What size armoured cable

Question

I'm running electrics to a garden office from which I'll run an electric heater, fridge, microwave, kettle, TV, Laptop and LED lighting.
The office is 45/50 metres from the  existing RCD.
What size armoured cable should be used?
Thanks in advance.

Kevin · Accepted Answer

16mm SWA due to distance and would also provide future-proofing

Aaron · Answer

I would recommend a 6mm2 SWA cable. This could be put on a 40amp breaker.

Ivan · Answer

It’s a subject to calculation of designed current but I’ll recommend 10m2 
Also an earth rod will be required for distance mentioned 
It cannot be fed from an RCD it needs to be to be on a fused isolation unit ( if you want to be certified)

John · Answer

Personally the smallest size cable i would run with the information given would be a 10mm 3core cable

James · Answer

I would go 16mm SWA due to distance run and the fact you will probably be burying it too !

David · Answer

It depends on a few factors.
Generally we would put a garage consumer unit with 3 circuits

Sockets in a ring 32a or radial 20a
Lighting 6a
Radial circuit for panel heater 16a

You take diversity into account for this
100% of highest circuit and 40% of other 2

So example 32a + 8.8a so would be looking at almost 41 amps
Then need to do the voltage drop calculation on 50metre cable to see if it's adequate within 5% 
Calculation would point to a 10mm armour cable

What size armoured cable

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