Advice on fixing this outside mess

[nicebutdim]

The question I'd start out with is "what does your friend want to achieve?" and work backwards from that point.

Form the bare bones of a plan on the basis of their requirements, rather a length of cable you have to hand.

 

[westward10]

It’s about 10m 4m is a straight run horizontal. Then there is a bend around the corner. 4m straight run and then 2m vertical.

Good luck with that.

 

[Diddy]

The cable has been completely cut somewhere in the garage ceiling. That’s why there was no reading. But as it was late and I’d seen the RCD had tripped and noticed the water ingress. I THEN went and looked in the Consumer unit and when trying to get continuity. There was no reading.

That is now very clear and a replacement cable may well be the "best" solution. Now you would want to enquire what amount of power these units need. If it's somewhat less than the original 40 amps then cool, downrate the cable and the protective device. If Not then you simply either find the break and repair what's there OR install a cable rated the same as what's already there. I mean lets be clear, a whole new cable including conduit and a 10+ meter run which will all take time and money for materials is usually one of my last resorts in this type of scenario......it would seem slightly "mad" for someone to have cut the original cable to such an extent that it was now totally unusable and redundant, but then again you just never know with people.

 

[westward10]

Maybe it isn't cut at all as it hasn't been observed. Maybe it runs through another isolator.

 

[RDB85]

That is now very clear and a replacement cable may well be the "best" solution. Now you would want to enquire what amount of power these units need. If it's somewhat less than the original 40 amps then cool, downrate the cable and the protective device. If Not then you simply either find the break and repair what's there OR install a cable rated the same as what's already there. I mean lets be clear, a whole new cable including conduit and a 10+ meter run which will all take time and money for materials is usually one of my last resorts in this type of scenario......it would seem slightly "mad" for someone to have cut the original cable to such an extent that it was now totally unusable and redundant, but then again you just never know with people.

Okay so I’ve looked at what is currently fitted in the shed it has a small chest freezer 0.75 a 36w LED Light and a 44w LED Light. So I’ve worked out to 830watts so about 4 amp when divided by 240v.

 

[nicebutdim]

Maybe it isn't cut at all as it hasn't been observed. Maybe it runs through another isolator.

I'd pondered exactly this, but thought it unlikely that an isolator wouldn't have been left in an accessible position. Who knows?

 

[RDB85]

My friend also informs me that his mums bought a Lazy Spa. The 40a Type B MCB has been changed to a 20 amp. Looking at the power consumption and the lights and chest freezer it’s just under 16amp. Plus the RCD which is recommends in the manual.

 

[oscar21]

I'm not sure why some people make this assumption, but it certainly calls their competence into question.

Would they make similar assumptions about the rating of an isolator?

In case you hadn't noticed plenty of people who "mess" with electrics - kitchen fitters, DIYers, Dave from the pub and remarkably quite a lot of practicing electricians have zero competence. I just thought this one set them up way too easilly to fail.

 

[nicebutdim]

In case you hadn't noticed plenty of people who "mess" with electrics - kitchen fitters, DIYers, Dave from the pub and remarkably quite a lot of practicing electricians have zero competence. I just thought this one set them up way too easilly to fail.

Why should an industry adopt new practices to accomodate people who have no business using their products? Everything they need to know is either printed on the RCD or in included instructions - I doubt an extra warning label would encourage them to become any less ignorant.

 

[RDB85]

In case you hadn't noticed plenty of people who "mess" with electrics - kitchen fitters, DIYers, Dave from the pub and remarkably quite a lot of practicing electricians have zero competence. I just thought this one set them up way too easilly to fail.

Are you referring to me?