The IEE Wiring Regulations are like the Building Regulations, they are a 300 page document (British Standard BS7671) which defines the way in which all electrical installation work must be carried out. It does not matter whether the work is carried out by a professional electrician or an unqualified DIY enthusiast, the installation must comply with the wiring regulations.

The Wiring Regulations will soon be embodied within the Building Regulations, thereby giving an even greater statutory enforcement. These changes will also limit the amount of electrical work that can be carried out by an unqualified person. The installation of an Armadillo Outdoor Power System falls within the scope of electrical work that can be carried out by an unqualified person. Following the detailed instructions provided with each Armadillo system will ensure that you comply with the Wiring Regulations.

The following are some relevant extracts from the Wiring Regulations with respect to the installation of electricity in the garden.

The regulations state - “Except where installed in a conduit or duct which provides equivalent mechanical protection, a cable buried in the ground shall be of a construction incorporating an armour or metal sheath or both…..”

Note – the use of hosepipe or any other plastic pipe as a conduit is not acceptable. When armoured cable is used, it must be correctly terminated at each end with brass termination glands. These allow the armoured sheath to be connected to the earth point.

The same paragraph goes on to say “Such cable shall be marked by cable covers or by suitable marking tape or by suitable identification of the conduit or duct….”

Note – An appropriate length of marking tape is included with each Armadillo Outdoor Power System

Finally this paragraph concludes with “…and be buried at a sufficient depth to avoid being damaged by any disturbance of the ground reasonably likely to occur”

Note – this means that in a normal garden, the cable should be buried to a depth beyond the reach of a spade or garden fork, since digging is the disturbance that is most likely to occur.

Another example of where you need to be aware of the Wiring Regulations, is in the installation of sockets in a greenhouse. They must be of a special splash-proof type – so that there is no risk when watering plants.

Armadillo weatherproof sockets comply with this regulation.