Help needed with outside electrics

[Ged]

Whilst not Home Cinema, it is DIY
I have just taken down our old shed and managed to damage a power cable which has a solid metal sleeve.
After removing it at the break, the piece sticking out of the ground is only about 4" and not trimmed. I could do with some advice on connecting a new piece, more specifially, shoud I buy a waterproof connector to bury the joint.
Forgot to mention, this is in preparation to having the paving relayed and a new shed fitted, the cable is below the front door area of the shed and MAY fix to a bearer but it may be too short.
If anyone can help, or point me in the right direction, I will be grateful.
Thanks.

[putbinoot]

Are you sure the metal sleeve is solid, what colour is the cable and how many cores does it have, when i jointed cables under ground we used to use torpedo joints. This is a plastic torpedo shaped shell which comes in two halves, make the joints then clip the torpedo over the joint and fill with the supplied epoxy resin. look at link,
Birkett straight through torpedo joint.
http://www.cef.co.uk/download/WebCat...ries/46-47.pdf

[davehk]

Is this an MICC cable - Mineral Insulated Copper Clad? - if so it will need proper sealing glands to stop the mineral insulations absorbing water. if it's been exposed to the weather for long, you may need to replace the entire run.

If the sheath is copper and there is a white powdery insulation around two internal cores, then it's MICC. Note that with MICC the copper sheath is the earth conductor so it is important to do the join correctly.

Have a look here: http://www.blue-room.org.uk/lofivers...php/t5749.html

[Ged]

Thanks for the replies.
The cable has been laid circa 1988-2000, it has a white plasticy exterior over a metal tube(steel looking) and I think it has Pirelli written on it, no powder inside and it breaks quite easily.
Looking at the jointing system, is it a join and encase with a glue/sealant system? I have seen similar on screwfix, they also advertise a long, black waterproof connector and a grey junction box for underground use, could these be used? The joint could end up being burried under a flagstone.

[Ged]

Just been outside, had a look and took some photos.
The cable is Pirelli FP200, there is white going to the plot and red fed a pond and a light. I have taken some photos for reference, the white cable sticking out from the groung is the shed feed from the house, it is under a garden of paving, it looks to be approx 4" tall, I hope the guys don't stand on it and break it! I may fit it in a weatherproof box and fix that to a wooden stake knocked into the ground, does this sound OK?
I will try and attach the photos of the site and the cable

[Gadgetgeezer]

From experience, I would say that you shouldn't be using that cable underground. You need armoured cable e.g. Armourflex or such like. I have a brand new house and they have laid Armourflex inside a rigid plastic conduit or extra protection. I was glad when I dug down and put my fork through the plastic and didn't even touch the armoured cable.

You would be better off and safer re-running the proper cable although I know this won't be easy.

I also believe that you will need a breaker box in the shed, with breakers for lights and mains plus an RCD - that's the fit of my new garage.

Lastly, I believe that you now need a qualified electrician to do outside electrical work - Part P rules I am afraid.

Sorry but the government and various bodies have got very strict over electrics in the home and that means it's costly now where the diyer might have got away with it in the past.

You could always post on the Screwfix forum - there are lots of qualified sparks on there. They will give you advice, but they will quote Part P for sure.

Regards

Spencer

[Ged]

A big thanks to all for the responses. Probalby go with the rewire solution.

[putbinoot]

Yeah as has been said get some armour cable from your local electrical wholesalers it's not that expensive. Once burried to protect it lay a line of 6" wide slabs on top, then the earth on top of this, this means should someone stick a fork in the earth where your cable is they will hit the burried slabs before your cable.

[Ged]

Thanks,
the cable is and will remain under a paved garden, no soil/lawn as it's too damp. Only problem is the paving is to be redone next Monday! I may see how it goes when they lift up the old slabs and change it then.

[louishm]

Originally Posted by Gadgetgeezer

From experience, I would say that you shouldn't be using that cable underground.

I agree, FP200 should not be used underground, It breaks to easily, any bit of movement on the piece sticking up from the ground could easily damage it further down the line,,as previously mentioned replace it with armoured.

[Johnny Thunder]

Originally Posted by Ged

Thanks,
Only problem is the paving is to be redone next Monday! I may see how it goes when they lift up the old slabs and change it then.

That is your chance to get it put right mate, like louis says, put an armour in.
You will be glad you did.

[Ged]

Originally Posted by Johnny Thunder

That is your chance to get it put right mate, like louis says, put an armour in.
You will be glad you did.

Thanks for all the replies and putting new down will be the best answer, I was initialy thinking this was a type of reinforced cable for this type of use but it isn't.
I am off when the guys come to start the work, so it seems safer to renew it all, including the shed wiring which was well done but probably not up to todays safety spec.