Wiring a shed

[DRZ4Hunned]

So I've bought a shed to use as a workshop, it's 16' x 10' and is located at the bottom of my garden (about 25m).

I've done some research into wiring it up and I think I now have a basic understanding of what to do but I'd like to check with someone more knowledgeable before I potentially kill myself or burn my shed down. (I've never done any sort of electrical installation before - I have wired a plug though if that helps?)

Budget is a constraint so I'd ideally like to avoid getting a sparky in and getting it signed off, but I still want to do it properly and safely.

I have two external sockets on the house which I'm guessing would be a spur from the ring in the kitchen. To avoid the need for a inspection certificate, I was planning on essentially creating a large extension lead by using some 2.5mm Arctic Flex cable and putting a 13A plug on the end and plugging this into the external socket of the house to provide the power to the shed.

I would then run this flex cable into a mini consumer unit with a 16A (sockets) and a 6A (lights) MCB. The plan was to then run two circuits in the shed, a lighting circuit consisting of two 5' LED T8 Fixtures, connected by 1.5mm T&E via a switch. And 5 double sockets connected by 2.5mm T&E.

Does this setup sound sensible? I know I should ideally run SWA in a buried trench connected to the consumer unit of the house, but this would involve getting a sparky in to sign it off which I want to avoid if possible.

Also do I run the sockets and lights on a radial circuit or a ring main circuit?

Appreciate any feedback on this
____________________
DRZ400-SM
FZS600

[zark]

The bit inside the shed sounds OK... but running it all off a13a plug on a spur from your kitchen ring main sounds a bit dodgy

5 double sockets in the shed, while I guess they're not all going to be flat out all the time is quite a load for a single flex run outside, with a single fuse to protect everything

I'd sort the outside and shed myself, (armoured cable from board to shed, run properly) then get a sparks to connect it into the board properly with proper circuit protection for the outside stuff.
____________________
CBT - Oct 13. Theory - July 14. Mod 1 & 2 - June 15.
Rides a Fazer like an idiot... Edit: Now ride a Fazer Thou...

[Meatybeaty]

Just wondering if anything went wrong with the wiring, would it negate a claim from your house insurance, as regards equipment in the shed, dont know myself but worth finding out about

[faffergotgunz]

As above. It would work fine but you may find the mcb trip if you overload the circuit (kitchen ring main sockets).

Importantly you need to ensure that the sockets outside are on a RCD at the main board. This day and age I would hope they were but worth checking. This will provide some protection for you if things were to go wrong in the shed and save you from death.

The only other things to think about are: will the plug outside get wet? And will the cable run to the shed be armoured or out of the way with no risk of it being damaged while gardening (you or someone else)? A dog for instance may chew through a cable within its reach.
____________________
Sent from Samsmums mobile using Tapanarse

[charlie74]

personally I would get a sparky in and have it run fully from the fuseboard, simply because I would want access to a full 30A circuit so I can run what ever I needed without worry about tripping the house out.

find a decent one and you can do all the prep work and act as a assistant, if your lucky you will find one that will let you do all the main work but make the final connections and sign it off.

don't forget they can get the materials at trade so might not be as expensive as you think overall.

when I did my shower it was £30 more to have him supply n fit, than me getting all the bits and doing the first fix side of it all

[UncleFester]

I was gonna suggest Bodyguard / Paul VTR but then realised you meant actual shed as opposed to shonky bike.
____________________
2017 Z1000SX

[UnknownStuntm...]

Power outside = planning regs. I think as long as you have a 'competent person' make you a 'plan' and have it inspected as it's being installed, it will cost the least possible.

Of course you could cowboy it like you described, but when you come to sell you'd better make sure there's no evidence of it ever having been there if you haven't had consent.

[Suntan Sid]

I can't find it but i'm sure this was discussed sometime within the last 6 months.

I built a shed, (16' x 8')in my garden, 40m fom the house.
In the shed there was, lighting, a wood turning lathe, a band saw, pillar drill bench grinder and all the usual hand held eletric tools.

I used a shop bought 50m extension lead, which I plugged into the house and ran up the gaden to the shed.
Never had a problem in all the years I used it.
Never blew a fuse or tripped a circuit breaker!

As someone has said how many items do you think you'll be using at any one time?
The most I ever used was three, lathe, sander and lights!
As for wiring in the shed, all I did was run four gang extension leads to the work benches and plugged them in when I needed them.
____________________
"Everybody needs money, that's why they call it money!"

[DRZ4Hunned]

[DRZ4Hunned]

[angryjonny]

[331X2]

If it's on a plug top then it's not classed as fixed wiring therefore negating any need for 'planning regulations' or Part P certification.

[sensi5446]

I currently have a 10m extension lead running to my 16 x 12 shed with a 6 way, plugged into that and all works fine. I only have it turned on when I'm in the shed but do plan to get a sparky in to do a proper job. Was quoted around £400 for the job, that includes about 4m armored cable to the shed from box in house and a small box in the shed and 6 2way plug sockets, all with proper registered paperwork

[DRZ4Hunned]

[drzsta]

No ring needed. Just radials.

[MCN]

***ARMOURED CABLE***
Cheaper than being electrocuteded to death when you put a shovel through the 3 core hoose wire.
____________________
Disclaimer: The comments above may be predicted text and not necessarily the opinion of MCN.

[doggone]

The extension lead concept would probably work but the outer layer of insulation is not rated for permanent outdoor use like that and will start to break down over time.
Ideally armoured cable laid underground would be the best solution.
To do it right that would run to a fuse box in the shed with a fuse for lights and another (or more) for the 13amp sockets.

Anything outside is potentially dangerous due to dampness and damage from mice or enthusiastic gardening, so an earth leakage circuit breaker is rather important if nothing is to be zapped.

[DRZ4Hunned]

I know it's a bodge and I should bury SWA, but the stinge in me isn't prepared to pay £200+ for a sparky to come and connect a bit of cable when I can get the same result for £30 worth of cable.

I'm fairly certain that this can be done safely if plugged into an RCD? However if the socket is protected via an RCD at the house CU then this isn't needed?

The cable is Arctic Flex which is designed to not go brittle from UV or cold/ hot exposure. I might even run it through a hosepipe for added protection.

I don't think I'm thick enough to put a spade through it but I guess a rat could chew through it, but then the RCD would prevent anything bad happening.

I've heard about the earthing but I've heard some people say it's needed and some say it isn't...
____________________
DRZ400-SM
FZS600

[stevo as b4]

In my shed I've run normal three core in plastic conduit about 25m from a 13A spur on the garage ring main I had professionally fitted.

In the shed I've kept it simple. One fluorescent strip light and fused switch, and a double socket, that I'll just plug an extension lead into for any extra stuff I want to run.

Be realistic, as in a shed your probably never going to run more than the lights and one power tool at any one time?

The most I'll ever run when I'm not in there is a battery charger and maybe a de-humidifyer in winter. I might run a heater in there in winter when working on bikes, but a 1kW oil filled radiator seems to be OK, and I'd just unplug it to use a drill or saw etc.

[DRZ4Hunned]

[stevo as b4]

Your right that extra sockets don't cost any more money or time to fit really. Your also right that getting it done properly is the right way to go.

I wanted cheap and quick, using as many left over fittings etc that I had from the house/garage improvements etc.

But yeah I doubt you'll ever run a machine shop full of tools in a shed, and unless you really need to you might find working in there on very cold winter days is an idea that just sounded good at the time.

[Baffler186]

What I did:

Drill out from your fusebox to the outside of the house.
Get some armoured cable, even if you're not burying it.
Buy a consumer unit (£30 ish from toolstation)
Find a sparky who does private work (friend's son, uncle's ex-cousin, sum1 must no sum1?)

You can try connecting it all up yourself, but I wouldn't. A sparky will make a much neater job, and you'll know it's done proper.

FWIW I paid £120 cash, that included consumer units, junctions/fittings and labour. That was taking a wire direct from fuse box, running it (neatly) alongside the house, buried under the garden/driveway (which we did afterwards to save labour) then wiring in 2 x sockets and 2 x strip lights.

I might add I got the armoured cable free, so maybe look up costs for that.
____________________
Current: 2009 SV650 S, 1990 Kawasaki GT550
Previous: 2009 CBF125, 1998 GSF600, 2004 FZ6 Fazer, 1978 CB400a Hondamatic

[faffergotgunz]

[MCN]

[syl]

Sorry, bit late but just got back from holidays. If you're going to do it with a 13A plug, I'd forget the consumer unit. Just connect the sockets up directly and use a 5A fused spur for the lights

If you do it properly, yourself, look into voltage drop and earthing regulations. I had to use 3 core 10mm armoured cable, which costs £££, to connect up a couple of outbuildings. I did the majority of the work myself and got an electrician in to connect it up to the main and submain fuseboxes. The garden eventually recovered from the mess. Since I went to the expense I used conduit and put in water and a spare too.

https://www.amigo.co.uk/obsy/37.JPG
____________________
Current bike: Kawasaki Z750S