Buried Electric Cable

Aerohead

I put a light in my garden shed and ran three core cable from it to the house, I put the cable about 4 inches below the grass to the shed, I only put in a plug in the kitchen when I need the light in the shed, is it ok to bury the three core white cable. Any help appreciated

2011

Aerohead wrote: »

I put a light in my garden shed and ran three core cable from it to the house, I put the cable about 4 inches below the grass to the shed, I only put in a plug in the kitchen when I need the light in the shed, is it ok to bury the three core white cable. Any help appreciated

From your description I am concluding that this is a flex. This is not a suitable cable type unless it has sufficient mechanical protection.
A steel wired armored cable would normally be used.
It should be buried at least 3 feet deep.
Suitable warning tape should be buried over tge cable.
This is against regulations and is unsafe.
I would advise that you call an electrician.

Aerohead

Just listening to the Joe Duffy show and a guy was digging out a bit of land at the back of the house with a small digger when he hit a high voltage cable in the ground and nearly got killed, the cable was only 7 inches below the surface when it should have been 3 to 7 feet deep, the ESB came fixed the cable and sent a bill for 3000 Euro.

My cable is appx 12 feet long going from a shed to a shed. is there a special cable I can buy for this

Interceptor

Carefully dig it back up and put a heavy Hydrodare or other flexible hose down to run the cable through. Place a 4 inch plank over it and re-bury it. I'd probably have suggested running it overhead on a steel support cable but if you dug the channel already you should protect it as best you can.

You need to use a weather resistant cable for outdoors and most PVC insulation breaks down with cold and wet - at the very least you need to put the cable into a conduit or replace it with steel wire wrapped cable (€€€)

2011

Aerohead wrote: »

My cable is appx 12 feet long going from a shed to a shed. is there a special cable I can buy for this

The most suitable cable for this is an SWA (Steel Wire Armoured) cable.
I would recommend that the cable is at least a 3 x 2.5mm (for the length you require this will not be expensive) possibly larger depending on the load. This cable can be direct buried without the need for conduit or a plank (which is pointless as it will rot quite rapidly if buried). As already stated all cables should be buried to a depth of at least 3 feet.

bibibobo

On similar topic is it ok to clip swa along a wall to a shed?

2011

bibibobo wrote: »

On similar topic is it ok to clip swa along a wall to a shed?

Yes.