Outside socket question

[peter212693]

Hi all,

I am thinking of installing some outside sockets for easier access for the lawn mower etc, save running an extension cable through the house which with a 2 year old isnt ideal.

I am looking at something like this:

http://www.toolstation.com/shop/p27175?table=no

Couple of questions... with this being classed as a special install with it being outside will I need to apply for inspection under part p? I have read not as its not altering internal wiring and is deemed as temporary?

I will be plugging it into the sockets in the utility room which from what I can tell is on a 20a breaker at the CU using 2.5mm2 cable (Written on the CU). If i was to use an extension from the newly installed outside sockets will this be ok as long as im not loading it up too much?

The whole house was re wired before we moved in back in 2014 so nice and up to date. I have 2 RCDs at the CU already but I presume with the RCD on the socket anything tripping from outside will just trip this kit rather than the rest of the stuff on the RCD at the CU?

 

[peter212693]

There is no need to have two RCD's on the same circuit. The RCD at the CU will provide the protection, just as it does for any of the other sockets in your house. As I understand it, the sockets you've linked were invented for people in old houses who don't have modern RCD's built into the CU. My parent's house, for instance, still uses strands of fuse wire - so they need things like this, not a person with a house rewired with the latest stuff in 2014.

I also don't understand how you have two RCD's for the same circuit at your CU?



What else is shared on the circuit? Does the breaker *just* supply that one socket? If so, it should be fine, provided you haven't got appliances plugged in that will overload the circuit. To illustrate - even if you you plugged two 1250w electric heaters into your outside sockets and they were using 100% peak power (which they would only do for a very short amount of time and probably not at the same time aka diversity) it would still use up around 10A peak.

I have uploaded a pic I took of the CU the other night. It seems to be just so the up and down is separated a little.

I was hoping with the RCD on the sockets it would stop and trip at the plug if any problems where to occur with the outside sockets.

 

[peter212693]

You should have no worries using the bit of kit in OP. It's basically a bit of Portable Appliance. You could in theory just make up a plug and socket and plug it into a RCD protected Internal socket.

I was thinking of buying the sockets and cable separate and then as you say swapping the sockets inside to a RCD socket but what I read is you have to use the "pre made CE approved kit" or its classed as electrical work and will fall under part p and need building regs.