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Adding Power To A Greenhouse

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kia cat | 05:29 Thu 12th May 2016 | DIY
4 Answers
I'd like to run power supply to my greenhouse. Using armoured cable the shortest route would be running it underground or at low level along the exterior wall. Would the cable need protection from UV rays

Can I run it as an "extension" from an existing socket [within our property boundary], or should it be direct from the FCU [inside our house, but the cable would start outside our property boundary, if it was drilled straight through the wall from the fusebox]?

If it's the latter I'm guessing I need a sparks to do it.

It'd only be to power a heater [rated 220-240v, 50Hz and 1500W], maybe a propagator and radio. At the Greenhouse end a box of waterproof sockets mounted high up? could I add a thermostat to let the heater kick in at low temperature?
Thanks
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Armoured cable, buried 450mm deep with warning tape covering it, or clipped to the wall, Kia. No need to run to the consumer unit. A spur off an existing unit is Ok..... BUT use one like this..............
18:11 Thu 12th May 2016
No expert bu tin my opinion it would be preferable to run from the consumer unit on a cable with RCD protection. I can see that extending the ring would be convenient but I'm unsure if this is prohibited or not.

You will need to get an electrician to connect up and sign off the certification. And to do that he'd need to know you did it without issues. Why not have a chat with your friendly local one and see what you can do for yourself ?
Armoured cable, buried 450mm deep with warning tape covering it, or clipped to the wall, Kia.

No need to run to the consumer unit. A spur off an existing unit is Ok..... BUT use one like this...........

https://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/CM4904.html?ad_position=1o1&source=adwords&ad_id=45425533757&placement=&kw=&;network=g&;matchtype=&ad_type=pla&product_id=CM4904&product_partition_id=74607882067&test=finalurl_v2&gclid=CLOYybCP1cwCFUa4GwodMZ0BfA

It's fused, and also contains an RCD (earth trip.)

I would strongly advise having a registered electrician fit it for you. It's a simple enough job, but he would test your existing earthing arrangement to ensure that the RCD operates properly in the event of a fault.

Terminating an armoured cable is a bit fiddly in inexperienced hands as well.
I would protect the swa cable with an RCD as per TB..and then isolate the earth at the greenhouse end and treat the install as a TT installation.This way any fault to earth within the greenhouse will only trip the RCD within the greenhouse and the house wont be affected.Make sure all switches/sockets etc are IP 65 rated to tolerate water sprays and humidity.If its an aluminium greenhouse it will require bonding to circuits within the greenhouse...
As you can see, kia, there's always another way of doing things. BS's solution is a better one.

You won't have a huge bill either. An electrician would install the TT earth arrangement and fix it all up very easily. Bonding the greenhouse is essential in the event of a fault making the aluminium frame live to the touch.

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