Fixing SWA to an old consumer unit

Poshspice1986 · Mar 28, 2011

So I am building a log cabin at the bottom of the garden and I have a spare breaker in the consumer unit under the stairs. I have worked out my voltage drop to my cabin and I'm going to run a 10mm SWA cable to a 30mA RCD builders supply with 32a and 6a breakers for power and light. Money is super tight but I think thats all safe.
The worry I have however is back at my consumer unit. There is a space for a breaker and I've managed to order a 40amp the same as my RDC in the cabin. But i am worried about getting my SWA in to the consumer unit its not designed with knock outs and its bit congested in there. Any recommendations. Rather have a second opinion.

malcolmsanford · Mar 28, 2011

Terminate the SWA into one of these, leaving the tails long enough to go through the box and into your CU. Make sure you use a banjo or earth lug to bring a 4mm^ earthing tail into the CU

Are you using a 3 core or 2 core SWA, as this will make a difference in how you terminate at the log cabin end.

Is there going to be any metal service at the cabin, ie metal water or gas pipes, or is the frame of the cabin metal, as this will need to be looked at if there are for bonding purposes.

Earthing ........................hmmmm wait and see

Finally you know that this installation is notifiable under Paet P of the building regulations.

Poshspice1986 · Mar 28, 2011

I am aware of this part P and I have a print out of the Part p in front of me but your saying I should notify building control. I did apply for building consent and planning.

Earthing should be fine there will be no pipes or other extraneous conductive parts in the cabin so don't need to worry about bonding.
So I was going to use the Steel as my CPC and bond to the unit. I was just going to use some of the 10mm off cut sleeved up as an earthing tail.

Hawk81 · Mar 28, 2011

I agree the steel adaptable box is the best way. Please do not let this thread go into another export the earth discussion.

Poshspice1986 · Mar 28, 2011

Ok so we are all happy

metal box £3 from TLC and I'm sorted
cheers chaps

malcolmsanford · Mar 28, 2011

Hawk81 said:
I agree the steel adaptable box is the best way. Please do not let this thread go into another export the earth discussion.

Export earth discussion????

malcolmsanford · Mar 28, 2011

Poshspice1986 said:
I am aware of this part P and I have a print out of the Part p in front of me but your saying I should notify building control. I did apply for building consent and planning.

Earthing should be fine there will be no pipes or other extraneous conductive parts in the cabin so don't need to worry about bonding.
So I was going to use the Steel as my CPC and bond to the unit. I was just going to use some of the 10mm off cut sleeved up as an earthing tail.

If your using the SWA as your CPC then for 70c cable that should be fine, be careful if you get the XPLE 90c type as 10mm SWA can sometimes not be man enough to be your CPC, so make sure that you get the normal 70c.

Also at the log cabin fit it via the adaptable box method, unless you are using a metal clad DB. Again as it is going to be your CPC should earth that end as well, to make sure you have good continuity.