Wiring up an outdoor socket

Martynt74

Martynt74

Martynt74

Soldato
Joined
20 Feb 2004
Posts
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Location
La Romana, Spain
Before i go ahead with this i thought i'd check with you guys first!

I'm fed up having to mess around with extension cables when i'm doing work in the yard so figured the best option is to stick a socket outside.

We have a double socket in our utility room on an external wall. My plan is to take off the socket front, drill a hole through the wall behind it. Feed a cable through the wall and then just loop the power from that socket to the external socket.

I've wired up sockets before and did a level 1 NVQ electrical course a few years ago so know the very basic.

Suppose my main questions are whether i can use any old socket or whether it needs a built in RCD?
 
If the utility socket is part of the ring an not a spur itself then fine to spur off it

You will need an ip rated outdoor socket - you can get these with or without a built in rcd

If your utility circuit already has rcd protection then no need can just use a normal socket - if not then use an rcd socket
 
Brilliant. I had ordered a none RCD socket from Screwfix but then had the thought after.

Any idea how I'd find out if it's part or a spur? I've a feeling it may be.

As far as cable goes. Because I'm just going from socket to socket through a wall am I ok to just use normal twin and earth cable?
 
Yeah just use 2.5mm t+e


If socket has just 1 cable then its a spur

If 2 cables then maybe ring, maybe radial, maybe spur on spur

Quick test for a socket to get an idea if its a ring or not is to turn power off, separate wires at the socket and do a continuity test between L-L N-N and E-E - if its a ring will get a reading in ohms, if not a ring will be open circuit

not 100% reliable but gives a good idea and will be a lot more work to prove it 100%
 
I was told by our elec manager at work that you shouldn't have multiple RCDs on one circuit as they can in some circumstances not play nicely together.

Ive got that screwfix one, good piece of kit for the money.

This year I am going to add an internal switch, didn't think at the time, but seems an oversight to have a power socket outside that you cannot isolate. Should the ****** take over my garden I think I would want to cut off their power ;)
 
The problem with multiple RCDs is that you can't guarantee which one will trip first. It's not like fuses/breakers where you know a local 13Amp fuse will blow before the 32Amp breaker in the consumer unit trips.
 
bremen1874 said:
The problem with multiple RCDs is that you can't guarantee which one will trip first. It's not like fuses/breakers where you know a local 13Amp fuse will blow before the 32Amp breaker in the consumer unit trips.
Click to expand...

Thanks, think that may be what he said, as it was some time ago the reasoning blurred in my mind.

I presume with a modern Cu its pointless having fused spurs as the RCD will go far earlier than a fuse should there be a problem?

(like when I cut through the cord of the hedge trimmer, RCD went, fuse in device didn't)
 
Fuse seemed redundant but as i went to see our elec manger on site I posed this to him.
He said it should always really have a FCU when coming off the ring so I better fix that as I planned this year. OOps

His comment and in his words "for a layman" was to consider the fuse to protect the device/circuit and the RCD to protect me!

Thanks for your reply as well
 
Doesn't have to have a fuse spur if your only taking 1 spur socket off a ring socket, if its was multiple like taking 2 sockets then yes would have to have a fuse spur used

In this case because its an outside socket a fuse spur would be a good idea so you are able to isolate it if its gets water in and causes tripping etc but would be more work to cut a new single back box into utility wall etc changes it from a quick simple job to a bit of a pain
 
Ok, so just came to have a bash at this and have hit a problem that i'm sure must be solvable.

I need to remove one of the knockouts from the backbox, however there doesn't seem to be anywhere to get a screwdriver in to pry it out.

I had thought of just trying to use a HSS bit to drill through the thing but it's barely doing anything (mark on top right knockout).

I was going to try firing a self tapping screw in it and trying to pull it out but because it's fitted and has brick behind there's nowhere for the screw to go once it's through.

hhADOEz.jpg


I'm waiting for someone with experience to come up with an easy solution!
 
bremen1874 said:
Have you made allowance for including a switch (or switched FCU) so you can isolate the external socket?
Click to expand...
This is a nice to have and not a requirement. From reading the thread the OP won't be doing this as it makes the simple job of running a cable from the back of the socket out the wall into a much more complicated and messy affair.
 
bremen1874 said:
Have you made allowance for including a switch (or switched FCU) so you can isolate the external socket?
Click to expand...

This has got me thinking, we have an unused switched FCU in our living room which I assume was put there for an electric fireplace and we have no interest in adding one. Could I use this for an outside socket instead? It's on an external wall which would be ideal.
 
One More Solo said:
That makes life easier. Drill bit and external socket ordered - thanks for that. Didn't cross my mind until you mentioned the switched FCU point.
Click to expand...

Im now kicking my self because of you. I have a FCU where I had an old gas fire, but it had elec for the fan. Onyl a few feet away is where I drilled through the wall to run the SWA outside off the back of a socket.
I could have done the same and used the already existing FCA also! I would move it now but its the wrong side so there is no way the cable would go that far.

Please keep quiet with your good ideas next time ;)
j/k
 
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