Feeding cable from outside into cellar/basement.

[Tinders]

Hi Fellow inmates!

I’m in the process of getting my electrics upgraded to a new CU and what not, as you can see my current setup is older that time itself.

The electrics will be done by a sparky when the restrictions are lifted, in the meanwhile I’m planning to add some extra cabling for a electric car point and garden wiring, it will be armoured cables. The CU is located underground in the cellar. If I drill a hole where the arrow is, that’s basically where on the outside the wall meets the floor.

2 questions, is this ok to do? And what should I seal with once the cables are in?

Any other ideas on feeding the cable, the existing electric supply feed is also coming on the same wall, but it’s foot or so further down so will be quite a bit buried.

https://imgur.com/a/zZrYoxK

thanks for any help.

 

[JRJ]

Anyway of going up to the floor above and then out of the wall, I wouldn't fancy having a hole where the wall meets the floor and directly above the CU is asking for trouble with even the best sealant?

 

[ANDARIAL]

Try to put new cable through the hole that the mains come in?
Make sure you do drip loop and seal with plenty of silicone

 

[Tinders]

Anyway of going up to the floor above and then out of the wall, I wouldn't fancy having a hole where the wall meets the floor and directly above the CU is asking for trouble with even the best sealant?

Good point, i'll have a look how easy it is to feed from the top.

Try to put new cable through the hole that the mains come in?
Make sure you do drip loop and seal with plenty of silicone

That cable is buried underground by about 18 inches, its another option.

But ive had another idea.To the right of the picture, theres a large vent pipe, i could drill into that from the outside and feed the cable down? Looks like a very easy option, so its prob not a good idea lol. You can see a earth cable coming out of it (that was done by the electric network people years ago when the old incoming supply fuse surround started disintegrating).

 

[Adam_151]

When you drill the hole, you need to have it angled downwards slightly to to the outside, so that moisure does not run along the cable to the inside.

You also need to be very careful digging or drilling near the incomming service cable, this will be 'protected' most likely by 400A fuses in the subsation fuseboard, if you damage it you'll come home from the burns unit in a months time to a big bill for fixing it on the door mat from the DNO....

 

[Tinders]

When you drill the hole, you need to have it angled downwards slightly to to the outside, so that moisure does not run along the cable to the inside.

You also need to be very careful digging or drilling near the incomming service cable, this will be 'protected' most likely by 400A fuses in the subsation fuseboard, if you damage it you'll come home from the burns unit in a months time to a big bill for fixing it on the door mat from the DNO....

Thats why im a bit wary of using that hole

 

[a1ex2001]

ask your sparky?

Failing that I'd come down the vent pipe as it looks like that is where your main earth comes from, if you have a look around outside you should find an eathing rod driven into the ground somewhere near it connected to that green cable.

 

[Hawk Tuah]

Where does the big pipe to the left lead? Looks like it's already got a cable running into it.

 

[Tinders]

I had a root around yesterday, and yes the theres a earth rod coming off that earth cable from the pipe, the pipe goes ouside and sticks up about 1/2 metre, i think it was the main entrance for the rats, before i put a bit of mesh on it

I think i'll feed the SWA into the vent pipe, looks the easiest way to get in to the cellar, its only going to be 2 6mm cables in any case, so it wont impede air flow. Im going to send some pics to the sparky to check in any case.