a fixed 15 amps for an hour? He must of measured the immersion circuit or something by mistake:pac:

He is dedicated indeed,and he doesnt make misstakes either,as hes an old workmate of mine who is a fully qualified sparks.He had all 3 appliances out and was measuring them while they were at full whack.He also mentioned that all 3 had heating elements in them,so he wanted to measure them over the course of an hour or so.

Cant remember the special digital meter that he had,but he measured all 3 appliances while on together.

Dedicated man indeed.:)

He was happy,and so too am I,thats what matters.

paddy147 · 16-11-2011 11:00pm

Anyway....................

Thanks to all for the various bits of advice on wiring an outdoor socket.

It was a bonus to get double sockets in the front garden and back garden too.

Thanks again.

Roll on Christmass time so.:D

Easiest way to wire up an outdoor socket??

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