Now that we have a Hedgehog, it was time to get more permanent power to the garden. I picked up some 1.5mm SWA 3 Core Armoured Cable from B&Q along with some conduit, a metal back box, an RCD plate and some exanding foam filler and got to work.
At the back of the house there was already a socket in the far corner, so I decided I would mount the RCD next to it, which would then go out the back of the wall into the garden.
I first measured and marked where it was going to go and then got to work cutting back the plaster and breeze block to make space for the back box.
This was all pretty stright forward and one the hole had been made, I put in the back box and made a hole between the current double socket and the new one where the RCD was going to go so that I would run the power over to it.
I then fitted the RCD plate and connected the cables. I decided to go extra safe with it all. If it did ever trip, previously it would have only taken out the downstairs socket ring, but that would have meant the TV going off in the lounge, and I couldn’t take the risk of that happening during the world cup! Plus, I might add an outdoor socket down then line for the lawnmower etc and would like that to be RCD protected.
Outside, I fitted some white conduit (to mach the windows, drain pipes etc.) and then ran that down the house into the gravel, this was just to keep it looking nice and tidy. The armoured cable then runs under one of the slabs and down the side of the garden next to the fence. All in all it all turned out pretty well and very neat.
I then fitted a waterproof junction box at the bottom of the garden next to the hedgehog house. It has a 4 way strip in there and it’s big enough to fit some x10 modules too so I can also control some garden lights (when I get them).
