6mm Armoured Cable

[Deleted member 127945]

Hello there. I have a garage with existing 6mm square armoured cable running to it which was installed by a professional from a fused spur in the kitchen. I am moving this supply to my shed at the end of the garden because I am knocking the garage down so was just going to join the supply and replicate what is already there. Anyway I have now decided that I may build a summer house next to the shed and therefore may want to bounce the supply back to this building at some point. What would be the best way to do this? I was going to split the supply with a wiska box but the terminals inside are not wide enough for the strands on this type of cable when joining. Do you think I would be better off putting another fused spur in the shed with sockets etc and then bounce another armoured cable from one of these at a later date to run back to the summer house?

 

[Andy78]

This circuit needs properly designing in terms of volt drop calculation and earth fault loop impedance for the length. Also a supply from 13A fused spur may not be adequate for both a shed and summer house depending on the usage.
My advice would be to get an electrician in for this work to advise the best solution.
You could take down the garage in the meantime using the wiska both to keep the end of the cable clean and dry should it be reused.

 

[Deleted member 127945]

Hi there. Thanks for your reply. Basically it is just extending the existing cable by about 3 metres. The garage itself has another fused spur then one socket and a light bulb. I assumed this 6mm square cable would be more than adequate for one light and a plug socket. Is it possible to just put in the exact same install as I have now with a little bit extra length on the cable and then put an additional fused spur in the shed coming off a socket to then run an additional supply to the summer house in the future if possible? Eventually there is not going to be masses of load in either. The shed is just going to have a few sockets with a small light and a chest freezer plugged in. Then the summer house a similar kind of thing only potentially with a TV and maybe a wall heater from a fused spur. I am a qualified heating engineer so am pretty practical, just don’t appear to be able to find much info on SWA for some reason.

 

[DPG]

Make sure you calculate voltage drop at the furthest point.

 

[Andy78]

You're gonna need more than 13A for a TV, chest freezer and wall heater. I'd redesign the supply at this stage before you get new buildings up.

 

[Deleted member 127945]

You're gonna need more than 13A for a TV, chest freezer and wall heater. I'd redesign the supply at this stage before you get new buildings up.

What do you think it is going to need?

 

[DPG]

What do you think it is going to need?

An electrician. .

 

[Andy78]

What do you think it is going to need?

If you were my customer I would recommend a new supply back to the consumer unit instead of being taken off another circuit, in your case the kitchen sockets. Tapped from a socket circuit will always be limited to 13A.
The cable size would depend on the calculation including length, volt drop, earth fault loop impedance, size of load to be supplied, route of cable etc. The work would need certification and notifying to building control. All electrical alterations should be done in compliance with the wiring regulations and be tested after completion. It's for these reasons you really need an electrician in for this job.

 

[Deleted member 127945]

If you were my customer I would recommend a new supply back to the consumer unit instead of being taken off another circuit, in your case the kitchen sockets. Tapped from a socket circuit will always be limited to 13A.
The cable size would depend on the calculation including length, volt drop, earth fault loop impedance, size of load to be supplied, route of cable etc. The work would need certification and notifying to building control. All electrical alterations should be done in compliance with the wiring regulations and be tested after completion. It's for these reasons you really need an electrician in for this job.

Thanks for this. What I will do is get my sparky to run a new supply from the consumer unit for the summer house. I will keep the existing cable that is already there for just the shed as there is just one socket and a bulb that’s it. The current set up has a fused spur where it exits the house and then another fused spur where it enters the garage. Is this usual? Or an additional precaution for isolation?