Matt.H
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Registered: 12th Mar 03
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Just wanting to know what are the regs on running cables underground? I'm wanting to get some power into my garage. have the armoured cable etc. just wondering does it have to be a certain depth and is there anything else i need to know?
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Rob_Quads
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Registered: 29th Mar 01
Location: southampton
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Pretty sure that technically what you are wanting to do has to be done by a qualified electrician or DIY after notifying your local council
Irnoring that there are specific requirements, can't remember exactly from when I looked into it but it was a grade of cable and it had to be at least a certain depth - 30cm rings a bell
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Gary
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Registered: 22nd Nov 06
Location: West Yorkshire
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dad has this done a while ago. cable is around 12/18inch down.
I'd run some ducting personally and put the cable thru that. (thinik you might even have to)
Plus it mkaes it easier to run anything else you want at a later date.
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Matt.H
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Registered: 12th Mar 03
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Only prob I have is its about a 50m run from the consumer unit to the garage.
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RichR
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Registered: 17th Oct 01
Location: Waterhouses, Staffordshire
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Matt, I did a 25m run from the consumer unit to the outhouse, I was told it needed to be laid at18" depth but I did it at 2ft; Armoured cable and then yellow/black warning tape along its length before back filling the hole.
Running the cable doesn't need to be done by an electrician does it? Only the joining up of the ends?
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Gary
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Registered: 22nd Nov 06
Location: West Yorkshire
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quote:
Originally posted by LiVe LeE
Running the cable doesn't need to be done by an electrician does it? Only the joining up of the ends?
Dosent really matter either way. If he's dug the trench then it'll only take a sparky 5mins to lay the cable.
Would definatly run it through ducting though. Dont wanna be digging that trench up again do you!
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Rob_Quads
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Registered: 29th Mar 01
Location: southampton
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quote:
Originally posted by LiVe LeE
Running the cable doesn't need to be done by an electrician does it? Only the joining up of the ends?
If you have already put the cable in how does the electrician know that you have not joined the cable to sub-par cable for 90% of the run and used the armoured buts just at the end.
Obviously he would not need to dig the hole but 'technically' he has to do the electrical worth otherwise he has no way to make sure its all to spec. 'If' something went wrong because sub-par materials were used he could be liable for it.
If you want to lay all the cable etc then you can notify the council and then its down to the council to get it tested (although the notification does cost you) This is how many people will do all the first fix etc in a house if they are doing the DIY method.
If you are going to get an electrian to do any of the work then best asking him first and seeing how much you can do etc. The actual work he needs to do could well be very quick so not cost too much.
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RichR
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Registered: 17th Oct 01
Location: Waterhouses, Staffordshire
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I suppose, My sparkie is a good family friend and to be honest, he supplied me the armoured cable so knew what was being put in.
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Matt.H
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Registered: 12th Mar 03
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This is the same in my case...I have the armoured cable ready to go and he'll be wiring up both ends. I'll just be doing the donkey work.
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Gary
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Registered: 22nd Nov 06
Location: West Yorkshire
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quote:
Originally posted by Matt.H
This is the same in my case...I have the armoured cable ready to go and he'll be wiring up both ends. I'll just be doing the donkey work.
Hire a mini digger.
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ash_corsa
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Registered: 15th Apr 04
Location: Shrewsbury
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Has to be 600mm deep, if laying in ground you really should lay the SWA on sand, and then cover it over with sand.
You also need to use CAUTION CABLE BELOW tape, this must be used even if the cable is laid in a duct, and must run throughout the full length of the cable below the surface.
522-06-03 "buried cables shall be marked by cable covers or a suitable marking tape. ... buried cables ... shall be at sufficient depth to avoid being damaged by any reasonable foreseeable disturbance of the ground"
Laying the cable isnt really a 'spark-only' job but terminations of either end should be done my a competent person with the right qualifications.
[Edited on 02-12-2010 by ash_corsa]
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Jake
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Registered: 24th Jan 05
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i just built a consveratory on a newbuild and the cable was about 10inches into the ground but running through conduit
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ash_corsa
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Registered: 15th Apr 04
Location: Shrewsbury
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quote:
Originally posted by jake
i just built a consveratory on a newbuild and the cable was about 10inches into the ground but running through conduit
Should be 600mm regardless, still should have the yellow tape.
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CORSA NUT
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Registered: 3rd Aug 01
Location: Wirral
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Yeah Ash is spot on there....
Just another point though. I've always put the cable inside the solid blue water pipes that the water board use. Pretty much the hardest thing you can get opposed to steel and offers the mechanical protection it needs. Plus it's easier to put the tape on 
50 mtrs is a long run i'd make sure the cable is the right one? Did a spark do the calcs etc?
[Edited on 03-12-2010 by CORSA NUT]
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Matt.H
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Registered: 12th Mar 03
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Yeah its a fair run but the layout is crap here. garage is at the bottom of the garden but there is also 2 parking spaces and another garage between them. Yeah mate did the calcs so have gone bigger with the cable to allow for voltage loss etc. 50m is prob an over estimate when we paced it out. prob just over 40 but wanted to make sure we had enough cable.
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corsagsigav
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Registered: 28th Jan 08
Location: Retford, Nottinghamshire
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best to use armored cable thats what i have always used when i was working on the new builds
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Gary
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Registered: 22nd Nov 06
Location: West Yorkshire
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quote:
Originally posted by corsagsigav
best to use armored cable thats what i have always used when i was working on the new builds
Has to be armoured by law dont it? 
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Mad Moe
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Registered: 14th Jun 01
Location: Northumberland
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quote:
Originally posted by Matt.H
Yeah its a fair run but the layout is crap here. garage is at the bottom of the garden but there is also 2 parking spaces and another garage between them. Yeah mate did the calcs so have gone bigger with the cable to allow for voltage loss etc. 50m is prob an over estimate when we paced it out. prob just over 40 but wanted to make sure we had enough cable.
Will the cable be travelling through the parking spaces? Do you own the Parking spaces? will need to check planning regulations and party wall act if it does
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C2RL R
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Registered: 28th Mar 02
Location: Redcliffe, QLD
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Ash- where did you get the part about 600mm depth from? I've just had a quick look in the regs and couldn't see that part. Unless it was from the special locations section which doesn't apply to this situation? What version of the regs did you quote?
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ash_corsa
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Registered: 15th Apr 04
Location: Shrewsbury
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522.8.10 - 17th Edition Regs book mate, the last number i quoted was 16th Ed!
Ive had another look and the only recommendation to 600mm is in caravan parks, we always work to 600mm at work, the regs do suggest a sufficient depth to avoid damage.
You can whack a spade/pick axe 1' into the ground easily so 600mm seems reasonable to me.
Its another example of how vague the regs can be! 
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C2RL R
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Registered: 28th Mar 02
Location: Redcliffe, QLD
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Yeah they can be interpreted however you want can't they?!
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CORSA NUT
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Registered: 3rd Aug 01
Location: Wirral
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Yeah i've heard 600mm thrown about a lot..good base to work off if you ask me. THINK it has something to do with one side of a pickaxe driving into the ground.
Also any buried cable needs mechanical protection. This dosn't neccesarily mean 'Armoured' but this is of course the easy option and the reason why it was invented in the first place.
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C2RL R
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Registered: 28th Mar 02
Location: Redcliffe, QLD
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Yeah I always use armoured and put it through a duct. Lengths of drain pipe work well. It's not so much for the mechanical protection, it just makes it easier to pull in new cables in the future. Lay your armoured and a draw wire.
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Matt.H
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Registered: 12th Mar 03
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quote:
Originally posted by Mad Moe
quote:
Originally posted by Matt.H
Yeah its a fair run but the layout is crap here. garage is at the bottom of the garden but there is also 2 parking spaces and another garage between them. Yeah mate did the calcs so have gone bigger with the cable to allow for voltage loss etc. 50m is prob an over estimate when we paced it out. prob just over 40 but wanted to make sure we had enough cable.
Will the cable be travelling through the parking spaces? Do you own the Parking spaces? will need to check planning regulations and party wall act if it does
Well its abit of a funny layout tbh. The cable will be on my property untill it gets to the bottom of the garden. done abit of a drawing as it easier than trying to explain. According tot he deeds only the garage and my space belonged to me but me and previous neighbours have kept the rough bit of ground. This is where i was planning on running the cable.
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baza31
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Registered: 19th Apr 03
Location: yorkshire
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run the swa cable 2 ft down, run in a duct then you can always useit, run a tape along 6inchs below surface. you dont have to be a sparky to run a cable , you can also connect up. you just cant power it up
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