Any Electrical Sparks here?

Those access push fit holes to the JB are IP rated, sames as the ones Wiska use. However, they are designed for on cable only. Personally I would never rely on them, and then there's the issue over cable restraint. IP rated stuffing glands for me.

If you have a 'sparky' who doesn't test, they are the ones that tie their horse up outside. Its a challenge getting decent trades person, suffer a lot in my workplace, especially when you ask for a certificate of works, even with large companies.

However, testing is there for a reason; remember that 7 year old child that died in a pub garden, due to sub standard work.

For others of you out there, try the Competent Persons web site. But also ask for verbal recommendations.
 
The only mains wiring is going to feed is a bench top 850W tumble dryer - I think you lot are over analysing things here, the mains socket in the shed will be fused -- I said this previously
and my RCD will trip anyway if excess current or moisture gets into the circuit outdoors, which should not happen.

The Solar controller is feeding the LED strips- 40Watts - we are not talking a nuclear power station here

BTW, I had a sparky fit an outdoor 1000W flood light last year, which was a mains feed and he used a cheapo box to connect the wires and no glands at all

yAMnvum.jpg

lA9sVy3.jpg

6ccv6Zi.jpg

That box looks like it has a crack in the front of it and the cable coming in from the side should have a drip-loop formed in it.....
 
SWA need special glands to allow the “wire” in the sheath to be used as an earth
The picture you showed of an outside floodlight isn’t wired in SWA
SWA- Steel Wired Armour
This is why we do a four year apprenticeship and continually need to keep up to date with current regulations
And yes I am a spark
 
Those access push fit holes to the JB are IP rated, sames as the ones Wiska use. However, they are designed for on cable only. Personally I would never rely on them, and then there's the issue over cable restraint. IP rated stuffing glands for me.

If you have a 'sparky' who doesn't test, they are the ones that tie their horse up outside. Its a challenge getting decent trades person, suffer a lot in my workplace, especially when you ask for a certificate of works, even with large companies.

However, testing is there for a reason; remember that 7 year old child that died in a pub garden, due to sub standard work.

For others of you out there, try the Competent Persons web site. But also ask for verbal recommendations.

I am not a bodge job type at all, in fact I got high quality parts because I know these will be fitted, its the same way I change the oil and spark plugs etc of the car myself with good quality material
as who knows what a garage would use - buy your own stuff, if things go tits up its your problem and not someone elses.

I have a few degrees and a masters in Electronic Engineering so wiring a socket is not exactly rocket science but I still want some guidance on outdoor stuff and when I can see the comments here its prety clear that the last sparky done a bodge job on the flood light, which was around £100 I think or more in labour itelf, far less than what I spent on all the material for this job.

I installed a second one with a PIR sensor using another box, I never used glands but used lots of silicon grease on the intrusion hole in the box and also on the wago connectors in the box - this was fitted well over a year ago in all sorts of adverse weather right in the driveway where the worst of the weather is and no RCD has tripped and the light works fine.

Now, back to this - I will sound out some other sparkys as i do need quite a bit of wiring done in the shed I am to buy, so my preference is to get someone fit it all. I have a batery powered PIR light purchased for the shed so no need for a mains light so that is one less task.

I also replaced the 6942X 2CORE 2.5MM SWA wire which I was to use with the solar panel / battery with red and black 4MM EN 50363-1 solar cables, 4mm is more than what I will ever be using but no bodge jobs.

I can also get them to put glands in the bodge flood light(s).
 
SWA need special glands to allow the “wire” in the sheath to be used as an earth
The picture you showed of an outside floodlight isn’t wired in SWA
SWA- Steel Wired Armour
This is why we do a four year apprenticeship and continually need to keep up to date with current regulations
And yes I am a spark

well I specifically said about 5 times I was dealing with a 12V SELV LED circuit, with a whopping 40Watts, this doesn have a traditional earth - just 5 cores - no earth. I can still use this cable however it has 5 cores and is robust but maybe overkill.

The outdoor floodlight was rigged from the mains, there is an aux power point on the wall which the sparky tapped into to fit the flood light, the weatherproof box in the photo is where the main feed is located and based on what has been said here - he should have used glands
 
That box looks like it has a crack in the front of it and the cable coming in from the side should have a drip-loop formed in it.....

Can address this when I am getting this work done, I never fitted that box, I will replace it with a IP66/7 one.
 
Those access push fit holes to the JB are IP rated,
But how? as soon as you pierce the rubber that rating is gone - which is why I used silicon grease

I can see the barrier that glands offer which is far better than relying on a JB itself
 
Ive taken the advice on board here from what has been said, I never really had the intention to do this work myself - as 'easy' as it sounds much of it is way too much faff for me so leave it to the experts. The wires i did order have cancelled and getting a refund, SWA wire for one is not good for LED lights as it will have a negative impact on LED lights with voltage drop and way overkill - the H07RN-F looks more suitable that was mentioned but this is where I need a sparky to come into play, also that needs a conduit - I have read that even SELV wires need ground outdoors but there is no ground on the LED lights so how can you ground something that is not grounded itself. --- regs eh

I got a price here, what do we think of this quote

The lenghts of wires needed that I measured were, included a bit extra

3 core SWA mains - outdoor socket to 2 gang socket in shed / w fuse 10M
5 core 12V SELV 12M (this will be divided in 2 as around 5M at going either end of the strip)
Aux 12V 2 core (cctv) - 11M

Getting slabs done next month so need any condit etc layed before work starts

1649798437753.png
 
Should all still be tested incase anything happens to the cabling
You’ll need to get a minor works certificate
 
Update on this - I had asked a few electricians for this work and ended up with someone local to me and we agreed a price - it wasnt that good result in the end.

Before the works commenced

oaTAYji.jpg


takeaways

- No works cert
  • not a good job for several reasons I will mention
  • No rubber gaskets to seal the wires coming from the shed
  • ended up doing much of the work myself - I got some dewalt tools

So the wires (1 x 3 core SWA 2.5mm and 1 x 5 core 1.5mm HO7RN) were laid on the borders before he arrived, this was what was agreed - like so, concrete is used at intervals to fix the wires in place and covered with decorative stone - a conduit is used for the 5 core.

fNKHu9j.jpg

tARUD1z.jpg


Guy arrived on a Sunday and took a long time to do what he did do - we had a verbal agreement on what was needed to be done

1. Fit a double gang metal box in the shed
2. Route the wires from the rear of the shed neatly into the shed and connect up
3. Fit a CCTV in agreed location
4. Get any glands and junction boxes as required - 2 x junction boxes for LED strips on the planters, 1 x junction box for CCTV

1. Took forever to do this work - talking 10am till about 5 or after 5pm.
2. Messed up all the wires in the back of the shed as he fitted the 2 gang socket way too high so had to physically drag the wires upwards removing them from the border they were sitting into - I re wired all this work, tidied up all the wires at the back of the shed also which was difficult due to the lack of room.
3. Never had glands that were needed - I had a buch lying around but they were not IP rated and he used them and took them home also for good measure
4. Junction boxes on the lighting were IP55 not good
5. Junction box on the camera was not fitted with correct glad to match the conduit so he filled the gap with silicon
6. He did fit a fused spur on the outside 2 gang IP socket that was going to the shed - that at least was a good job.

This is the way it is now, the guy who done the slabs did a good job and I had no issues with him.

0WUlcLq.jpg


vjBEHhD.jpg


The LED stip is waterproof and controlled with an app - uses about 12 / 13Watts according to the solar controller.

o1gmhox.jpg


I have 2 X flood lights in the house, one in the back

gZtwPNc.jpg


and one in the drive

mUEtXcE.jpg


when doing this work and seeing what a bad job the guy done I decided to put conduit over all the wires and re position the CCTV also - it took a long time but looks much neater

Iex2Cd2.jpg


The chap positioned it mid way in the wall, in other words showing more of my neighbours sauna than my own property, I moved it near the corner which is where I wanted it in the first place, since its a PTZ camera and I can rotate it to my patio
he did say he would move it but he never did arrive making up excuses and in the end just got tools and finished it myself

Will probably get the usual bashing from others saying oh the house will blow up, there will be a neuclear disaster etc etc but it is what it is.

OA3lxyT.jpg


bruMgLG.png
 
Last edited:
There's not many competent electricians I know, that turn up to work on a Sunday, unless its cash in hand and their employer doesn't know they are doing private jobs.

Some interesting use of plastic conduit, flexible cable, mastic etc. And any decent spark, knows to use black conduit and cable outdoors, or where exposed to the sun.

Did you have a FCU installed at the origin of the new addition?
 
Last edited:
Sorry but that just looks awful.
Could you not used a 90 degree bend for the conduit round the corners. Could also use a t piece on the drop down conduit though i never top entry any conduit or cabling if outside as water will get in there no matter how much silicon you will use.
And white conduit just looks terrible outside.

Keep all straight runs on the same height and then use the corners of the building to increase or decrease the height… will look so much neater…


Typical diy job
 
There's not many competent electricians I know, that turn up to work on a Sunday, unless its cash in hand and their employer doesn't know they are doing private jobs.

Some interesting use of plastic conduit, flexible cable, mastic etc. And any decent spark, knows to use black conduit and cable outdoors, or where exposed to the sun.

Did you have a FCU installed at the origin of the new addition?

The white conduit is what the sparky used for his partial bodge fitting of the CCTV with incorrect glands - the job was cash in hand and he looked to be doing this work as a bit on the side of his normal job - white conduit looks better than black to me, it would take a long time for weather to erode that in the shade.

As per the entire thread there is an outdoor socket already fitted which of course is connected to the fuse box, the fused spur as mentioned is directly leading to the 2 gang socket in the shed - fitting in the wrong place but for the amount of power I will ever use this is more than adequate - there is no nuclear power station getting run in the shed
 
Sorry but that just looks awful.
Could you not used a 90 degree bend for the conduit round the corners. Could also use a t piece on the drop down conduit though i never top entry any conduit or cabling if outside as water will get in there no matter how much silicon you will use.
And white conduit just looks terrible outside.

Keep all straight runs on the same height and then use the corners of the building to increase or decrease the height… will look so much neater…


Typical diy job

the bashing is no more than I expected - all the conduits are sealed - I mean to a better extent than ill fitting conduits and silicon.

The conduit had to be run from the top also unless you want me to install everything below the junction box line.

Have had 2 electricians over for work and they both did not do good jobs - i mean pretty awful so if anything you folks should be picking at the sparkys who are out doing bodge jobs every day of the week in England
 
The white conduit is what the sparky used for his partial bodge fitting of the CCTV with incorrect glands - the job was cash in hand and he looked to be doing this work as a bit on the side of his normal job - white conduit looks better than black to me, it would take a long time for weather to erode that in the shade.

As per the entire thread there is an outdoor socket already fitted which of course is connected to the fuse box, the fused spur as mentioned is directly leading to the 2 gang socket in the shed - fitting in the wrong place but for the amount of power I will ever use this is more than adequate - there is no nuclear power station getting run in the shed
Glad you have the FCU fitted. If ever there's an issue with the outdoor circuits as there often is, that part can be isolated and leave the indoor circuit still working.

Black cables and conduit are more UV resistant than white. Its designed for safety.

I agree with you, in my time (as an electrician) I've come across poor quality electrical work, some done by so called electricians.

Edit; Part P was bought into being to try and stop poor quality electrical work, and stop DIY bodges. Unfortunately it hasn't and been watered down, in England. In Wales, you still need to notify outdoor electrics. And the requirements are still more in NI & the RPI.
 
Glad you have the FCU fitted. If ever there's an issue with the outdoor circuits as there often is, that part can be isolated and leave the indoor circuit still working.

Black cables and conduit are more UV resistant than white. Its designed for safety.

I agree with you, in my time (as an electrician) I've come across poor quality electrical work, some done by so called electricians.

Edit; Part P was bought into being to try and stop poor quality electrical work, and stop DIY bodges. Unfortunately it hasn't and been watered down, in England. In Wales, you still need to notify outdoor electrics. And the requirements are still more in NI & the RPI.

I think poor electrical work is rife everywhere - when I have more time I can very easily get black 25 or 30mm conduit and re route all that - currently its 20mm and I cannot put 3 x 3 core wires into a 20mm conduit but for the moment its fine and will last ages the way it is, the side of the house is in the shade anyway.
 
Last edited:

The latest video from AVForums

Is 4K Blu-ray Worth It?
Subscribe to our YouTube channel
Back
Top Bottom