Garden socket - making it safer

[MyNameIsUrl]

I have a live socket in my garden, which has given no problems for many years, but is rarely used. I know roughly where most of the cable runs, and where it enters the garage.

I’d like to make it safer, just in case. What I’m thinking is to break the circuit in the garage so that it can be isolated most of the time but reconnected on those rare occasions when it might be needed.

In principle cutting the cable in the garage and putting in a socket and plug would achieve what I want, but there may be a better way in practice. I like the idea of an air gap rather than a double pole isolating switch. Any suggestions please?

[moorfield]

You are Dod1010 and I claim my £5. See viewtopic.php?f=9&t=7555

[csearle]

I have a live socket in my garden, which has given no problems for many years, but is rarely used. I know roughly where most of the cable runs, and where it enters the garage.

I’d like to make it safer, just in case. What I’m thinking is to break the circuit in the garage so that it can be isolated most of the time but reconnected on those rare occasions when it might be needed.

In principle cutting the cable in the garage and putting in a socket and plug would achieve what I want, but there may be a better way in practice. I like the idea of an air gap rather than a double pole isolating switch. Any suggestions please?

A plug and socket is indeed a perfectly good way of isolating your garden circuit (and it would add a 13A fuse by way of protection too). But a 2-pole isolator does use an air-gap (in fact two) to effect the isolation.

If you are concerned about the ease by which it could become live again then the plug and socket wins too. Small children have been known to switch stuff on (I have two anecdotes at my disposal) and they could of course plug a plug in too, but that I think is slighty less likely.

If you could get a fused-connection unit high up out of the reach of children, suitably labelled, then you would achieve isolation (with at least one air gap) and the arrangement would be elegant - you might need to extend the cables though.

Regards,
Chris

[chas49]

If extending the cables is impractical, a locking cover over the socket would be a potential solution.

[Dod101]

This is Dod and I have to report that I have not had time to really do more than some cursory digging around the tree root. My cable disappears into a thicket of roots and I am having no luck in tracing it. My next project is to dig a shallow trench around the other side of the root (that is between the root and my house to see if I can find its general route.

Garden lighting is all very well but I do wish that installers would leave some sort of plan!

Dod

[MyNameIsUrl]

...A plug and socket is indeed a perfectly good way of isolating your garden circuit (and it would add a 13A fuse by way of protection too)...

I must admit that I had thought putting a plug on a twin-and-earth cable circuit would be against regulations. I do agree that a socket high up and labelled is a safe and obvious way of isolating, but I am a bit wary of unconventional bodges.

[Hardgrafter]

An ELCB plug would help with the safety aspect, in case you did leave the circuit switched on.

[csearle]

...A plug and socket is indeed a perfectly good way of isolating your garden circuit (and it would add a 13A fuse by way of protection too)...

I must admit that I had thought putting a plug on a twin-and-earth cable circuit would be against regulations. I do agree that a socket high up and labelled is a safe and obvious way of isolating, but I am a bit wary of unconventional bodges.

Well if it is done in twin and Earth then a plug and socket would be a bit of a bodge. My suggestion would be to extend the feed using a junction box and the same sized twin and Earth cable to the SUPPLY side of a labelled, fused-connection unit high up. Then the other connection to the socket outlet could similarly be extended to the LOAD side of the fused-connection unit. This would be acceptable and not a bodge at all really.

Regards,
Chris

[bungeejumper]

Well if it is done in twin and Earth then a plug and socket would be a bit of a bodge. My suggestion would be to extend the feed using a junction box and the same sized twin and Earth cable to the SUPPLY side of a labelled, fused-connection unit high up. Then the other connection to the socket outlet could similarly be extended to the LOAD side of the fused-connection unit. This would be acceptable and not a bodge at all really.

Chris, I'm having a bit of difficulty visualising that arrangement. Is there perhaps a diagram somewhere that might help me through the brain fog? Ta.

Small children have been known to switch stuff on (I have two anecdotes at my disposal) and they could of course plug a plug in too, but that I think is slighty less likely.

LOL, it's not just children. My old dad managed to set fire to his workbench by plugging in his heavy-duty soldering iron (a great big powerful beastie) in the mistaken belief that it was his battery charger. There was just too much stuff piled up on the bench to be able to see what plug led to what appliance. It was fortunate that I just happened to be walking past and saw the smoke pouring out of the door. He kept the bench a bit tidier after that.

BJ

[csearle]

@BJ I'll draw it tonight when I'm out of this building site.

C.

[csearle]

Is there perhaps a diagram somewhere that might help me through the brain fog?

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