Extending Power in Garden for hot tub and Heat Lamp Ask questions and find answers to many subjects relating to electrics and electrical work

[skippy1981]

Hi,

I have an outdoor socket with RCD fitted to the outside of my house.

I want to connect two appliances, an inflatable hot tub and a heat lamp. The problem is I need them about 10 metres away from the house.

Is there a safe way of achieving this please? Is there such a thing as an armoured extension cable (three prong) which I can simply use to cross the gap? The only ones I see online seem to be for temporary use. I'd be happy to disconnect during the winter but would like the setup trough spring summer and autumn.

Getting an electrician to run armour cable from the house and terminate it in a permanent fitted outdoor socket is expensive and will cost more than the appliances being connected did... And of course I end up needing it again if I want to move the appliances somewhere else!

[Mr White]

Armoured cable by its design is not meant to be moved once installed, unlike a flexible extension lead which is meant to be moved.

I would also ask how much current does your hot tub and your heat lamp use. The reason is although you have a double socket, the most current you can safely draw from most sockets is 13A

Most electricians will not mind if you secure the armoured cable / dig a trench for the cable. So, so long as they have agreed what you can and can not do, I would suggest you ask an electrician to quote for the job, with you supplying the labour.