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https://www.askthetrades.co.uk/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl DIY Forum >> Electrical Questions >> problems with power to shed. https://www.askthetrades.co.uk/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?num=1251031175 Message started by akp on Aug 23^rd, 2009, 1:39pm

Title: problems with power to shed.
Post by akp on Aug 23^rd, 2009, 1:39pm

Hi all, I making an effort in setting up a power supply to the shed(two lights and three sockets). I got the required components from a local electrical shop.
I have done a my first connect to test things out just for the lighting to begin with. The amont of power going in to the shed is not enough to run one light.
I have the following set up:
-In the main box from the protected side a 32 amp MCB
-Supplying the shed using an amoured cable (containing three cables a brown, black and a grey approx 2mm each, cable overall dia 14mm)
- this feeds into a wylex consumer unit in the shed with a switch.
- From here I have a NSB06 6ampMCB supplying a fluoresent lights. A Simple lighting circuit. These I have done in the house many times.
When switched on from the house consumer unit the Wylex unit is live.
The MCB is on, but the light does not work.
Is there something I am missing?
This the first time I have set up from the main box.
Any help greatly appericiated.

Title: Re: problems with power to shed.
Post by Zambezi on Aug 23^rd, 2009, 3:48pm

I have to start by saying you are not allowed to do any wiring in your garden or adding new circuits to your existing consumer unit without being Part P registered or without notifying Building Control.

-How far is it from your consumer unit to your shed?
-What earthing arrangement do you have in your house (there are guides in this forum that will tell you how to check)?,
-You have mentioned the size of the cable but this is not the actual size of the cable because it is worked in square millimetres. It is normally embossed on the out sheath of the cable.
....

Title: Re: problems with power to shed.
Post by Lectrician on Aug 23^rd, 2009, 5:43pm

If you purchased the cable from a shop, surely you know the size? It sounds like your 32 amp MCB is likely oversized for the cable, but this would not prevent things from working.

If you are using a meter and are confirming 230volt at the L and N of the consumer unit, can you do the same at the flourescent fitting?

Take a few photos of your setup and upload them here for us to see. Take some covers off etc for us to see inside.

For info on uploading pics, see the bottom of my post.

Title: Re: problems with power to shed.
Post by akp on Aug 23^rd, 2009, 8:51pm

Sorry to have bothered you.
After re-checking for the millionth time, I found that I was taking the neutral from the wrong block in the main consumer unit. That rectified it seems to work properly.
Again I can only apologise for my stupidity.