Garden distribution board

[ncpitts]

Hi all,
I would like to pick your collective brains by asking if any of you has installed a DB/consumer unit in a garden or outside which is flat and flush to the ground . This one is by a lake and needs to be flat. It will be sat in grass/lawn
Ideas or solutions please

Ta lots

Nigel

 

[DPG]

I really don't understand why everyone is insulting the intelligence of the customer! Intelligence is not the same thing as knowledge or experience.
Without any electrical knowledge they have come up with something which on paper appears to be a workable soloution. They have then approached someone to bring their knowledge and experience in to the equation, that is where the plan appears to have fallen down!

As Tony has suggested underground/flush switchgear does exist. Some of the manhole covers you walk over in the high street are distribution boards!
Once the various cables are connected they get filled with resin to stope the water getting to the connections, only the fuses remain accessible.

What is this distribution board going to be feeding?

Yes, but if you put a consumer unit in a box and then fill it with resin it's going to be pretty awkard the reset the MCBs! Plus, if this thing is going to be flush with ground level, then it's going to get walked on/stood on and god knows what. Then, when someone opens the lid to reset an MCB, the water will run off the grass and into the enclosure. Lovely. Daz

 

[Geordie Spark]

No, I have never installed one like this nor have I ever been asked to. I doubt very much they exist.
Now, if one were to exist how do you think it's IP rating would be maintained?

Bin bag & Gaffa Tape??

 

[davesparks]

Yes, but if you put a consumer unit in a box and then fill it with resin it's going to be pretty awkard the reset the MCBs! Plus, if this thing is going to be flush with ground level, then it's going to get walked on/stood on and god knows what. Then, when someone opens the lid to reset an MCB, the water will run off the grass and into the enclosure. Lovely. Daz

I didn't say you should put a CU full of MCBs in the ground and fill it with resin! Is sub that such things exist and are in use by the DNOs, they are units specifically designed for the purpose!

 

[DPG]

The original question mentioned putting a consumer unit in the ground though. If it was just underground connections then yes I agree, no problems. Daz

 

[Engineer54]

Not that silly really

Pop Ups

Perhaps you had better show your customer the cost of a such a suitable Pop-Up.
I'd be prepared to catch him mind!! lol!!


You can overcome many problems if you aim enough money at them, whether it's money well spent is another matter altogether!!

 

[ncpitts]

I really don't understand why everyone is insulting the intelligence of the customer! Intelligence is not the same thing as knowledge or experience.
Without any electrical knowledge they have come up with something which on paper appears to be a workable soloution. They have then approached someone to bring their knowledge and experience in to the equation, that is where the plan appears to have fallen down!

As Tony has suggested underground/flush switchgear does exist. Some of the manhole covers you walk over in the high street are distribution boards!
Once the various cables are connected they get filled with resin to stope the water getting to the connections, only the fuses remain accessible.

What is this distribution board going to be feeding?

Cameras Dave

 

[ncpitts]

Bin bag & Gaffa Tape??

Here we go again ,pleaser ead the thread

 

[ncpitts]

Perhaps you had better show your customer the cost of a such a suitable Pop-Up.
I'd be prepared to catch him mind!! lol!!


You can overcome many problems if you aim enough money at them, whether it's money well spent is another matter altogether!!

I did , anyone who can afford to have over 500m of ducting laid for monitored camera security is not going to worry about £1800 if its the right thing for the job.
the original remit did not state limited budget and to be fair at the start you said it was crazy. without the ideas of serious posters I would not have thought of this

 

[ncpitts]

Nice!

ncpitts, just out of interest... did something in this thread help you find these, was it inspiration from elsewhere... or did you know about these all along and were just stringing everyone along? :angel_smile:

No Steve, not at all it was the manholes and cabinets mentioned by Rockingit that kind of pointed the way forward :stooge_curly:

 

[Engineer54]

I did , anyone who can afford to have over 500m of ducting laid for monitored camera security is not going to worry about £1800 if its the right thing for the job.
the original remit did not state limited budget and to be fair at the start you said it was crazy. without the ideas of serious posters I would not have thought of this

Who can argue with someone that has more money than sense!! ...lol!!

 

[shanky887614]

Yes, but if you put a consumer unit in a box and then fill it with resin it's going to be pretty awkard the reset the MCBs! Plus, if this thing is going to be flush with ground level, then it's going to get walked on/stood on and god knows what. Then, when someone opens the lid to reset an MCB, the water will run off the grass and into the enclosure. Lovely. Daz

schneider do aa range of mcbs that you can remotely control

 

[davesparks]

Why do you need a distribution board in the middle of the garden for a bunch of cameras?
Put the distribution board next to the control kit for the cameras, or is that being buried too?

Cameras will need naff all current so you'll probably be able to get a lot of them on one radial.

 

[Guest111]

It can be done but it won't be cheap,think about the link boxes that are set into the pavement,you could use one of these and mount the CU inside it,all cables would have to be put in at once though as the bottom gets filled with resin to ensure it's watertight,regarding the condensation issue this could be cured by placing a couple of large bags of dessicant inside the enclosure.this is what BT dbviously the job should be done on a warm dry day as the lower humidity in the atmosphere would also limit the amount of potential condensation.

 

[Pat Tester]

I can't see the problem really myself. a simple and long term solution to follow.

1) First get a nice square washing up bowel and fit the relevant packing glands to suit the cables.
2) find an old Wylex style board with rewire-able fuse carriers, glue this into the bowel with a suitable moisture resistant construction adhesive.
3) Terminate, test all connections fit fuses.
4) Fill up the washing bowel to the top with Silicone potting compound.
5) Cut a piece of 18mm marine ply and paint with three coats of waterproof paint.
6) Glue a piece of astro turf to one side of the plywood.
7) Place the turf lid onto the top top of the buried bowel as a lid.

Problem sorted, if the fuses go you can push your hands through the gel and remove them and then re seal.

 

[Engineer54]

I can't see the problem really myself. a simple and long term solution to follow.

1) First get a nice square washing up bowel and fit the relevant packing glands to suit the cables.
2) find an old Wylex style board with rewire-able fuse carriers, glue this into the bowel with a suitable moisture resistant construction adhesive.
3) Terminate, test all connections fit fuses.
4) Fill up the washing bowel to the top with Silicone potting compound.
5) Cut a piece of 18mm marine ply and paint with three coats of waterproof paint.
6) Glue a piece of astro turf to one side of the plywood.
7) Place the turf lid onto the top top of the buried bowel as a lid.

Problem sorted, if the fuses go you can push your hands through the gel and remove them and then re seal.

I'd stick to Pat Testing if i were you!! lol!!