We are anticipating the delivery of a lazy spa hot tub soon and am sussing out how to get power. We have an outdoor socket, but it’s 10m away so I would need to use an outdoor extension lead to connect here. I’ve read the pros and cons and it looks like as long as you are sensible and using a good external quality extension it’s ok to do. The shortest one I can find is 10m long, and don’t need anywhere near this amount, more like 3m. To reduce voltage drop am I best to reduce the length of the extension.
Or… I could plug the spa directly into an indoor socket but this would mean cutting the manufacturers plug off, drilling a hole and re-fitting the plug.. Are indoor sockets ok generally for this type of appliance. The load is approx 2kw.
I can’t move the hot tub nearer the outdoor plug sadly and would prefer to avoid getting another one installed.
Any advice appreciated.
Best Answer
You would be better to get a new outdoor socket installed as a spur (if possible) from the existing indoor socket.
When doing this, your electrician will also check that the circuit has RCD protection. Almost all new wiring, and all sockets, must have RCD protection. If your electrical installation is older, you might not have RCD protection to all sockets.
If the inside socket is on the outside wall an electrician will probably be able to go straight through from the back box to the outside, meaning no internal cabling visible and no disruption or redecoration needed.
This would avoid both using an extension lead and removing the plug. Removing and refitting the plug is not itself a problem as in the UK the only type of plug used on domestic equipment is 230V 13 amp square-pin; anything else would have to be hard-wired. The risk is actually physical damage to the lead running it through a hole in the brickwork (especially if you have polystyrene cavity wall insulation, which reacts with PVC electrical cable).
If you want to run a cable through a hole in the wall then an external socket extension kit like this one
https://www.toolstation.com/bg-ip66-outdoor-power-kit/p27175
will provide a weatherproof cover to the outdoor socket, and RCD protection in case you don't already have it. (This or similar products are also available from Argos, Wickes, Screwfix etc.)
A short length of plastic conduit should be used to take the lead through the wall
https://www.toolstation.com/20mm-heavy-duty-pvc-round-conduit/p47063