Garden distribution board

[ncpitts]

So you say the ducts, 250 + metres of them to this CU position have already been installed and only now are you questioning the totally daft idea of sinking a CU flush into the ground!! I'm outa here!!

The duct was laid for cctv and whilst doing that another was laid for power.but thats not the issue
COME ON you must be an intelligent man - stop just dismissing it and really think if it can be accomplished. if after that its still not a workable task then we will have to come up with an alternative

 

[ncpitts]

There is a man hole pit (where some of the ducting joins ) for pulling .
how about installing an IP68 box with din rail for protective devices mounted on the side with a drain hole in the bottom and all the SWA's bottom entry.

Do you thin a) it will work and b) do you think there will still be a condensation issue ?

 

[Octopus]

Muppet - really are we down to that ?
Installation method and load are not the problem.
How to do this is, this is not why the posts were not sensible, its an idea that is out of the box ,that is why we got that type of reply
back to an earlier one if you don't have anything constructive to contribute then contribute nothing.
however thanks for at least having a look

Matey, you are throwing your teddies out of the pram - but look back at your original post - it had more holes in it than the average house hold collinder.

To get the best out of the forum you post as much info you have plus your thoughts then you will get the best replies.

Post half baked threads and you are setting yourself up for a pasting....

 

[Octopus]

There is a man hole pit (where some of the ducting joins ) for pulling .
how about installing an IP68 box with din rail for protective devices mounted on the side with a drain hole in the bottom and all the SWA's bottom entry.

Do you thin a) it will work and b) do you think there will still be a condensation issue ?

ANY PIT, unless very well insulated, AND ventilated, will ALWAYS have condensation issues, hence why a CU below ground, in a field or garden is a very poor idea.

I'd be suggesting a big bush and an above ground cabinet.

Anything else may well work at first, but as sure as day follows nights the call will start.

 

[Guest77]

Sorry boys, I think you're all being a little too set in your ways with this one. It's all in a days work for an event sparks, eh Dave?!

If loading is light, so heat unlikely to be much of an issue, then there are bound to be lots of products designed for marine environments and so on that will do just this job - it's just a matter of finding them. And yes, you probably could fit a lidded IP66 DIN rail box (to house the CPD) inside another much larger one which had the entry glands internally resin-ed off, etc etc.

Good grief, there's thousands upon thousands of underground joints and junctions, BT wiring centres etc etc in the UK - do you think they all rely on jokes about carrier bags??!!

The person who says it can't be done is normally followed by the one who just did it - and they are the person that gets remembered.

Hey don't go giving out silly ideas, so fitting a consumer unit with ODPD in the turf is going to work is it? were not talking about a boat or cable joint are we rock? we are talking about a distribution board flat level with turf in a field, come on it is obvious an A frame made of angle iron or 40mm2 unistrut with a marine ply board bolted to it and a IPX65 enclosure with the equipment in it the way forward, why try to do something which isn't a requirement, as the spark on the job you advise the client accordingly. Okay yes it may be doable but bloody pointless and not the best method by far, buried distboards FFS what next.

 

[Guest77]

Regarding swimming pool lights they are designed to be hardly touched, they need very seldom maintenance, a DB may need access weekly or less depending on what it is protecting, unless it is at swimming pool kit wise level it will inevitably get moisture inside it causing all types of problems, experience mate :winkiss:

 

[Rockingit]

You're not thinking this through fully. I'm not talking about a traditional flip-lid consumer unit. I'm talking about a sealed IP66 box with a din rail inside it. I'm talking about mounting that inside another enclosure so that condensation becomes a reduced concern.

Or, now knowing that there are inspection pits on the job (and all that water filtration system is going to having to live somewhere, too) then I'd be looking at exploring mounting a marine CU inside the wall of one of the chambers.

 

[Rockingit]

In fact, the more I think about it, the more I realise we do jobs like this everyday at places like water plants, septic pumps etc. It's just about thinking outside the box and trying to find a solution. The regs exist to aid us, not to be used as a list of excuses when we can't be arsed to be creative.

But maybe this is my original background speaking....the show must go on!

 

[Octopus]

In fact, the more I think about it, the more I realise we do jobs like this everyday at places like water plants, septic pumps etc. It's just about thinking outside the box and trying to find a solution. The regs exist to aid us, not to be used as a list of excuses when we can't be arsed to be creative.

But maybe this is my original background speaking....the show must go on!

I don't disagree with you but I've lost count of the amount of "concealed" joints in gardens and pits I've had to fix over the years. Sooner or later the majority give up the ghost, however.............. there are components that may fit the bill but as the costs increase, corners get cut and then we ll know what happens next!

 

[Guest77]

In fact, the more I think about it, the more I realise we do jobs like this everyday at places like water plants, septic pumps etc. It's just about thinking outside the box and trying to find a solution. The regs exist to aid us, not to be used as a list of excuses when we can't be arsed to be creative.

But maybe this is my original background speaking....the show must go on!

Well I agree with you here

 

[ncpitts]

Hey don't go giving out silly ideas, so fitting a consumer unit with ODPD in the turf is going to work is it? were not talking about a boat or cable joint are we rock? we are talking about a distribution board flat level with turf in a field, come on it is obvious an A frame made of angle iron or 40mm2 unistrut with a marine ply board bolted to it and a IPX65 enclosure with the equipment in it the way forward, why try to do something which isn't a requirement, as the spark on the job you advise the client accordingly. Okay yes it may be doable but bloody pointless and not the best method by far, buried distboards FFS what next.

Not that silly really

Pop Ups

 

[Guest77]

In fact, the more I think about it, the more I realise we do jobs like this everyday at places like water plants, septic pumps etc. It's just about thinking outside the box and trying to find a solution. The regs exist to aid us, not to be used as a list of excuses when we can't be arsed to be creative.

But maybe this is my original background speaking....the show must go on!

yes there will be equipment suitible for water plants, but are they lead down flush in the ground so water runs over the top of them? the odd one possibly, the majority would be up off the ground for extra protection, I have worked on sewer systems and we always put the kit where we could above the water level, laying it under the water level would be madness unless there was no other way, my point to the OP is avoid this silly method unless there is no other way, and also give all the information in the OP not the 2-3 posts after it.

 

[Guest77]

Not that silly really

Pop Ups

well there you are then, if that is what you required job done, you got something from the thread after all.

 

[davesparks]

I really don't understand why everyone is insulting the intelligence of the customer! Intelligence is not the same thing as knowledge or experience.
Without any electrical knowledge they have come up with something which on paper appears to be a workable soloution. They have then approached someone to bring their knowledge and experience in to the equation, that is where the plan appears to have fallen down!

As Tony has suggested underground/flush switchgear does exist. Some of the manhole covers you walk over in the high street are distribution boards!
Once the various cables are connected they get filled with resin to stope the water getting to the connections, only the fuses remain accessible.

What is this distribution board going to be feeding?

 

[happysteve]

Not that silly really

Pop Ups

Nice!

ncpitts, just out of interest... did something in this thread help you find these, was it inspiration from elsewhere... or did you know about these all along and were just stringing everyone along? :angel_smile:

 

[DPG]

I really don't understand why everyone is insulting the intelligence of the customer! Intelligence is not the same thing as knowledge or experience.
Without any electrical knowledge they have come up with something which on paper appears to be a workable soloution. They have then approached someone to bring their knowledge and experience in to the equation, that is where the plan appears to have fallen down!

As Tony has suggested underground/flush switchgear does exist. Some of the manhole covers you walk over in the high street are distribution boards!
Once the various cables are connected they get filled with resin to stope the water getting to the connections, only the fuses remain accessible.

What is this distribution board going to be feeding?

Yes, but if you put a consumer unit in a box and then fill it with resin it's going to be pretty awkard the reset the MCBs! Plus, if this thing is going to be flush with ground level, then it's going to get walked on/stood on and god knows what. Then, when someone opens the lid to reset an MCB, the water will run off the grass and into the enclosure. Lovely. Daz

 

[Geordie Spark]

No, I have never installed one like this nor have I ever been asked to. I doubt very much they exist.
Now, if one were to exist how do you think it's IP rating would be maintained?

Bin bag & Gaffa Tape??

 

[davesparks]

Yes, but if you put a consumer unit in a box and then fill it with resin it's going to be pretty awkard the reset the MCBs! Plus, if this thing is going to be flush with ground level, then it's going to get walked on/stood on and god knows what. Then, when someone opens the lid to reset an MCB, the water will run off the grass and into the enclosure. Lovely. Daz

I didn't say you should put a CU full of MCBs in the ground and fill it with resin! Is sub that such things exist and are in use by the DNOs, they are units specifically designed for the purpose!

 

[DPG]

The original question mentioned putting a consumer unit in the ground though. If it was just underground connections then yes I agree, no problems. Daz

 

[Engineer54]

Not that silly really

Pop Ups

Perhaps you had better show your customer the cost of a such a suitable Pop-Up.
I'd be prepared to catch him mind!! lol!!


You can overcome many problems if you aim enough money at them, whether it's money well spent is another matter altogether!!