Electricity in Greenhouse

[chris]

Hokay... So I've dug the foundations out for my GH - and I'm planning on running a feed from my house into my garage - and then in turn taking a spur from a socket in the garage to the greenhouse.

Whilst I have the ground all dug up, I may as well run some armoured cable to the garage in preperation. I don't know if I want leccy in the GH, but it'd be easier to lay the cable now, should I want it later on.

So - what socket is suitable from inside a GH? - one of those outdoor waterproof ones? What do you fix it to? Steak it into the ground or something?

Also, where would be the most sensible place for the socket, by the door, or near the back? I don't know if I want to heat it yet, but having this leccy in their may be useful for that - do those fan heaters need to sit high, or low?

Thanks

[Alison]

Am pretty certain that legally you have to be a fully qualified sparky to do outdoor electrics these days. Having said that we did our own before these laws were changed and have outdoor protected style sockets and switches in the greenhouse. The whole thing is on a fused switch from the house and when we're not using it we isolate it (it's rare I need power out there, sometimes a light and very occaisionally the heater but not much). All our fixings are bolted to the greenhouse frame via a piece of wood which is angled to the supports. These are then just below the sloping roof level and not in direct watering areas.

[chris]

Yep, the sparky isn't a problem I think i'll dig the channel out ready for my old man to install it all.

[Steve Valentine]

pretty sure you are allowed to work on your own house, as a glass house I don't think it comes under part p any way.

I have an outdoor socket that can have the waterproof lid closed while a plug is in, so perfect for running a heater.

I'd attach it to a timber secured to the frame.

[Pumpy]

My **** of a neighbour was planning on running a feed along the top of my wall into his garden DIY style using a bit of armoured cable he found in someone else's garden. I objected as he's an idiot at the best of times and asked an electrician friend for advice, outside work needs to be done by Part P qualified electrician.

If its not then generally the insurance won't be valid in the event of a problem.

I've spent a few months in smart gardens and burying the cable is the best option, it needs to be 2 foot deep. Some people clip it to the wall, doesn't look as good.

Waterproof sockets definately. Why not have two sets of sockets high and low both at the furthest point in the Greenhouse? That way if it needs to be anywhere else its easier to move or run a lead?

Best bit of advice from my Spark was, "Electricity can kill, don't take chances", which was enough for me as an electronics engineer to put my foot down. Had to put up with the neighbour spitting his dummy and abusive language but glad I did.

Sorry if I am teaching Grandpa to suck eggs.

[jpdw]

My **** of a neighbour was planning on running a feed along the top of my wall into his garden DIY style using a bit of armoured cable he found in someone else's garden. I objected as he's an idiot at the best of times and asked an electrician friend for advice, outside work needs to be done by Part P qualified electrician.

People who do this work for a living will always say the law requires you to use someone who .. .does this for a living. [ and some of their trade bodies say the same unless pressed to be more accurate ]

The law (as I understand it, I'm just a householder, but one that has read-up on this quite a lot) requires outdoor stuff is done either by someone who is qualified (accurate enough for this discussion) or by *anyone else* so long as they do the work with co-operation/registration via the local authority who will validate/check the work on completion. So a DIY-er can do any electrical work they like but must get the council involved during the work & at the end to 'sign it off'.

If its not then generally the insurance won't be valid in the event of a problem.

If you've done it youself and complied with the law (get the council approval during & on completion) then I can't see how an insurance company can really turn down claims against work that was done to & approved under all the current laws. OTOH, bodge it without complying with the regs & without the legal registration & I'm sure the insurance companies will invalidate though.

On the more positive side, I've noticed recently that places like B&Q are now selling outside cable runs that anyone can put in without the need for all the bureaucracy. Simply, these appear to be pre-wired extension cables using buryable armoured cable and with strict instructions on depths for mounting. Maybe not the most elegant solution but a good way to legally DIY without having to involve the nanny state.

[Ace of spades]

This sort of work doesn't just come under part P,a greenhouse is classed as a special location as far as regulations are concerned and needs specialist knowledge to install. This is for obvious reasons ie water,possible damage to the cable from tools etc ,& a big metal structure which could become live, so don't mess about, armoured cables need special water resistant glands in this location which Joe Soap couldn't terminate, and more importantly you must feed any socket outside with an RCD or RCBO, sorry this sounds like a lecture, gardening is supposed to be fun but 240 volts through wet hands ain't

[CaroltheCarrot]

Sorry,on a much less technical note I would put power in it if you can,I can heat mine, have a light in it and can listen to music should I want.Have two waterproof switches attached to my potting bench and the heat element was veryvery useful during our dire spring.Sorry to dumb dowm your thread

[Ace of spades]

Absolutely get the cable in now and the rest can be done later, that's what I've done with mine. It'll be handy for heating although not the cheapest it's easier to control than parrafin or gas and if you want to get an early start next year for lighting those young seedlings. Or if you get it done in the next week take the 50 inch plasma down there and watch England make fools of themselves !!!

[Pumpy]

Well, just found a quote from an electrician who was going to run electricity to my shed and it states:

These works are subject to Part P of the Building Regulations and will be registered with the Local Authority by Elesca Certification. An Electrical Installation Certificate will be issued on completion and a Part P Certificate will follow.

jpdw, would you really let someone (not a paid or qualified tradesperson) run a length of cable, which has sat in someone else's garden for at least 3 years along the wall of a property you were legally responsible for?

[chris]

Well I dug a trench - around 2' deep and ran some conduit for the time being until we get some armoured cable. Problem is though - my GH is dug 2' deep down into my lawn - so the conduit is at ground level.

Couldn't be bothered to dig anymore, so I've back fileld the trench and will do the digging another day. got my frame up now, looking a bit better now..

You can see the conduit stick through the chippings - bottom left in between the two bits of cardboard on the floor.



Another view:


Bit more digging before I glaze and fix to the base - it wasn't as hard to put up as I had thought - the worst part of the whole job was levelling the area (garden was sloped before) - heavy work, with the subbase and boulders just hard work to remove. The amount of times I jarred my wrists was crazy. Gotta step the garden down a bit, remove the earth to the RHS of it and then properly cement in the flag stones to stop the earth to the LHS (fence side) of the GH caving in.