The age old electricity question?!?!?!

Dodgie
You should be ok with the wall mounted transformers provided you make the mains connection to an existing circuit and that circuit isn`t located in the kitchen or another "special" location.
A part P certified sparky probably wouldnt charge that much to put a mains feed through the wall to an external adaptable box which would give you more options and you`ve nothing to lose asking for a few free quotes.

 

Dodgie
personally I prefer 240V pumps , you have more choice and availablity. I would fit an RCB switched socket inside the house and run 3 core SWA through the wall to your feature. Could you bury the SWA in the stone rain run off strip at the edge of your patio ? I fit a waterproof plug and socket to connect the pump to. So when the pump does fail ( it will ! ) you can quickly change it. I buy from a local electrical trade shop or from TLC online below ( or Screwfix ) They will be far cheaper than the Blagdon kits. You can also buy the brick burst cover ( as shown in your pic ) to tidy up the cable leaving your house - Ebay is the place for these, kindly supplied by SKY engineers :D

http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Information/default.htm
http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Main_Index/Pumps_and_Aquatics_Index/BR_GF7/index.html

 

You`d have a job fitting a standard 13A plug onto armoured cable

 

Yeah, I think you would Hex.

 

Someone I know very well has a cable running through a blue 1/2 inch Alkathene water pipe. This runs under a patio along the bottom of a short hedge and into a pond. It is on a spur isolator from a shed supply but is almost certainly breaking the law. But it works well and is quite safe as he obviously has not been electrocuted yet. The rules are getting just a bit out of hand.

 

Common sence Hans, sorry not allowed these days mate.:D

 

Well it can be done - but point taken. I would not want SWA as a lead in the house as it has a life of its own. I took standard 3 core thru the wall and then connect the SWA in a junction box on the outer wall.

 

Thats the correct way to do it, improves your chances of living to a ripe old age.

Buried blue pipe and flex is definitely not a great idea, it could cost you a £5000 fine, or worse, negate your insurance in the event of an electrical fire or death by electrocution

 

The problem with doing things like "Someone I know very well has a cable running through a blue 1/2 inch Alkathene water pipe" it is flawed.

New owner comes along, or some one working in garden, "ah thats ok, its blue, its water", saw saw BANG! why do you suppose pipes are the colour they are? its not to look pretty.

"well it works doesnt it" How do you know? have you tested it. can you test it?, do you know how to test it? etc
Just because something functions does not mean to say it is right or safe. Yes you can see the live and neutral are working (or appear to be) but what about the earth, is it connected, is it the right size? will the RCD actually trip if required?

Sorry, but there is no point in looking for a 24v transformer unless you have something to connect to it. Those few who do make 24v pond pumps supply suitable transfromers already

All things an electrician should check first.

I take the comment regarding a multiple tapped transformer to be read with tongue severly in cheek. Lets leave it at that.

12 or 24v pumps are available but generally the performance is no where near as good as a 230v mains pump.

Its similar for solar, solar has one main drawback, We are in the UK. we do not get that much sun, a solar pump will not work if there is not enough sun, mains, press the switch and hey presto.

Like wise solar lighting, it is not that bright, not a lot of use in winter, and again mains operated (by transformer) lights are much better and more flexible.

Mains seems to win hands down on all aspects, why not get a couple of quotes? also may i suggest you offer to dig the required trench to save costs.

 

I think most people like "blue pipe guy" will assume the RCD provides complete protection against electric shocks.
If he accidently connects with the live and neutral but misses the earth.. he will be electrocuted
Its almost impossible to do that with armoured cable as the armour is connected to earth.

 

MDPE ( blue pipe) offers no resistance to spades, pickaxes etc. It is due to folk doing sutch stupid things that we now have the equally stupid regs.

Ironicly these regs make folk more likely to do stupid things like T+E inside water pipe.

 

I know these regs come along in order to make things safer, that I dont deny.
But what happened before the regs came along, life went on, and as pro says people will still do as they want.

When I illegally wired up my greenhouse I used amoured cable in a trench across the lawn covered with a 3in layer of concrete.

I would have been just as happy if it was ordinary cable in a section of water pipe, its just that I already had the armoured stuff.

Nobody in their right mind goes cutting into water pipes, with the attitude, "Oh its only water, I can chop into that".

Going slightly off topic.

When I replaced my widows I had to get the building inspector to come around and check I had installed them correctly, a new reg. a few years ago.

This cost as I remember a couple of hundred quid, for ten minutes work and a short letter.

Its all part of the red tape we are all being tied up in.

 

right mind or not, people do do it.

 

So if it was red and marked electricity, perhaps they wouldn't.

What is the correct colour for electricity underground?

 

Pete, if its buried shallow then its dead easy to do, ive discoverd numerous cables transplanting shrubs etc at spades depth.