Outside light

[Steel owl]

Hi all, needing abit of advice about how to wire in an outside light that I made (old street lamp style).

itll be at the bottom of the garden, and will need approx 25m of cable.

iv used a brass fitting so it can be earthed. Wanting to use maybe 100w bulb in it.

the cable will run around the perimeter of the garden under tarpaulin and gravel then as it gets nearer house, it'll be 'P' clipped to wall then finally into house.

Now- I'm going to use 3 core SWA, but what size, 1.5mm or 2.5mm?
also when I get into house, can I just put a 3pin plug on it and plug it into wall?

any advice will be much appriciated

thanks all

 

[Pete999]

You would have a bit of a job putting a plug top on SWA whatever size

 

[Richard Burns]

Be careful using an item you have built yourself the only electrical items that should be installed are ones that meet British standards.
SWA cable must be glanded using the correct size glands, correctly attached so that the armour is earthed and the connection to the cable is secure. This would prevent using a plug (and may prevent fitting it to the light), hardwiring it through a box and continuing the earth to a fused connection unit (at 3A) or lighting circuit is much better.
Covering the SWA slightly is not a good method of installation as it may get damaged by accident, it should be either visible or deeply buried in sand / duct.
1.5mm 3 core SWA would be suitable for a 100W load on a circuit length of 25m.
The installation of such an item would require the appropriate inspection, testing and certification as specified in the wiring regulations.

 

[SirKit Breaker]

Nothing to add to the knowledgable gentleman above. Thats what i would do as well.

 

[Engineer54]

A brass lamp holder is the very last material i'd be using on a homemade fitting of a questionable/suitable IP rating. As for a DIYer using SWA cable, especially one that thinks he can terminate it into a typical 13A plug top is a non starter. It is going to be very doubtful you are going to be capable of terminating a SWA cable into an appropriate gland both ends. So following on from R Burns advice, i'd hand the installation over to a fully qualified electrician. No harm whatsoever with you excavating and backfilling the 600mm deep cable trench, (following the instructions of the electrician) but apart from that, ......Honestly, forget it!!