Power to garage options / advice sought

[Nick]

I need to revamp to get safer and legal power out to the nearby garage - it is impossible to neatly/unobtrusively run a dedicated cable from the existing CU.

Thoughts are...

1) to tap into an existing ring main on that side of the house... put in a (? fused outlet / RCBO ?) and take power though a buried armoured cable to the garage approx 9 mtrs away, ? or provide a local earth and ? a Garage consumer unit with RCCD

2) any other methods using existing "nearby" ring main

3) leave as it is with an extension lead plugged in to a current 13 A socket in house, out through window, across patch of grass ( people keep tripping over it) - i.e. not an option....

I only want approx max 13 A out there for a couple of lights and a socket at the bench for a drill / vacuum cleaner small tools...

Any suggestions ? and what order should / does it have to be tackled in re BCO etc ?

Thanks,

Nick

[George]

I hate replying like this, but you did say that you wanted a "legal" power supply. Isn't "outside" a special location and will therefore require Building Control approval?

I am going to butt out now, and watch the proper answers, but I think that if I really, really had to do it, I would try very, very hard to get a supply out from the CU.

George

Nick wrote:

[Nick]

Hi George, Thanks for the reply... By "legal", I mean an install that I can do 90% of myself to a spec that will allow a (?part P) electrician to visit, check/connect up and issue a certificate of compliance to current regs.... It just has to be better than an ageing extension lead draped across the fence / lawn.... As I (seem to) understand it, it is not illegal as it is, but I would feel a lot happier if it were an underground armoured cable with suitable "boxes" at each end

Thanks for the reply, Nick

[Fred]

If you want the cheapest legal way, and you only want to draw 13 amps, then it's called a very long extension lead. If you're concerned of safety then use an (additional?) RCD and compliment the earth with an earth spike.

[George]

I quite agree :-)

[Owain]

A Part P electrician cannot "issue a certificate" for work done by someone else. Either the work must be *done* by a Part P registered electrician (who need not necessarily be competent or qualified) or a Building Regulations application will be needed. Or you ignore Part P entirely.

Mo electrician worth his salt is going to be willing to take responsibility for someone else's handiwork.

Mr Prescott's former department took a different viewpoint.

Owain