Wiring to garden light Ask questions and find answers to many subjects relating to electrics and electrical work

[teescottage]

My Father died recently and my Mother has asked me if it is possible to fit an extra light in the garden to make her feel a little safer at night.

She has a light on the outside of the house. there is a seven foot gap across concrete flooring to the garden shed.

What I am wanting to do is take a wire straight across from the existing light on the house wall to the shed, then around the shed to the back where the new light will be fixed.

The wire needs to be raised as it is not possible to take up the concrete to sink the wire.

Could someone please tell me the correct method of doing this.

Am I right to think it would involve attatching a support wire between the house and shed and then running the electrical wire along it? Or maybe steel tubing?

Thanks for your help.

[sparx]

Hi If you are in England this is not legal DIY as is covered by bldg regs part p, if in Scotland then ok the way is as u suggest, a 'catenary ' strainer wire with cable taped & then cable ties over tape is normal way, but strainer wire must be connected to circuit earth at supply end to be 100% correct, regards SPARX

[teescottage]

Thanks Sparx. Unfortunately I am in England. It drives me crazy that simple DIY jobs can no longer be done. Is it possible for me to do the job and then have it checked by an electrician? I'm trying to save my mum some money you see. Oh and do you know if there are any regulations on how high the wire needs to be? 8 foot would be about as high as I could put it. Cheers again.

[Shane]

I have almost the same Q. Want to put up outside light with PIR the housing is alloy with steel mounting bracket. Will be mounted underneath S/Steel weather guard plate. Do I earth the plate to the light or not, could be done through attachment bolts.This will 2.5m high.



Shane

[sparx]

Hi agn,
An electrician is not allowed to do 3rd party cert for part p work as the cert says he has done the work himself & he would have to lie and if later a fault he missed arose he could be in a lot of trouble!!
If you find a good one locally he might allow you to do some of it with him,
you can do the whole job yourself by notifying bldg control & paying their inspection fee first but it is likely to cost as much as a self certifying sparks would charge & he would give you test certs for your records which B.C. won't
sorry but thats the legal options,
You could do as some are & DIY it @ weekend & hope nobody sees!!!
but it's a risk & if later want to sell up no paperwork can give probs, regards
SPARX