Outdoor Extension or Socket to Power Pond Filter/Pump Ask questions and find answers to many subjects relating to electrics and electrical work

[ampthetex]

Im looking to put 1x pair of sockets out in the garden, Im looking to just be able to hook up pond filter/pump, nothing more than 50w really in total. Would it be acceptable to use one of those waterproof box sockets wired to a 13amp plug, so its kind of like an extension if you get what I mean, and plugged into a RCD in the house? Or is that bad practice, etc. It would be about 15 metres give or take, so any advice would be much appreciated.

Thanks

Steve

[Mr White]

As it is to be used outside and left all year round it would need to be suitable cable.

Note: Just because "it works" does not mean it is safe.

[ericmark]

Depends where you live, Wales and England different rules, Blagdon do a system designed to get around old English and existing Welsh laws, personally don't like it, however is was made with ponds in mind.

Petroleum jelly helps seal their system, in general any box filled with air will push out air when hot and suck in what ever it can when it cools again, so can suck in water, unless buried best idea is hole at bottom to ensure when air expands any water is pushed out of bottom. Hole at top and it can slowly over time fill up.

If water gets in, than a RCD should trip, so one ensure it is RCD protected, and two ensure if some thing does go wrong it can be disconnected easy, so it does not stop whole house ring final working, plug or double pole switch.

In the main common sense, but Part P in Wales has garden as special location so you should either use a scheme member electrician or apply to council and pay fee.

However I lost paperwork and applied to council for replacement, told the department was moving and would need to weight 3 months, and fee for finding paperwork was open ended pay by the hour, so it would be hard for anyone to actually show if work registered or not when council is in such a disarray. I thought on selling or buying a house there would be a search by solicitors to show all electrics registered however clearly that is not the case.

[ampthetex]

As it is to be used outside and left all year round it would need to be suitable cable.

Note: Just because "it works" does not mean it is safe.

Can you point me to some suitable cable, that maybe screwfix etc, sell. Please

[ericmark]

If buried then SWA cable, if above ground black so not affected by UV and likely still SWA would be best option.

However can't really fit a plug to SWA cable, so likely needs a box of some sort to change cable type.

What you are asking is for us to design your system, and can't do that without seeing the site.

So likely for you Blagdon system is the easiest way to set it up in a safe manor.