Stealing earth wire

[brizospark]

Hey Guys, this is an absolutely bonkers idea but I am wondering if this is the only way round a problem.

A customer of mine would like external lighting around the front lawn of his house. The problem is that between the house and the lawn is a very ornate monobloc driveway which has been cemented down. I really do not want to disturb the driveway and neither does the customer.

The only place that I can see to take a feed off of would be the electric gates which is supplied via a 2.5mm cable from the garage. I am planning on tapping into this supply in the gate control box, installing a FCU and then photocell for lights however this still leaves the problem of getting a cable over the drive for the lights.

There are two gates which are operated via electric motors, unfortunately the control panel is at the wrong side for me but there is a cable on the gate near the lawn, which is energised when the gate is operating open or closed. This is supplied by a four core cable, switched live for open, switched live for close and N and cpc.

Whilst trying to think about a way across this drive I was wondering if I could basically utilise the earth wire in the four core flex as a switched live and take a neutral which is already there. Of course there would be no question of leaving anything unearthed so I was wondering if it would be within the regs to install an earth rod in the pit of the gates control nearest the lawn to give the electric motor at that side and my light fittings an earth.

A bit of a long way round for external lighting but it was the only idea I could come up with as there is definitely no way under over or around the drive to the lawn

 

[Plonker 3]

Reg 514.4.2 will assist you.

 

[Pete999]

Agree with Dillb this reg explains it all out for you

 

[Pete999]

Can you not speak to your customer and explain the difficulties of doing this job properly, the way you have described is a bodge job.

 

[telectrix]

only way round it as i see is some form of solar power for lights.

 

[davesparks]

Full moon tonight is it?

 

[telectrix]

haha. charge by day, light up after dark.

 

[davesparks]

That wasn't meant for you, it was a comment on the bunch of loony questions we've had today.

 

[telectrix]

4 core flex will surely be in a duct. if so, can't you pull another cable in?

 

[davesparks]

I'd hope its in an earthed metal duct if it's just flex underground.

 

[Octopus]

4 core flex will surely be in a duct. if so, can't you pull another cable in?

Like that idea - use the 4 core to pull a 5 core through!

 

[davesparks]

Better off pulling a new 4C and a 3C for the lights I think.
My instincts are saying we've got a borrowed neutral in the makings here.

 

[GMES]

Like that idea - use the 4 core to pull a 5 core through!

Or get a well trained mouse to send through the duct with a new cable... I might get one and try to train it, then i could rent it out on here.

 

[Plonker 3]

Why would it be borrowed? They would be both be fed from the same MCB? The OP seems to make that clear.

 

[davesparks]

Or maybe just shove another cable down the duct, the gateway can't be that wide!