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Pond electrics You have just finished building your pond, you have decorated the edges, you put the pump in and you go to plug it in, then you realise the pump lead is not long enough, what do you do? You have two choices: You can call in an electrician who will dig a trench 18 inches deep put a wire armoured cable in the trench and fill it in, connecting one end to your consumer unit and the other end to a weather proof socket* adjacent to your pond and then you can plug your pump in.
Or you can do it your self, what most people do in this situation is to pull a suitable cable through a hose pipe (To give the cable protection) dig a shallow trench and bury the hosepipe (With cable already in) and put a weather proof socket on one end adjacent the pond and plug the other end in to a convenient socket in doors** Words of Caution: * This can only be done if you have existing RCD socket protection, if not an electrician can fit one too. ** It is best if you fit an RCD adaptor at the "plug end" as this will give protection to the cable to the socket and the pump that you plug into it. You can of course fit a weather proof RCD socket adjacent to the pond but this will only give protection to the pump cable. Most pumps now come with 10 metres of cable which is usually long enough to reach from the pool to a convenient socket. IMPORTANT NOTE: As of January 1st 2005 a new law came into force regarding all electrical work, it is called "part P" basically you can not do any electrical work in a bathroom or kitchen or in the garden (unless it is changing like for like, this also means you can not put a pond pump in your pond! (i am not joking) how ever if you choose to plug in your pond pump (always use an RCD) this is quite acceptable since you are not changing any existing wiring If in doubt consult a qualified electrician, Remember, done properly you should have no problems, electricity has no prejudices, it KILLS anyone. If you damage a cable while doing any of the above do not repair it, throw it away! building regulations (Part p) is now in force, we suggest anything for outside is plugged in via an rcd if in doubt consult a qualified electrician 41 10 05 431 30 10 06
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